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The art of ‘getting lost’: how re-discovering your city can be an antidote to capitalism

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/stephen-dobson-1093706">Stephen Dobson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/cquniversity-australia-2140">CQUniversity Australia</a> Do you remember what it was like to discover the magic of a city for the first time? Do you remember the noises, smells, flashing lights and pulsating crowds? Or do you mostly remember cities through the screen of your phone? In 1967, French philosopher and filmmaker Guy Debord <a href="https://files.libcom.org/files/The%20Society%20of%20the%20Spectacle%20Annotated%20Edition.pdf">publicised the need</a> to move away from living our lives as bystanders continually tempted by the power of images. Today, we might see this in a young person flicking from one TikTok to the next – echoing the hold images have on us. But adults aren’t adverse to this window-shopping experience, either. Debord notes we have a tendency to observe rather than engage. And this is to our detriment. Continually topping-up our image consumption leaves no space for the unplanned – the reveries to break the pattern of an ordered life. Debord was a member of a group called the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Situationist-International">Situationist International</a>, dedicated to new ways we could reflect upon and experience our cities. Active for about 15 years, they believed we should experience our cities as an act of resistance, in direct opposition to the (profit-motivated) capitalistic structures that demand our attention and productivity every waking hour. More than 50 years since the group dissolved, the Situationists’ philosophy points us to a continued need to attune ourselves – through our thoughts and senses – to the world we live in. We might consider them as early eco-warriors. And through better understanding their philosophy, we can develop a new relationship with our cities today. <h2>Understanding the ‘situation’</h2> The Situationist International movement was <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt183p61x">formed</a> in 1957 in Cosio di Arroscia, Italy, and became active in several European countries. It brought together radical artists inspired by spontaneity, experimentalism, intellectualism, protest and hedonism. Central figures included Danish artist <a href="https://museumjorn.dk/en/">Asger Jorn</a>, French novelist <a href="https://mitpress.mit.edu/author/michele-bernstein-10219/">Michèle Bernstein</a> and Italian musician and composer <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Olmo">Walter Olmo</a>. The Situationists were driven by a <a href="https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/34141">libertarian form of Marxism</a> that resisted mass consumerism. One of the group’s early terms was “unitary urbanism”, which sought to join avant-garde art with the critique of mass production and technology. They rejected “urbanism’s” conventional emphasis on function, and instead thought about art and the environment as inexorably interrelated. By rebelling against the invasiveness of consumption, the Situationists proposed a turn towards artistically-inspired individuality and creativity. <h2>Think on your own two feet</h2> According to the 1960 <a href="https://hts3.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/situationist-international-manifesto.pdf">Situationist Manifesto</a> we are all to be artists of our own “situations”, crafting independent identities as we stand on our own two feet. They believed this could be achieved, in part, through “<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/p/psychogeography#:%7E:text=Psychogeography%20describes%20the%20effect%20of,emotions%20and%20behaviour%20of%20individuals">psychogeography</a>”: the idea that geographical locations exert a unique psychological effect on us. For instance, when you walk down a street, the architecture around you may be deliberately designed to encourage a certain kind of experience. Crossing a vibrant city square on a sunny morning evokes joy and a feeling of connection with others. There’s also usually a public event taking place. The Situationists valued drift, or dérive in French. This alludes to unplanned movement through a landscape during journeys on foot. By drifting aimlessly, we unintentionally redefine the traditional rules imposed by private or public land owners and property developers. We make ourselves open to the new unexpected and, in doing so, are liberated from the shackles of everyday routine. In <a href="https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-10-8100-2">our research</a>, my colleagues and I consider cities as places in which “getting lost” means exposing yourself to discovering the new and taken-for-granted. <h2>Forge your own path</h2> By understanding the Situationists – by looking away from our phones and allowing ourselves to get lost – we can rediscover our cities. We can see them for what they are beneath the blankets of posters, billboards and advertisements. How might we take back the image and make it work for us? The practise of geo-tagging images on social media, and sharing our location with others, could be considered close to the spirit of the Situationists. Although it’s often met with claims of <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/when-why-not-to-use-geotagging-overtourism-security">over-fuelling tourism</a> (especially regarding idyllic or otherwise protected sites), geo-tagging could <a href="https://www.melaninbasecamp.com/trip-reports/2019/5/1/five-reasons-why-you-should-keep-geotagging">inspire us</a> to actively seek out new places through visiting the source of an image. This could lead to culturally respectful engagement, and new-found respect for the rights of traditional custodians as we experience their lands in real life, rather than just through images on our phones. Then there are uniquely personal and anarchistic forms of resistance, wherein we can learn about the world around us by interweaving ourselves with our histories. In doing so we offer a new meaning to a historical message, and a new purpose. The Situationists called this process <a href="https://www.theartstory.org/movement/situationist-international/">détournement</a>, or hijacking. For instance, from my grandfather I inherited a biscuit tin of black and white photographs I believe were taken in the 1960s. They showed images of parks and wildlife, perhaps even of the same park, and cityscapes of London with people, streets and buildings. I have spent many hours wandering the London streets tracking down the exact places these images were snapped. I was juxtaposing past with present, and experiencing both continuity and change in the dialogues I had with my grandfather. In this way, I used images to augment (rather than replace) my lived experience of the material world. Urban art installations can also be examples of detournment as they make us re-think everyday conceptions. <a href="https://www.cityartsydney.com.au/artwork/forgotten-songs/">Forgotten Songs</a> by Michael Hill is one such example. A canopy of empty birdcages commemorates the songs of 50 different birds once heard in central Sydney, but which are now lost due to habitat removal as a result of urban development. There are also a number of groups, often with a strong environmental or civic rights focus, that partake in detournment. <a href="https://popularresistance.org/dancing-revolution-how-90s-protests-used-rave-culture-to-reclaim-the-streets/">Reclaim the Streets</a> is a movement with a long history in Australia. The group advocates for communities having ownership of and agency within public spaces. They may, for instance, “invade” a highway to throw a “<a href="https://pasttenseblog.files.wordpress.com/2022/02/road-rave.pdf">road rave</a>” as an act of reclamation. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bUL0C_T-Sqk?wmode=transparent&start=999" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> As French avant-garde philosopher <a href="https://www.themarginalian.org/2014/07/24/the-poetics-of-reverie-gaston-bachelard/">Gaston Bachelard</a> might have put it, when we’re bombarded by images there is no space left to daydream. We lose the opportunity to explore and question the world capitalism serves us through images. Perhaps now is a good time to set down the phone and follow in the Situationists’ footsteps. <img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/221606/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/stephen-dobson-1093706">Stephen Dobson</a>, Professor and Dean of Education and the Arts, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/cquniversity-australia-2140">CQUniversity Australia</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-art-of-getting-lost-how-re-discovering-your-city-can-be-an-antidote-to-capitalism-221606">original article</a>.

Travel Tips

How an innocent meal led to a months-long health battle for a 9-year-old

A mother has issued a dire warning about a common household item after her daughter’s innocent bacon and egg roll turned into a months-long health battle. Kristen Saunders has warned parents about wire barbecue grill brushes, after her nine-year-old daughter choked on a piece of the metal. At a venue in Newcastle in July, Kristen’s daughter ate a bacon and egg roll and started to feel like she was choking. Unbeknown to her parents, the nine-year-old had swallowed a piece of wire that had come off a barbecue grill brush and ended up in her roll. “I think like most parents, we’re like, ‘You’ll be fine, have some water, it’ll settle down’,” Saunders told <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/newcastle-breakfast" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC Newcastle Breakfast</a>. Saunders took her daughter to the GP, who noticed she had a high temperature but nothing serious. However, over the next few days a sore throat worsened to the point she was unable to eat solid food, before she also started showing neurological symptoms. “There was this one particular day I was at home with her and all of a sudden she was a bit confused answering questions,” Saunders said. “I was like, ‘Hang on, there’s something really problematic here’ and called the GP.” Saunders’ daughter was stumbling, disoriented and unable to recognise her own family, and was admitted to hospital. “They identified that there were some abscesses in the brain,” Saunders said. “They ended up at the last-minute doing a CT and identified there was this tiny bit of wire, sort of near her neck.” Saunders’ daughter was then airlifted to The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, where it was discovered that the young girl had a major infection in one of her arteries after the wire pierced her oesophagus then pushed into the carotid artery. The girl had to undergo surgery, as Saunders said the experience was “awful” but her daughter was given “amazing care”. “She is well on her way to recovery but it could have been so much worse,” Saunders said. “Please protect your family and friends and throw out your wire barbecue grill brushes.” Image credits: Facebook

