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Qantas apologises after rejecting cancer patient's refund request

<p>Qantas has issued an apology for rejecting a cancer patient's refund request after his case allegedly did not qualify based on “compassionate reasons”. </p> <p>Neil Ross, 62, decided to book a holiday to Cairns with his wife for a couple of weeks, but two weeks later he was diagnosed with face cancer. </p> <p>“It hit me like a rock,” Mr Ross told <em>news.com.au</em>.</p> <p>“I wasn’t in the life of me, expecting that news.”</p> <p>The Brisbane local was initially told he had Bells Palsy, but was later diagnosed with cancer and had to undergo a 13-hour operation to remove the tumour, causing the right side of his face to be significantly disfigured. </p> <p>He underwent radiation almost every day for six weeks saying it “knocked him to no end”.</p> <p>“I was very thankful that my wife had helped me and still is helping me to get through this.”</p> <p>Ross is yet to be given the all-clear and is still undergoing treatments, including rehab following the loss of muscle mass. </p> <p>He will also undergo plastic surgery to reconstruct the right side of his