Caring

Outrage after dog seen trapped in car cloaked in barbed wire

One dog owner has become the subject of the internet’s ire when an image of their dog inside of a car lined with barbed wire circulated on social media. The German shepherd was spotted by someone walking by the carpark of Caves Beach’s southern end, who snapped a picture of the “disturbing” scene, and posted it to a local Facebook page for assistance. “A German Shepherd inside a car full of barbed wire,” they captioned the series of images. “Unfortunately the car left before authorities arrived.” As their friend informed Yahoo News Australia, the dog had seemed “visibly distressed” and that’s what had drawn the witness over, and that they’d only left the area in order to get reception to call for police aid. People were quick to speak up, condemning the owner and voicing their concern for the shepherd, with one declaring it to be “the most f***ed up thing I've seen”. “I would have smashed the car after taking the photos,” another said. “This is such strange behaviour and very distressing to see. To be done in the middle of the day in a public place where people will clearly see,” someone else wrote. “I really hope [the] police can still contact them and have a word.” “I am completely dumbfounded that someone thought that this was ok. That poor dog - god only knows the environment it is subjected to at 'home',” one added. And, as another put it, “this is so disturbing”. Some didn’t immediately assume the worst of the owner, however, suggesting that perhaps they were in a challenging living situation and left with few other choices, writing “I wonder if the owner is homeless and living out of their car. The wire could be some type of safety measure. Poor dog, though.” Those requesting to know more didn’t have to wait long, with updates soon coming in to inform everyone that NSW Police had confirmed officers had attended the scene, but that upon finding the car space empty, they were “making arrangements to speak to the registered owner”. The owner was eventually located by the police, with a spokesperson sharing that “they have checked the dog and confirmed there were no injuries and that [it] is being well cared for. “They have also been assured the wire has been permanently removed from the car.” They could not, however, reveal why the owner had lined the vehicle with the dangerous wire, or why the dog had been left in there. Nor could RSPCA NSW, who noted that the matter was under police investigation. Images: Facebook

Family & Pets

Michelle Bridges re-lists Southern Highlands home for under $5 million

Fitness guru Michelle Bridges has put her Southern Highlands 10-acre oasis back on the market after it previously <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/property/real-estate/real-estate-s-biggest-loser-michelle-bridges-fails-to-sell-home" target="_blank" rel="noopener">failed to secure a buyer</a>. Bridges put the five-bedroom, three-bathroom home at 1840 Kandaloon Road, Kangaloon, NSW, on the market with a new agency and price guide. The property was originally listed by Ben Olofsen of The Agency Southern Highlands with an auction guide of $6.5 million. It has since been listed by Gene Fairbanks and Kathryn Pogson-Pike of Ray White Bowral, with a price guide of $4.6 million to $4.8 million. An auction date for the property is yet to be published. The property is described as a "picturesque acreage haven” on the listing. Bridges had previously shared the original listing on her Instagram page. The 10-acre oasis is set on an elevated position allowing for undisturbed views of the region’s rolling hills and has two living rooms and multiple entertaining options. The home includes a terrace, outdoor pool, tennis court and pavilion, which will suit buyers planning to entertain guests. There is also accommodation located above the garage. Expansive windows make for a stunning view of Kangaloon, a village in the Southern Highlands in the Wingecarribee Shire. Kangaloon has a population of just 162, making it ideal for those who wish to steer clear of the hustle and bustle of the city. The fitness fanatic has become a household name with her multiple appearances on TV, a clothing line and fitness program 12WBT. She is also the author of nine books. Image credit: Getty/Realestate.com.au

Real Estate

Giving ex-prisoners public housing cuts crime and re-incarceration – and saves money

“Going home” is a classic metaphor for exiting prison. But most people exiting prison in Australia either expect to be homeless, or don’t know where they will be staying when released. Our <a href="https://www.ahuri.edu.au/research/final-reports/361">recent research for AHURI</a> (the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute) shows post-release housing assistance is a potentially powerful lever in arresting the imprisonment–homelessness cycle. We found ex-prisoners who get public housing have significantly better criminal justice outcomes than those who receive private rental assistance only. The benefit, in dollars terms, of public housing outweighs the cost. <h2>The imprisonment-homelessness connection</h2> There is strong evidence linking imprisonment and homelessness. Post-release homelessness and unstable housing is a <a href="https://www.ahuri.edu.au/research/final-reports/46">predictor of reincarceration</a>. And prior imprisonment is a <a href="https://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/2202865/Scutella_et_al_Journeys_Home_Research_Report_W6.pdf">known predictor of homelessness</a>. It is a vicious cycle. People in prison often contend with: <ul> <li>mental health conditions (40%)</li> <li>cognitive disability (33%)</li> <li>problematic alcohol or other drug use (up to 66%) and </li> <li>past homelessness (33%). </li> </ul> People with such complex support needs are often deemed “too difficult” for community-based support services and so end up entangled in the criminal justice system. Also, prisons are themselves places of stress and suffering. So people leaving prison a high-needs group for housing assistance and support. There are about 43,000 people in <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/crime-and-justice/prisoners-australia/latest-release">prison in Australia</a>. Over the year there will be even more prison releases (because some people exit and enter multiple times). According to the <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/prisoners/health-australia-prisoners-2018/summary">latest published data</a>: <ul> <li>only 46% of releasees expect to go to their own home (owned or rented) on release</li> <li>more expect to be in short-term or emergency accommodation (44%) or sleeping rough (2%), or </li> <li>they don’t know where they will stay. </li> </ul> Ex-prisoners are the fastest growing client group for Australia’s <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-welfare/homelessness-and-homelessness-services">Specialist Homelessness Services</a>. Over the past decade, <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/crime-and-justice/prisoners-australia/latest-release">imprisonment rates in Australia</a> have been rising. Meanwhile, <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/research/ongoing/report-on-government-services/2021/housing-and-homelessness/housing">funding for social housing</a> – public housing provided by state governments, and the community housing provided by non-profit community organisations – has been declining in real terms. We must turn both those trends around. <h2>The difference public housing makes</h2> In our research, we investigated the effect of public housing on post-release pathways. We analysed data about a sample of people with complex support needs who had been in prison in NSW. The de-identified data show peoples’ contacts before and after prison with various NSW government agencies, including criminal justice institutions and DCJ Housing, the state public housing provider. We compared 623 people who received a public housing tenancy at some point after prison with a similar number of people who were eligible for public housing but received private rental assistance only (such as bond money). On a range of measures, the public housing group had better criminal justice outcomes. The charts below compare the number of police incidents for each group. The first chart shows recorded police incidents for the private rental assistance group, which gradually rose over the period for which we have data. The second chart shows police incidents for the public housing group: they also had a rising trend, until they received public housing (year 0 on the x-axis), after which police incidents went down 8.9% per year. For the housed group: <ul> <li>court appearances were down 7.6% per year</li> <li>proven offences (being found guilty of something at trial) were down 7.6% per year</li> <li>time in custody was down 11.2% per year</li> <li>time on supervised orders (court orders served in the community, including parole) initially increased, then went down 7.8% per year</li> <li>justice costs per person, following an initial decrease of A$4,996, went down a further $2,040 per year per person.</li> </ul> When we put a dollar value on these benefits, providing a public housing tenancy is less costly than paying Rent Assistance in private rental (net benefit $5,000) or assisting through Specialist Homelessness Services (net benefit $35,000). Unfortunately, public housing is in very short supply. For our public housing group, the average time between release and public housing was five years. Others are never housed. <h2>Post-release pathways are fraught</h2> We interviewed corrections officers, reintegration support workers, housing workers, and people who had been in prison, across three states. They were unanimous: there is a dearth of housing options for people exiting prison. A Tasmanian ex-prisoner, who lived in a roof-top tent on his car on release, said, "You basically get kicked out the door and kicked in the guts and they say, ‘Go do whatever you need to do, see ya’." Planning for release is often last-minute. A NSW reintegration support worker told us, "It’s not coordinated. We’ll get a prison ringing up on the day of release saying, ‘Can you pick this woman up?’ on the day of release, when they knew it was coming months in advance. There’s no planning." A housing worker in Victoria described those next steps as a series of unstable, short-term arrangements, beset by pitfalls, "They could easily be waiting a couple of years, realistically. And for them that’s a long time, and so far off in the distance it’s difficult to conceive of. And a long time in which for things could go wrong in their lives – to be homeless or back in prison, all sorts of things … What they do in the meantime: they couch surf, stay with family, stay in motels, stay in cars/stolen cars, stay with friends, sleep rough, all those things." A Tasmanian corrections officer told us, "People want to come back to custody because they’ve then got a roof over their head. They don’t have to worry; they’re getting fed, they can stay warm." <h2>It’s not just about housing support</h2> Community sector organisations specialising in supporting people in contact with the criminal justice system, such as the <a href="https://www.crcnsw.org.au/">Community Restorative Centre (CRC)</a> in NSW, do extraordinary work providing services and support that aim to break entrenched cycles of disadvantage and imprisonment. However, this sector’s funding has been turbulent, marked by short-term programs. In <a href="https://www.crcnsw.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/CRC-AOD-Evaluation-final-report-1Dec21.pdf">another project</a> by some members of this research team, we saw the difference CRC made to 275 of its clients over a number of years. This evaluation found supported clients had 63% fewer custody episodes than a comparison group – a net cost saving to government of $10-16 million. These support services would be even more effective if clients had more stable housing. As it is, specialist alcohol and other drug case workers are often spending their time dealing with clients’ housing crises. Secure, affordable public housing is an anchor for people exiting prison as they work to build lives outside of the criminal justice system. It is also a stable base from which to receive and engage with support services. It pays to invest in both. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/giving-ex-prisoners-public-housing-cuts-crime-and-re-incarceration-and-saves-money-180027" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Real Estate

WIRES to launch new Koala rescue course

A new koala rescue course has been launched nationwide by WIRES for registered wildlife carers. The course, which launches this month, is part of a WIRES plan to increase rescue and rehabilitation capacity and improve emergency rescue response for koalas. It will explore the best practice for rescuing and transporting injured, sick or orphaned koalas and will be delivered online. In February 2022 koalas in Queensland, NSW and the ACT were officially classified as an endangered species and WIRES chief operating officer Kyla Shelley said the sheer number of koala rescues in NSW painted a clear picture of the increased need to build volunteer capacity and capability. "We have seen almost a doubling of koala rescues in the last two years," she said. "These are usually complex situations and require specific skills to assist this unique species." The WIRES koala rescue course will cover: <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Work health and safety risks involved in rescuing and transporting koalas </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Koala biology, behaviour, distribution, and threats </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Appropriate capture, handling, and transport methods </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Rescue scenarios and how to approach koalas </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Koala observational assessment and reporting processes post-rescue </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Common injuries and diseases. </li> </ul> The course is based on the standards and guidelines outlined in the NSW environment department code of practice for injured, sick and orphaned koalas and the official guidelines for initial treatment and care of rescued koalas. Image: Getty

Family & Pets

“Fairytale” chateau re-listed with million-dollar discount

An estate dubbed Chateau Jardin Perfume has taken a price cut after being on the market since mid 2021.The chateau-inspired mansion was first listed for $8 and $8.8 million, and has been <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/sassafras-vic-3787-2017057790" target="_blank" rel="noopener">relisted</a> with a price guide between $5.7 and $6.2 million.Located in the town of Sassafras in Victoria’s Dandenong Ranges, the home has been renovated and filled with French chandeliers, Italian porcelain floors, custom statues, and an imported staircase.The three-bedroom, three-bathroom house sits on 2600 square metres and has been described as a “fairytale”, “off-the-charts” and a “palace in the sky”.Its current owners first bought the home in 2016 for $2.66 million, when it was marketed as “Beauxbatons Manor”, referencing the French wizardry school in the Harry Potter books.After completing a swift, multimillion-dollar renovation, Peninsula Sotheby’s International says it has become the kind of home you’d find in the Hollywood Hills.“When you look at the colouring of the decor, the splashes of pink, the outdoor furniture, which is all from LA, the Rolls-Royce in the garage, it is very Hollywood Hills, even with the aspect over Melbourne city which is typical of what you would see in LA,” agent Rob Curtain said.Along with the glamourous finishings, the home features vivid colours and patterns like fuschia and leopard print throughout.Originally, the interior and exterior furniture and furnishings - except the artwork - were included with the home.With the relisting of the home, Mr Curtain told <a href="https://www.nine.com.au/property/news/fairytale-mansion-dandenong-ranges-for-sale/aef16231-7655-4cee-85a5-351dbc618f47" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Domain</a> that the price would be readjusted accordingly if the prospective buyer didn’t wish to buy the fixtures and fittings - which may explain the new, reduced price.Other luxe features include two separate master wings, a six-car garage, a “gold-class” theatre room with space for eight people, and an opulent cigar room.The extensive renovations also saw the grounds undergo a major transformation, with the 2400-square-metre grounds undergoing extensive landscaping to create gardens filled with roses, camelias, gardenias, tulips, freesias, hyacinth, jasmine and Mexican orange blossom.The fairytale atmosphere is made complete with the stunning pool featuring a mosaic tile rose on the bottom, as well as with a series of stone paths and twinkling lights.Images: Domain

Real Estate

Michael K Williams and The Wire: how the show redefined television watching

This article contains spoilers for The Wire. Emmy-nominated actor Michael K Williams has died aged 54, reportedly of a <a href="https://nypost.com/2021/09/06/actor-michael-k-williams-found-dead-in-nyc-apartment/">suspected drug overdose</a>. Early last year the actor <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B8CCmkpBb2g/?utm_medium=copy_link">mused on instagram</a> “How will I be remembered and what will be my legacy?” Undoubtedly the actor will be remembered for his breakthrough role as <a href="https://www.hbo.com/the-wire">The Wire</a>’s Omar Little. The homosexual, morally ambiguous outlaw who hunts Baltimore drug dealers for fun was somehow larger than life yet authentically believable. Armed with his signature sawed-off-shotgun, facial scar, duster jacket, and grin, Williams’s sheer presence played a key part in HBO’s 2002 series about <a href="https://drugpolicy.org/issues/brief-history-drug-war">America’s “war on drugs”</a>. This was the federal government’s zero-tolerance approach to illegal drug use that increased prison sentences for all drug-related incidents. Twenty years on, we can see how the programme redefined television and its impact in multiple ways. <h2>1. Television as Greek tragedy</h2> Unlike the then-popular <a href="https://theconversation.com/farewell-csi-the-show-that-made-forensics-fun-40857">CSI</a>-style investigative American cop show, The Wire embraces the cold-hearted nature of ancient <a href="https://muse.jhu.edu/article/447310">Greek tragedy</a>. Indifferent to individuals’ heroism and morality, the show demonstrates how the American dream remains unachievable for many. Internal politics within local government, an overworked police force and an underfunded education sector thwart individual talent and ambition. Characters are at the mercy of these institutions that stand in for traditional Greek gods. Omar may be the closest the show has to a heroic figure, but his attempts for redemption are rewarded by the barrel of a child’s gun as he is unceremoniously killed for a couple of dollars. He is the Achilles falling victim to Apollo’s eventual will, as envisioned by ancient Greek playwright Aeschylus. <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9qK-VGjMr8g?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> <h2>2. The visual novel</h2> The show’s creator, David Simon, coined the phrase “<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2007/10/22/stealing-life">visual novel</a>” to describe the programme’s distinctive and demanding viewing experience. Instead of each episode neatly concluding with a captured criminal, The Wire made it impossible to simply tune in at any point in the season. One investigation stretches over 13 hours of television, so you have room for all the regular idiosyncrasies and nuance of how people relate and how institutions work, much like a Dickens novel. Put simply, “<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/video/2009/aug/29/david-simon-edinburgh-interview-full">Fuck the casual viewer</a>” as Simon once elucidated. <h2>3. Streaming series</h2> The Wire heralded the binge-watching revolution when DVD box sets made consuming 13 hours of television in one sitting possible and irresistible. Compared to HBO’s other quality television dramas from the period – including <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/the-sopranos">The Sopranos</a> and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2017/mar/09/rewatching-deadwood-still-the-most-extraordinary-rootin-tootin-tv-ever">Deadwood</a> – The Wire’s exploration of America’s war on drugs proved that television audiences had the patience and intelligence to consume a narrative that could be consumed as if it were one very long film. <h2>4. Good guys or bad guys?</h2> It’s difficult to imagine a universe where <a href="https://www.hbo.com/game-of-thrones">Game of Thrones</a> could have been commissioned had The Wire not blurred the previously clear division between hero and villain. Baltimore’s police department and Barksdale’s drug-dealing crew are presented as two social structures in a pragmatic conflict with one another. A parallel ensues between Baltimore’s criminal justice system and the laws of the street and the equal pressure they apply to individuals. For instance, drug kingpin Stringer Bell’s (Idris Elba) brutal murder of Omar’s lover Brandon for robbing his stash house is depicted as a logically justifiable action similar to that of the US justice system’s treatment of criminals. Without such iconic episodes, would we have been able to empathise with the callous actions of the bloodthirsty Lannisters in Game of Thrones? <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/420027/original/file-20210908-27-rd3frm.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="Man in suit." /> Idris Elba as drug kingpin. <a href="https://www.hbo.com/content/dam/hbodata/series/the-wire/character/the-street/russell-stringer-bell-1920.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.web.1200.675.jpeg" class="source">HBO</a> <h2>5. Challenging the war on drugs</h2> Perhaps Williams’ and the Wire’s greatest legacy will be the key role it has played in making the world increasingly sceptical of America’s war on drugs. Season four received the <a href="https://www.metacritic.com/tv/the-wire/season-4">strongest critical reception</a> for portraying how a host of school children could be forced into a life of drug abuse against their will. The series highlights underfunded social services, a lack of employment opportunities, “benevolent” drug dealers, and drug-addicted parents to compellingly reveal that not all addicts are addled layabouts through choice. Instead, these people have been worn down by a system and societal structure that was against them from the moment they were unlucky enough to be born black in the projects (the US’s social housing). A testament to just how much the show changed opinion, during his first presidential campaign <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=w2F3eLZHmoA">Barack Obama said</a>, “Omar’s a great guy.” While Obama was keen to point out he was not endorsing the character’s lawbreaking, The Wire nevertheless helped instigate a global debate as to whether America’s war on drugs is worth its escalating cost in terms of human lives and taxpayer money. David Simon <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2011/06/wire-creator-david-simon-has-counter-offer-eric-holder/351634/">has since vowed he will write a sixth season</a> if drugs are legalised nationally in the US. From new Portuguese laws to Cleveland police’s <a href="https://www.cleveland.pcc.police.uk/how-can-we-help/community/heroin-assisted-treatment-hat/">heroin assisted treatment programme</a>, drug addiction is now starting to be treated as a health problem, as the obituaries for <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-58470253">Michael K Williams’ untimely death</a> attest. The Wire and Williams’ performance went a long way in showing that drug addiction is an illness that demands understanding and that those suffering from it need society’s help and support, not its condemnation.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/167480/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ben-lamb-453614">Ben Lamb</a>, Senior Lecturer in Media, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/teesside-university-1230">Teesside University</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/michael-k-williams-and-the-wire-how-the-show-redefined-television-watching-167480">original article</a>. Image: Moviestore Collection Ltd/Alamy

That reverse mortgage scheme the government is about to re-announce, how does it work?

Many Australians have never heard of the <a href="https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/pension-loans-scheme">Pension Loans Scheme</a>, and many more assume it’s just for pensioners, which is understandable given its name. That’s why the government is poised to rename it the Home Equity Access Scheme and make the interest rate it charges more reasonable, in the mid-year budget update on Thursday. The soon to be renamed scheme is best thought of as a <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/mortgage/reverse-mortgage/">reverse mortgage</a> where instead of paying down a home loan each month, the homeowner borrows more against the home each month, paying off what’s borrowed when the home is eventually sold. Although reverse mortgages have been provided commercially for some time, the number of providers has shrunk as large banks have <a href="https://download.asic.gov.au/media/4851420/rep-586-published-28-august-2018.pdf">left the field</a> in the face of increased scrutiny and compliance costs. The government version is misleadingly named the Pension Loans Scheme (PLS), even though it is available to all retirees with homes and not just pensioners. It was introduced by the Hawke government in <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/FlagPost/2015/February/The_Pension_Loans_Scheme">1985</a>. The maximum amount that can be made available under the scheme and the age pension combined is <a href="https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/how-much-you-can-get-under-pension-loans-scheme?context=22546">150% of the full pension.</a> This means a retiree who is on the pension can get extra fortnightly payments from the scheme to bring their total payment up to 150% of the full pension. If the retiree is not on the pension they can get the entire amount of 150% of the pension via the PLS. The payments stop when the loan balance reaches a <a href="https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/maximum-loan-amount-under-pension-loans-scheme?context=22546">ceiling</a> which climbs each year the retiree gets older and climbs with increases in the value of the home. The ceiling for a 70-year old with a home worth $1,000,000 is $308,000. The key difference between the PLS and commercial reverse mortgages is that the size of its lump sum payments is limited. Payments under the PLS have no impact on the pension, whereas commercial reverse mortgages can trigger the means test. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437703/original/file-20211215-13-kxrv2s.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437703/original/file-20211215-13-kxrv2s.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /></a> Colin Zhang, Macquarie Business School As attractive as the PLS might appear, hardly any of the four million or so Australians aged 65 and over have taken it up, perhaps as few as <a href="https://newsroom.unsw.edu.au/news/business-law/budget-changes-make-pension-loans-scheme-more-attractive-senior-homeowners">5,000</a> – one in every 800. So in this year’s May budget the government announced two changes to make it more attractive. One was a “<a href="https://cdn.theconversation.com/static_files/files/1902/PLS_2021-22-budget-16_%281%29.pdf">no negative equity guarantee</a>”. Users would never be asked repay more than the value of their property, even if the property fell in value. The other was the ability to take out up to <a href="https://cdn.theconversation.com/static_files/files/1902/PLS_2021-22-budget-16_%281%29.pdf">two lump sums per year</a> totalling up to 50% of the full pension in addition to fortnightly payments. Total government payments would remain capped at 150% of the pension. <h2>New brand, same scheme</h2> That second change won’t begin until July 1, 2022 and is likely to be re-announced in Thursday’s mid-year budget update. Also announced in the budget was a decision to raise awareness of the scheme “through improved public messaging and branding” something which is also likely to be re-announced on Thursday along with the new name. The other change expected on Thursday is a lower interest rate charged on the sums borrowed. In January 2020, the rate was cut from 5.25% to 4.5% in accordance with cuts in other rates. From January next year it should reduce further to <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/scott-morrison-opens-up-mortgage-loan-scheme-to-help-elderly-fund-their-own-retirements/news-story/9f8c56fbba899f6b76c72ce51ceb9331">3.95%</a>. <h2>Attractive, but not riskless</h2> There remain risks associated with taking advantage of the scheme. One is that if you live long enough you are likely to eventually hit the ceiling and be unable to take out any more money, suffering a loss of income. If you chose to sell your home and move to an aged care service, you need to use a big part of your sale proceedings to pay what’s owed. Other risks are that neither the interest rate nor home prices are fixed. Just as the government has cut the rate charged in line with cuts to lower general interest rates, it might well lift it when interest rates climb. And home prices can go down as well as up, meaning that, at worst, all of the value of your home (although no more) can be gobbled up in repayments.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/171671/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/colin-zhang-1234147">Colin Zhang</a>, Lecturer, Department of Actuarial Studies and Business Analytics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/macquarie-university-1174">Macquarie University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ning-wang-1297929">Ning Wang</a>, Associate Research Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/that-reverse-mortgage-scheme-the-government-is-about-to-re-announce-how-does-it-work-171671">original article</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Real Estate

Beyond Bluey: why adults love re-watching Australian kids’ TV from their childhoods

Due to the COVID-19 extended lockdowns this year, as well as greater accessibility on streaming services, many adults have been returning to their childhoods via nostalgic kids’ TV viewing. As part of our research project, <a href="https://www.actcresearch.com/">Australian Children’s Television Cultures</a>, we surveyed over 600 adults about their viewing habits — and it turns out some viewers never forget the joy of the television shows that they raced home to watch after school. Many survey participants confessed they had simply never stopped watching children’s shows in the first place. Australia’s own <a href="https://actf.com.au/news/view/17433/7-australian-kidsa-tv-shows-that-parents-will-love">Dance Academy (2010-2013)</a> was frequently mentioned in the responses as a show that even adult viewers “can watch… anytime and feel connected with,” as one respondent put it. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/427087/original/file-20211018-18-l9c9vw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/427087/original/file-20211018-18-l9c9vw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="The cast of Dance Academy." /></a> Australia’s Dance Academy (2010-2013) is popular with adults today. IMDB <h2>Streaming Nostalgia</h2> For those who didn’t keep their old VHS tapes or DVDs, it has been the advent of streaming services, from YouTube to Netflix, that has enabled viewers to rediscover their cherished kids’ shows of old. Nearly two thirds of adult respondents have revisited Australian children’s shows in recent years, most often via online clips and streaming services. In our survey, <a href="https://theconversation.com/round-the-twists-fans-grew-up-and-their-love-for-the-show-grew-with-them-167695">Round the Twist (1989-2001)</a> emerged as the favourite Australian children’s television show to revisit, with Lift Off! (1992-1995), Lockie Leonard (2007-2010) and <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/culture/tv-and-radio/there-s-a-55-year-old-bear-in-there-happy-birthday-play-school-20210708-p587xr.html">Play School (1966-)</a> also highly placed. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/427090/original/file-20211018-38329-zawqys.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/427090/original/file-20211018-38329-zawqys.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /></a> Lift Off! (1992-1995) is a popular show for adults to find clips from on YouTube. IMDB <a href="https://actf.com.au/news/view/18318/14-ozkidstv-series-to-stream-on-netflix">Netflix has licensed a swathe of Australian kids shows</a>, among them Round the Twist and Lockie Leonard. Our survey showed that these classic programs not only turn up as recommendations on Netflix kids’ profiles, but in adults’ recommendations as well, whether or not they have children. Indeed, <a href="https://cstonline.net/family-watch-together-tv-netflix-and-the-dark-intergenerational-fantasy-by-djoymi-baker-jessica-balanzategui-and-diana-sandars/">Netflix has been keen to license and commission nostalgic content</a> with intergenerational appeal. While there’s nothing new about adults getting swept up in nostalgia for childhood viewing, the streaming era has made it even easier to pass on these family viewing traditions. <h2>Kids’ shows in lockdown</h2> The heightened nostalgic urge to <a href="https://cstonline.net/reuniting-with-friends-during-a-pandemic-by-simone-knox-and-kai-hanno-schwind/">return to old TV shows</a> has also been linked to the COVID-19 lockdowns many of us have recently been through, or indeed are still experiencing. In our survey, many respondents mentioned the lockdown made them more likely to revisit children’s TV from their youth. As one survey respondent noted, “in these strange and chaotic COVID-19 times, I’ve been really feeding into the nostalgia.” Nostalgia emerged as a term in 1688 to describe a <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/08/when-nostalgia-was-a-disease/278648/">disease</a> primarily associated with soldiers longing to return home, even though upon their return, home was never quite the same. The word itself reflected this bittersweet combination, forged from the Greek nostos (homecoming) and algos (pain). In popular culture, nostalgia is frequently associated with warm and fuzzy feelings, but, as <a href="https://newleftreview.org/issues/ii14/articles/timothy-bewes-an-anatomy-of-nostalgia.pdf">Svetlana Boym influentially suggests</a>, nostalgia is also a type of grieving for a past that has been lost. Returning to kids’ TV is a way of both grieving for and celebrating our own <a href="https://library.oapen.org/viewer/web/viewer.html?file=/bitstream/handle/20.500.12657/25965/1004118.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y">past childhood</a>, as well as a pre-COVID world we used to enjoy. In other words, nostalgia is not as simple as we might at first assume. <h2>Family viewing</h2> Our survey responses indicate families have been uniting across the divide of lockdown restrictions and closed borders to watch old kids’ TV shows together: “In lockdown, it’s provided a connection point for my family” by rewatching Round the Twist and <a href="https://actf.com.au/education-programs/id/188/">Sky Trackers (1994)</a>, one respondent noted. They explained, “we talk about what we remember, and tell jokes about it consistently through messaging services.” Not only parents but also grandparents and babysitters revealed they enjoy sharing beloved shows from their childhood with the next generation. This strategy <a href="https://cstonline.net/intergenerational-spectatorship-doctor-who-at-the-beach-by-djoymi-baker/">isn’t always successful</a> given tastes and expectations have changed, with today’s kids finding some old shows “bonkers” or describing the special effects as dated. As one parent from the survey notes, “having children now, I want to show them some of the shows I loved (whether they like it or not!)” Many of our survey participants discussed this shared viewing across generations, but also just among other adults. So as it happens, kids’ TV isn’t just for kids. <h2>Unifying a generation</h2> Beyond family members, our participants are finding connections with their own generation on social media through old kids’ shows they still enjoy. Even young adults are already feeling nostalgic. “I have loved <a href="https://punkee.com.au/h20-just-add-water-tiktok/77899">watching on TikTok people recreating some of the iconic scenes</a>” from H2O: Just Add Water (2006-2010) and Blue Water High (2005-2008), one participant told us. They explained, “When scrolling through the comments of these videos there’s often hundreds of other young Australians that relate as they had the same fond memories of these shows which I feel unites us.” <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/427091/original/file-20211018-22-105e8dz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/427091/original/file-20211018-22-105e8dz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /></a> H2O: Just Add Water (2006-2010 has become a popular worldwide meme on TikTok, and has spurred many people to revisit the series. IMdB With so much content now spread across broadcasting, cable and streaming television services, it’s uncertain whether today’s kids’ TV will offer this same sense of <a href="https://www.flowjournal.org/2020/03/streaming-comes-across-the-sky/">communal nostalgia</a> to future generations — though <a href="https://theconversation.com/an-idealised-australian-ethos-why-bluey-is-an-audience-favourite-even-for-adults-without-kids-168571">Bluey (2018-)</a> is surely a contender. Bluey is already the focus of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/blueyfanmemes/">popular memes</a> and a successful <a href="http://www.blueypod.com/">recap podcast</a>, so perhaps the show is a contemporary vehicle for adult viewers’ nostalgia about growing up in Australia, albeit in a new guise. Ultimately, our research indicates that engaging nostalgically with kids’ TV has been an important means of social connection during the pandemic, both between adults and within and across different generations. Although nostalgia was initially defined as a ‘disease’, today it is combating the division the pandemic has created, with locked down audiences using streaming services to reconnect with their favourite kids’ TV and each other.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/169727/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/djoymi-baker-1269345">Djoymi Baker</a>, Lecturer in Cinema Studies, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jessica-balanzategui-814024">Jessica Balanzategui</a>, Senior Lecturer in Cinema and Screen Studies, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/swinburne-university-of-technology-767">Swinburne University of Technology</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joanna-mcintyre-333903">Joanna McIntyre</a>, Lecturer in Media Studies, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/swinburne-university-of-technology-767">Swinburne University of Technology</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/liam-burke-109751">Liam Burke</a>, Associate Professor and Cinema and Screen Studies Discipline Leader, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/swinburne-university-of-technology-767">Swinburne University of Technology</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/beyond-bluey-why-adults-love-re-watching-australian-kids-tv-from-their-childhoods-169727">original article</a>.

China re-jigs Olympic medal tally to place itself first

Sections of the Chinese media have been caught out changing the 2021 Olympics medal tally by placing China at the top of the list, ahead of the USA. This year's Olympics in Tokyo saw the USA finish first with 39 gold medals with China coming in a close second with 38 gold medals and the host nation, Japan, finished third with 27 golds. But China Central Television (CCTV), which is a state-controlled broadcaster run by the Chinese Communist Party, has been caught out listing China as having won 42 gold medals and winning the overall medal tally. This re-jigged tally came to light after it was seen on the Chinese social media platform - Weibo. From this platform, the graphic appeared all over mainstream social media with people on Twitter seeing the rejigged tally. Some have said the new tally is because the CCTV found a way to boost their medals by including Taiwan and Hong Kong in their overall tally. But even with these two nations’ medals, this only adds three gold medals to China’s overall tally, so it’s unclear where the 42 gold medals comes from. Hong Kong earned just one gold medal at the Games, while Taiwan, which competes as 'Chinese Taipei', earned two gold medals. Image: Getty and Twitter

Legal

South Australia will re-open its borders to some states but not others. Is that constitutional?

In one relatively short section of the Australian Constitution, section 92, you will find this phrase: […] trade, commerce, and intercourse among the states […] shall be absolutely free. You would think there is not much in it, but it turns out this section is one of the <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?id=YHFCAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA126&lpg=PA126&dq=s+92+Commonwealth+Constitution+most+litigated+section&source=bl&ots=RQLa3VdgZM&sig=ACfU3U2Zd6akH39z3mNL9BFjq7WeHIXsyg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwivhK7TmIjqAhWDwjgGHYFVBm44ChDoATABegQIChAB#v=onepage&q=s%2092%20Commonwealth%20Constitution%20most%20litigated%20section&f=false">most litigated sections in the constitution</a>. Australians have taken a special interest in section 92 since mid-March. Debating the constitutionality of state border closures in response to COVID-19 seemed to be trending with everyone staying home to help flatten the curve. Legal challenges on border closures are already underway <a href="https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6790345/qld-border-challenges-likely-to-be-delayed/?cs=14231#gsc.tab=0">in the High Court</a>, with arguments of its constitutionality. Now, this interest in section 92 is being rekindled with the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-16/sa-borders-reopen-to-travellers-from-wa-nt-and-tasmania/12359514">partial re-opening of borders</a> between South Australia, Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Tasmania. With Australia being one country, it was hard enough to accept it is constitutional for states to close their borders, but now South Australia seems to be offering travellers from these states and the territory special treatment. West Australian Premier Mark McGowan has more recently suggested the partial opening of borders may be <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-16/premier-mark-mcgowan-stands-firm-on-hard-border-as-sa-opens/12359602">unconstitutional</a>. Is it? The issue is not the partial opening of borders. It is the rationale for these actions. When South Australia announced this partial re-opening, it also indicated it plans to open its borders to all remaining states by July 20. The issue then is whether South Australia’s discrimination against New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland can be justified by efforts to prevent a second wave of COVID-19 deaths. Since 1988, the High Court has interpreted section 92 as prohibiting discrimination of a protectionist kind – that is to say, the section prevents states from passing legislation to restrict trade. In the 1988 case of <a href="https://lawcasesummaries.com/knowledge-base/cole-v-whitfield-1988-165-clr-360/">Cole v Whitfield</a>, the High Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld Tasmanian regulations prohibiting a person from taking, buying or selling crayfish of less than a prescribed size, whether or not taken in Tasmanian waters. In the course of his interstate trade, David Whitfield brought crayfish from South Australia to Tasmania for the purpose of sale to mainland and overseas markets. The crayfish were less than the prescribed size under the Tasmanian regulations, though above the prescribed size under comparable regulations in South Australia. The court explained in the decision that the legislation was not protectionist in nature. It was intended to help protect Tasmanian crayfish rather than restrict trade. The court elaborated in the following terms: [D]iscrimination commonly involves the notion of a departure from equality of treatment. It does not follow that every departure from equality of treatment imposes a burden or would infringe a constitutional guarantee of the freedom of interstate trade and commerce from discriminatory burdens […] As was the case when all states decided to close their borders, the legal issue is whether the purpose of the closures is to restrict trade or to help protect the citizens of each state from becoming infected with COVID-19. The orthodox view among Australian constitutional jurists is that <a href="https://auspublaw.org/2020/06/border-closures-covid-19-and-s-92-of-the-constitution/">section 92 does not allow</a> for a balancing exercise between the competing interests of free trade and combating a pandemic. This might well be a question for the High Court to elaborate on when deciding the legal challenges brought against the Queensland government. At a different analytical scale, the issue is not the interpretation of section 92, but rather the effect of crises on the interpretation of our constitution. This interpretation is not impervious to pandemics or other crises. We see this in what are known as purposive powers, such as the <a href="http://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/coaca430/s51.html">defence power in section 51</a>. In times of war, the core of this power will expand to equip the Commonwealth with the type of intervention necessary to keep Australia safe. There is no reason this rationale would not extend to pandemics. Enter the principle of subsidiarity. <a href="https://www.monash.edu/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/768490/05_Gussen.pdf">Elsewhere</a>, I have argued the Commonwealth Constitution is superior to the Canadian and US constitutions, because it is more efficient. It allows for a wider area of concurrent powers. Our federal model is more agile, in the spirit of true subsidiarity, with its rules of assistance, non-interference and helping states acquire more competencies over time. It is this principle of subsidiarity that holds the key to understanding the constitutionality of border closures and partial re-opening in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The states are best positioned to judge what intervention will work best in their case. In the time of crises, no one size fits all. Written by Benjamin Franklen Gussen. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/south-australia-will-re-open-its-borders-to-some-states-but-not-others-is-that-constitutional-140934">The Conversation.</a>

Caring

Police investigate the welfare of re-homed autistic child of YouTube influencers

Police have confirmed they are looking into the welfare and whereabouts of the adopted son of YouTube couple Myka and James Stauffer, who they admitted they “re-homed” with another family. Myka sparked fury online when she came forward on her YouTube channel to announce she had sent her adopted son Huxley, five, to live with another family after his special needs meant that they could no longer provide the best support for him. The couple adopted Huxley from China in 2016, and did not shy away from sharing the process on Myka's YouTube channel. Though they were told the boy suffered from brain tumours, it was later revealed to the family that the young boy has level three autism and a sensory processing disorder, the result of having a stroke in utero. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7836396/myka-stauffer-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/410fbb6f9d404221ac32968c2f25ddaf" /> Image: Instagram Myka and James announced that they had sent Huxley to live with a family better equipped to handle his needs in a video that went viral last week. Fans promptly accused the pair of "re-homing" him because of his autism. It has also since raised questions about Huxley's whereabouts since leaving the Stauffer family. The Delaware, US County Sheriff's Office is looking into the case alongside “several other agencies”, according to BuzzFeed News. Tracy Whited, the office's community and media relations manager, said that the case is ongoing but was able to confirm that the five-year-old boy “is not missing”. “All adoption cases are confidential, and must go through a thorough process, with specific requirements and safeguards,” Whited said. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7836397/myka-stauffer-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/64ab6f6e927345fa9b1eb7f6f5a2bda8" /> Myka and her husband took to Youtube to reveal they had "rehomed" their son Huxley. “In private adoptions there are the same legal requirements that must be adhered to. These include home studies as well as background checks on the adopting parent(s).” She added that both parties are being represented by attorneys. Last week lawyers for the Stauffer family released a statement addressing the backlash surrounding Myka and James' video. “We are privy to this case, and given the facts at hand, we feel this was the best decision for Huxley,” lawyers Thomas Taneff and Taylor Sayers said. “In coming to know our clients, we know they are a loving family and are very caring parents that would do anything for their children. Since his adoption, they consulted with multiple professionals in the health care and educational arenas in order to provide Huxley with the best possible treatment and care. “Over time, the team of medical professionals advised our clients it might be best for Huxley to be placed with another family.” Fans and critics asked to know how little Hux had been “re-homed”, as the details were never made clear. Myka appears to have since removed all photos of Huxley from her Instagram account while images of her other four children remain.

Caring

Trump’s presidency is sinking deeper into crisis – but will he still get re-elected?

Violence has <a href="https://www.thestar.com.my/news/world/2020/05/30/protests-flare-around-the-united-states-over-minneapolis-killing">erupted across several US cities</a> after the death of a black man, George Floyd, who was shown on video gasping for breath as a white police officer, Derek Chauvin, knelt on his neck. The unrest poses serious challenges for President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden as each man readies his campaign for the November 3 election. If the coronavirus had not already posed a threat to civil discourse in the US, the latest flashpoint in American racial politics makes this presidential campaign potentially one of the most incendiary in history. COVID-19 and Minneapolis may very well form the nexus within which the 2020 campaign will unfold. Trump’s critics have assailed his handling of both and questioned whether he can effectively lead the country in a moment of crisis. And yet, he may not be any more vulnerable heading into the election. A presidency in crisis? As the incumbent, Trump certainly faces the most immediate challenges. Not since Franklin Roosevelt in the second world war has a US president presided over the deaths of so many Americans from a single cause. The Axis powers and COVID-19 are not analogous, but any presidency is judged by its capacity to respond to enemies like these. With <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/america-at-boiling-point-how-one-death-rocked-a-nation-numbed-by-100-000-20200529-p54xpw.html">pandemic deaths now surpassing 100,000</a>, Trump’s fortunes will be inexorably tied to this staggering (and still rising) figure. Worse, the Minneapolis protests are showing how an already precarious social fabric has been frayed by the COVID-19 lockdowns. Americans have not come together to fight the virus. Rather, they have allowed a public health disaster to deepen divisions along racial, economic, sectional and ideological lines. Trump has, of course, often sought to gain from such divisions. But the magnitude and severity of the twin crises he is now facing will make this very difficult. By numerous measures, his is a presidency in crisis. And yet. Trump, a ferocious campaigner, will try to find ways to use both tragedies to his advantage and, importantly, makes things worse for his challenger. For starters, Trump did not cause coronavirus. And <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-21/trump-accuses-china-of-coronavirus-mass-killing/12270140">he will continue to insist</a> that his great geo-strategic adversary, the Chinese Communist Party, did. And his is not the first presidency to be marked by the conflagration of several US cities. Before Minneapolis, <a href="https://www.history.com/topics/1960s/1967-detroit-riots">Detroit</a> (1967), <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Los-Angeles-Riots-of-1992">Los Angeles</a> (1992) and <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/08/08/ferguson-missouri-riots-5-years-since-shooting-race-tensions-worse/1952853001/">Ferguson, Missouri</a> (2014) were all the scenes of angry protests and riots over racial tensions that still haven’t healed. And in the 19th century, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/03/science/civil-war-toll-up-by-20-percent-in-new-estimate.html">750,000 Americans were killed in a civil war</a> that was fought over whether the enslavement of African-Americans was <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/09/how-the-constitution-was-indeed-pro-slavery/406288/">constitutional</a>. Trump may not have healed racial tensions in the US during his presidency. But, like coronavirus, he did not cause them. How Trump can blame Democrats for Minneapolis Not unhappily for Trump, Minneapolis is a largely Democratic city in a reliably blue state. He will campaign now on the failure of Democratic state leaders to answer the needs of black voters. Trump will claim that decades of Democratic policies in Minnesota – including the eight years of the Obama administration – have caused Minneapolis to be one of the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/05/30/minneapolis-racial-inequality/">most racially unequal cities</a> in the nation. Mayor Jacob Frey of Minneapolis will never be mistaken for the late, great General Douglas McArthur or great fighter General George Patton. How come all of these places that defend so poorly are run by Liberal Democrats? Get tough and fight (and arrest the bad ones). STRENGTH! In 2016, Trump <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-jasg-_E5M">famously asked African-Americans</a> whether Democratic leaders have done anything to improve their lives. What do you have to lose by trying something new, like Trump? He will repeat this mantra in the coming months. It also certainly helps that his support among Republican voters has never wavered, no matter how shocking his behaviour. He has enjoyed a stable <a href="https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/coronavirus-polls/">80% approval rating</a> with GOP voters throughout the coronavirus crisis. This has helped keep his approval rating among all voters steady as the pandemic has worsened, <a href="https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/coronavirus-polls/">hovering between 40 and 50%</a>. These are not terrible numbers. Yes, Trump’s leadership has contributed to a series of disasters. But if the polls are correct, he has so far avoided the kinds of catastrophe that could imperil his chances of re-election. Why this moment is challenging for Biden Biden should be able to make a good case to the American people at this moment that he is the more effective leader. But this has not yet been reflected in polls, most of which continue to give the Democrat <a href="https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/president-general/">only a lukewarm advantage</a> over Trump in the election. The other problem is that the Democratic party remains discordant. And Biden has not yet shown a capacity to heal it. Race has also long been a <a href="https://www.history.com/topics/us-politics/democratic-party">source of division</a> within Biden’s party. Southern Democrats, for instance, <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/znycnrd/revision/4">were the key agents of slavery</a> in the 19th century and the segregation that followed it into the 20th. After the 1960s, Democrats sought to make themselves the natural home of African-American voters as the <a href="https://www.history.com/news/how-the-party-of-lincoln-won-over-the-once-democratic-south">Republican party courted</a> disaffected white Southern voters. The Democrats largely succeeded on that front – <a href="https://press.princeton.edu/ideas/why-are-blacks-democrats">the party routinely gets around 85-90% of black votes</a> in presidential elections. The challenge for Biden now is how to retain African-American loyalty to his party, while evading responsibility for the socio-economic failures of Democratic policies in cities like Minneapolis. He is also a white northerner (from Delaware). Between 1964 and 2008, <a href="https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/what-makes-southern-democrats-unique/">only three Democrats were elected president</a>. All of them were southerners. To compensate, Biden has had to rely on racial politics to separate himself from his primary challenger – <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/03/bernie-sanders-black-voters/607789/">Bernie Sanders struggled to channel black aspirations</a> – and from Republicans. And this has, at times, caused him to court controversy. In 2012, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYtEuuhFRPA">he warned African-Americans</a> that then-Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney would put them “all back in chains”. And just over a week ago, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/05/28/heres-why-black-americans-were-mad-bidens-comment-even-if-theyd-say-same-thing-themselves/">he angered black voters</a> by suggesting those who would support Trump in the election “<a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-23/joe-biden-apologises-for-aint-black-comment/12279428">ain’t black</a>”. Biden is far better than Trump on racial issues and should be able to use the current crises to present himself as a more natural “consoler-in-chief”, but instead, he has appeared somewhat flatfooted and derided for being racially patronising. The opportunities COVID-19 and the Minneapolis unrest might afford his campaign remain elusive. There is reason for hope America enters the final months of the 2020 campaign in a state of despair and disrepair. The choice is between an opportunistic incumbent and a tin-eared challenger. But the US has faced serious challenges before – and emerged stronger. Neither the civil war in the 19th century or the Spanish flu pandemic in the early 20th halted the extraordinary growth in power that followed both. Moreover, the US constitution remains intact and federalism has undergone something of <a href="https://www.nationalreview.com/magazine/2020/05/04/covid-federalism/">a rebirth</a> since the start of the pandemic. And there is a new generation of younger, more diverse, national leaders being forged in the fire of crisis to help lead the recovery. Written by Timothy J. Lynch. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/as-minneapolis-burns-trumps-presidency-is-sinking-deeper-into-crisis-and-yet-he-may-still-be-re-elected-139739">The Conversation.</a>

Art

Should we re-open pubs next week? The benefits seem to exceed the costs

Nothing our leaders can do now will return the economy to where it was before COVID-19. For one thing, international travel is likely to remain closed for a long time. But there are things they can do, and on Friday the prime minister outlined a <a href="https://theconversation.com/australia-starts-to-re-open-but-the-premiers-have-the-whip-hand-on-timing-138218">roadmap</a>. Of interest to us is whether it makes sense to reopen bars and restaurants. The Australian Government committed <a href="https://treasury.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-03/Overview-Economic_Response_to_the_Coronavirus_2.pdf">A$320 billion over six months</a> to support businesses and workers whose incomes has been hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. That amounts to $12 billion per week. Reported job losses suggest around 29% is being paid out to support the <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs%40.nsf/mediareleasesbyCatalogue/400084FDCC1353C9CA2585500026370F?OpenDocument">accommodation and food services</a> industry. That’s about $3.4 billion per week. Bars and restaurants are likely to account for half of it, $1.7 billion per week. That can be thought of as one of the costs of keeping bars and restaurants closed. What about the benefits? What costs do we avoid by keeping bars and restaurants closed? It helps to illustrate our thinking as a decision tree. The upper branches of the tree represent the decision about whether or not to lift restrictions. If restrictions are lifted, there may, or may not, be a new outbreak that requires the reintroduction of restrictions. While we don’t know the likelihood of a new outbreak, we can test different assumptions. Given the very low number of new cases of COVID-19, the assumption we have tested is that there would be a one in ten chance of a new outbreak requiring the reintroduction of restrictions. We also assume that if there was a new outbreak, there would be a 95% chance it could be controlled by re-imposing restrictions on bars and restaurants and only a 5% chance it could not. It’s a matter of probabilities If the outbreak was controlled by reimposing restrictions (the 95% probability) we assume an extra 40 COVID-19 deaths and an extra four weeks of restrictions at a financial cost to the government of $6.8 billion. If the outbreak was more severe and a broader set of restrictions are required (the 5% case) we assume an additional 200 deaths and extra cost to the government of $17 billion. (We also assume that 25% of the government spending to support the hospitality industry would remain because a decision to reopen bars and restaurants would not result in the industry returning to it’s pre-COVID-19 state – many people would remain cautious about the risks of contracting COVID-19 or have become conditioned to less frequent socialising.) When we weigh these costs by their probabilities we get expected costs to the government from reopening of $1.1 billion, compared to costs from keeping bars and restaurants closed for another week of $1.7 billion. Is the $600 million per week value for money? It suggests the government would be $600 million per week better off it it reopens bars and restaurants. We would expect a number of extra COVID-19 deaths. Multiplying the probabilities of the extra deaths under each scenario by the likelihood of each scenario suggests there would be an extra 4.8 deaths if bars and restaurants are reopened this week. Because the average age of people dying due to COVID-19 is around 80 years, and each might have around ten more years to live, the number of life years per week that would be lost as a result of the $600 million per week the government saved would be 48. It suggests each life year saved as a result of keeping bars and restaurants closed costs around $12.5 million. Decisions on whether government should fund health interventions are commonly based on an assessment of whether the health gains justify the <a href="https://theconversation.com/new-cancer-drugs-are-very-expensive-heres-how-we-work-out-value-for-our-money-44014">additional costs</a>. As a ballpark figure, new measures are funded if they are shown to gain an additional life year at a cost of around $50,000. This suggests that by keeping bars and restaurants closed the government is paying 250 times more than it would usually pay to gain a life year. It is funding that doesn’t pass the usual test A <a href="https://www.pmc.gov.au/sites/default/files/publications/Value_of_Statistical_Life_guidance_note.pdf">separate guideline</a> used by Australian governments to assess regulations and infrastructure projects puts the value of a statistical life year at $200,389 in today’s dollars. This suggests that by keeping bars and restaurants closed the government is paying 60 times more than it would usually pay to save a life. It’s why we think governments should reopen them, next week. Like all such analyses, ours depends on the assumptions used. We have put a <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1beOxNP0tYjP0YqYZCHOc4E2bwf1T3AMj4xeqK8oSBvU/edit#gid=1610584329">spreadsheet</a> of our decision tree online to allow readers to experiment with different ones. Our analysis leaves much out. It includes neither the negative impact of COVID-19 on people’s quality of life, nor the negative impact of shutting bars and restaurants on people’s health and quality of life. It gives us an indication of how many life years the government is saving for the $600 million per week it is costing it to keep bars and restaurants closed. It suggests the government could save many more life years by spending the money in a different way. Written by Jonathan Karnon and Ben W. Mol. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/should-we-re-open-pubs-next-week-the-benefits-seem-to-exceed-the-costs-137609">The Conversation.</a>

Art

The Nanny cast reunites for virtual pilot re-enactment

The cast of beloved ‘90s sitcom The Nanny has come together for a YouTube reunion, more than 20 years after the show aired its final episode. Fran Drescher and 13 of her former co-stars gathered via video conferencing platform Zoom for a reading of the show’s 1993 pilot amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Titled “The Nanny Episode 1: Pandemic Table Read”, the 33-minute video posted to YouTube featured Drescher as the main character Fran Fine, Charles Shaughnessy (Maxwell Sheffield), Daniel Davis (Niles), Lauren Lane (C.C. Babcock), Nicholle Tom (Maggie Sheffield), Benjamin Salisbury (Brighton Sheffield), Alex Sternin (Eddie), Renee Taylor (Sylvia Fine), Madeline Zima (Grace Sheffield), DeeDee Rescher (Dottie) Rachel Chagall (Val) and Jonathan Penner (Danny). <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/C3a6KuP1X14"></iframe></div> Co-creator Peter Marc Jacobson and composer Ann Hampton Callaway were also featured in the special event, with Jacobson reading the script directions and Callaway singing the theme song. “Laughter is the best medicine,” Drescher said in a statement. “So, in these challenging times, Petah and I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if we pulled together the original cast of The Nanny for a virtual read of the pilot?’ “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic performance for our fans around the world who are currently stressing in isolation and could use a real upper! It sure has given each of us a lift, and we hope it does for you as well.”

Why it might be time to re-assess your alcohol intake

Drinking patterns tend to change as we age. The older we get, the <a href="http://www.nceta.flinders.edu.au/files/4614/4892/9660/EN605.pdf">more likely we are to drink on a daily basis</a>. But older adults often perceive that drinking is only a problem if a person appears drunk. Australia’s <a href="https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/health-advice/alcohol">draft alcohol guidelines</a> recommend healthy adults drink no more than ten standard drinks per week and no more than four in a day. This is down from 14 standard drinks per week in the <a href="https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/about-us/publications/australian-guidelines-reduce-health-risks-drinking-alcohol">previous guidelines</a> and no more than two standard drinks in any one day. Anything above this is considered risky drinking because it <a href="https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/health-advice/alcohol">increases the risk of alcohol-related diseases</a>, such as cancer, and injuries. Between 2007 and 2016, there was a <a href="https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ecuworkspost2013/5672/">17% increase</a> in risky drinking among Australians aged 60-69. In 2016, <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/illicit-use-of-drugs/2016-ndshs-detailed/data">18.2% of 60-69 year olds</a> drank at risky levels. Among women, <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/illicit-use-of-drugs/ndshs-2016-key-findings/contents/alcohol-use">those aged 50-59 years</a> are now more likely to drink at risky levels (13%) than any other age group, including women aged 18 to 24 years (12.8%). Older adults are more vulnerable to alcohol’s interactions with medicines, medical conditions that can be made worse by alcohol, and age-related changes in the metabolism of alcohol that mean we become more intoxicated from drinking the same amount of alcohol. Alcohol can also increase the risk of falls. For some older people, this means that maintaining their current levels of alcohol consumption as they age inadvertently places them at risk. Alcohol and many medications don’t mix Older adults are <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.5694/mja2.50244">more likely</a> to be taking a number of medications; about two-thirds take <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20073039">four or more</a>. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4331237/">Many of these medications</a> can interact with alcohol. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31769178">Our research</a> among risky drinkers aged 58 to 87 found 92% were taking medications that when combined with large amounts of alcohol could lead to serious adverse effects. This included common medications prescribed for high blood pressure. For 97% of the people we studied, drinking alcohol reduced the effectiveness of the medication. This included Nexium, a medication commonly prescribed to treat gastric reflux. Why are older Australians drinking more? While age-related factors such as <a href="http://www.nceta.flinders.edu.au/files/4614/4892/9660/EN605.pdf">bereavement</a> and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28382628">retirement</a> can increase the likelihood of drinking at risky levels, most often alcohol is part of an enjoyable social life as people age. In <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/hsc.12110">our research</a>, alcohol use was closely linked to social engagement: more frequent opportunities to socialise were associated with more frequent drinking. Among retirement village residents, having access to a social group “on tap” also encouraged more frequent drinking. In a <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1467-9566.12991">recent study of Australian and Danish women drinkers</a> aged 50 to 70, those who were drinking at risky levels said overwhelmingly their drinking was a normal, acceptable and enjoyable part of their lives, so long as they appeared to be in control. In doing so, they were able to mentally distance their drinking from current and future health problems. Recognising heavy drinking as a health issue Australia’s <a href="https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/health-advice/alcohol">draft alcohol guidelines</a> don’t provide any specific recommendations for older adults, beyond those recommended for adults in general. Rather, they recommend older adults speak with their GP to determine an appropriate level of drinking based on their medical history and medications they are taking. But <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/ijpp.12255">our research</a> found only 30% of older men and 20% of older women could recall their GP asking about their alcohol use over the past 12 months, regardless of what medication they were taking. Even fewer could recall their community pharmacist asking about their alcohol use. Promisingly, almost all participants were open to their GP asking about their alcohol use, particularly in relation to medication. And more than half believed it was OK for their community pharmacist to raise this issue with them when being dispensed medication. So what can we do about it? Recognising the social context to older adults’ drinking and other drug use, and understanding how they make sense of these behaviours, is an important first step in preventing and minimising harm. At a population level, public health messages must resonate with older people by reflecting the context in which they drink. At a community level, GPs and community pharmacists are well placed to help older adults minimise the risk of harm, but may require further training to develop their skills and confidence in broaching this topic with patients. For older adults experiencing alcohol-related issues, Australia’s first older adult-specific service, called Older Wiser Lifestyles (OWL), has effectively identified and engaged with <a href="https://www.publish.csiro.au/ah/ah17013">more than 140 people</a> who didn’t realise their drinking could be placing their health at risk. This Victorian initiative asks patients at GP clinics to complete a screening test on a iPad and notifies the GP if risks are identified. The person can then participate in an OWL early intervention program of education, brief counselling and harm-reduction advice. So far the program has led to participants reducing their alcohol consumption and having fewer problems with medicines that interact with alcohol. Such a scheme could be replicated across the country, and has the potential to improve lives, reduce preventable disease and premature deaths, and save the health system money.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/131651/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/stephen-bright-15258">Stephen Bright</a>, Senior Lecturer of Addiction, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/edith-cowan-university-720">Edith Cowan University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/julie-dare-385086">Julie Dare</a>, Senior Lecturer, Health Promotion, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/edith-cowan-university-720">Edith Cowan University</a> This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/if-youre-ageing-and-on-medication-it-might-be-time-to-re-assess-your-alcohol-intake-131651">original article</a>.

Body

Will you retire or re-fire?

We are a new generation and are doing 50+ better than ever before. More interesting experiences, more health support, more power and control over our lives and most importantly much more fun. What are your dreams or aspirations? Here’s how to start your journey and make your dreams a reality just like Lynn Ruth Miller, 83, the worlds oldest female stand-up comic who says she started doing comedy when she was 71 (because she didn’t want to peak too soon). “If you love what you are doing then why stop? Until you can’t do it anymore. Until you are not as efficient as you should be. And the trick is recognising that,” says this effervescent fire-cracker. She adds with a cheeky smile, “Attitude is everything, right?! I got my attitude from my mother which is why I’ve been in therapy for 75 years.” Not letting anything get in the way of her dreams, Lynn’s happy philosophy is; “Life is like a card game. You take the hand you get and you play it.” So, what is next for Lynn? “My dream right now is to tour the world and show people that I’m still an item and that they can be too. My bucket list is huge. I want to go throughout the continent. I want to go throughout the world and I want to make people laugh.” She adds with an enigmatic smile, “I’m not here to tell people what to dream. I’m here to open the door so that they can find their own dream.” It really is time to think about ourselves and retirement differently and open the door to your own dreams. Some people automatically think of retirement as being all about what you stop doing rather than what you start doing. Perhaps the word ‘retirement’ itself has become an oxymoron. A thesaurus will tell you that ‘retire’ means to give up, stop, step down, retreat and withdraw. The reality is that more and more Australians are discovering that their 50+ years are all about advancing, joining, arriving, starting and increasing. There has never been more choice. What is the right choice for you? Will you choose to work part-time? Finally start your own small business? Travel the world? Or perfect your golf game? 1. Retirement really is being redefined Life 50+ is a celebration of freedom, an opportunity to launch into new ventures and a chance to break the stereotype that you are destined only to spend your days reclined in a rocking chair. Let’s face it; as a society we are living longer than ever. By the time you reach 65, if you are a male you can expect an average 20 years of life still to come and for females it’s over 22 years. Of course, these are averages, not maximums. That’s way too long to simply put your feet up! What’s more, healthcare advancements are now empowering us to enjoy and engage with life, not just survive it. The options for living life after work have never been better either, so now is the time to design your retirement and make the rest of your life the best of your life. Retirement really is the perfect time to do the things you have always wanted to do, but have never had the time. It is the time to follow your dreams big or small. 2. Let’s lay the myths to rest Society can sometimes impose stereotypes on what retirement should be – often these are misguided and outdated, so let’s tackle these myths head on. The first key to planning a successful retirement is realising that you won’t magically become a different person. You will still have the same knowledge, values, experiences, relationships and habits. What makes you happy now is the same as what makes you happy in retirement – it’s just that you will have more time to devote to it. Chances are that sitting idly and watching the grass grow will not be a part of this! Retirement can and should be an opportunity to amplify all the things that make life meaningful, enjoyable and fun. 3. Retirement is an opportunity to try new things and make the most of your new life chapter Another important myth to dispel is that you don’t have to live up to anyone else’s expectations. If you have ever looked at a brochure about retirement, for example, you could be forgiven for thinking that all retirees do is travel. It seems to be the default image that marketers feed us about retirement and it can skew our view. While travel can be a very enjoyable activity in retirement, you are likely to spend a lot more time at home doing the things that you like and are familiar with. Once we grasp this fact it brings into focus the need to plan to make the most of every day and avoid taking a passive approach. 4. A great retirement starts with great planning Planning is critical to maximising what you enjoy in retirement. It’s never too late to start planning, but the sooner you do it, the more beneficial it will be. Try not to wait until you are retired before you decide what you want to do. The things that make you happy now are likely to the things that make you happy in retirement too. Your family life, your social life, the pastimes you look forward to and the mental stimulation you enjoy; these are the things that should be at the centre of your planning. 5. Your finances are central Having the time to do things and planning what you want to do are critical components, but organising your finances properly is essential to relieving you of stress and allowing you to focus on what’s important. Your super is a central this. Building a substantial nest egg before retirement can liberate you to create the ideal retirement lifestyle and structuring your income and capital spending in retirement can ensure your money lasts longer and bests serves the way you want to live. Like any part of retirement planning, you should act as soon as possible to get your financial planning organised for worry free retirement living. If you find this aspect overwhelming, don’t be afraid to ask for help; a financial planner can help you create a plan that will match your retirement activities and needs and take the worry out of the future. 6. It’s your time to shine There are no rules and no limits – your retirement is your time to shine and the possibilities and opportunities are endless. Forget the old stereotypes and ignore the nay Sayers; seize the chance to design a retirement that squeezes the very best from life. You deserve it and with the right planning you can achieve it. What’s your secret to a happier life or retirement? Let us know in the comments below. Written by Tom Raeside. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/articles/money/financial-planning/will-you-retire-or-re-fire.aspx">wyza.com.au.</a>

Retirement Life

To retire or re-wire? How to reframe your retirement

<a href="http://www.megangiles.com/" target="_blank">Megan Giles</a>, Retirement Transition Consultant, supports those approaching retirement to successfully transition and create a retirement they will love to live! Retirement is a gloomy word. It is derived from the French words ‘re’ and ‘tirer’, meaning to draw back and suggests that the best part of our lives is over once we are no longer working. It insinuates that retirement is simply a time to sit back and wait for the inevitable. But what if we framed it differently? I recently put the call out to my readers, thinking that surely there must be a better (and more inspiring) word than retirement to describe the life stage post-career. I figured who better to ask than those who are currently living this reality? I received a number of insightful suggestions but the one that really struck me was the notion to ‘rewire’ as shared by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/retiringnotshy/?ref=br_rs" target="_blank">Jan Wild</a> of <a href="https://www.retirement-planning.info/" target="_blank">Retiring Not Shy</a>. I love this as it evokes a sense of renewal, reinvigoration and the opportunity to challenge assumptions. What would you rather do – retire or rewire? Growing research in the field of neuroplasticity demonstrates that the brain is not static. It continues to evolve and adapt, i.e. rewire, as we age. Scientists have demonstrated that the brain is sufficiently plastic (i.e. able to reorganise its neural pathways) to transform and change at any age, even in adulthood. Significant learning is not confined to childhood and adolescence as previously thought. If your brain can rewire, what shouldn’t you? Do you want to challenge the stereotype that older persons are unable to learn new things – or that the best of your life has passed once you step into retirement? Here are three science-based facts to inspire you to rewire and grasp life with both hands as you step into retirement. Use it or lose it It’s only when you stop doing things that you forget how to do them. There is a tendency for people to limit themselves as they age by doing only the things that feel comfortable, i.e. undertaking only familiar and repetitive activities. What this means, however, is that this familiarity enables the brain to become a little lazy (Guglielman 2017). Provided you keep challenging yourself, there is no reason that you can’t get out there and learn a new language or take up stand-up paddle boarding. Your brain will adapt and allow you to learn new skills. Tip: Keep using your brain and your body in new and exciting ways. Fire up your network of friends, family and community (and those long held dreams!) and try new adventures and activities. Keep pushing yourself. Don’t allow old age to become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Perhaps you’re a little nervous about driving and so you start to accept lifts from friends or catch the bus into town. You put mechanisms in place to ensure you can still get ‘out and about’ but without the stress of driving. This means, however, that your brain will stop receiving the stimuli that driving creates and instead focus its efforts on other functions. As a result you no longer have the competence (or confidence) to drive. This is known as negative learning (Merzenich, 2005). Tip: Don’t assume that because you are older, there are things you ‘shouldn’t’ be doing. Provided your health will allow it, avoid ‘work-arounds’ and keep challenging yourself with complex (and perhaps exciting!) tasks. Avoid getting caught up in ‘seniors moments’ A lapse in memory can be inconvenient and even embarrassing. It can even be time-consuming, such as forgetting where you left the keys. But before you start researching the symptoms of Alzheimers and self-diagnosing, recognise we all have forgetful moments. Regardless of age, people tend experience significant drop offs in retention after 60 minutes and after 24 hours because out brains ‘bump out’ older information to make way for new information (Waddington 2009). Further to that, forgetfulness can be caused by a number of things such as stress, fatigue or medication. Tip: Avoid identifying with the stereotype. Acknowledge that you will forget things from time to time and get on with living a full and opportunity-filled retirement! The ability of the humble brain to change and adapt as we age is quite astounding. Be inspired by its capability and keep stretching, striving, flexing and challenging in all aspects of life. Forge your own path and create a retirement you will love to live!

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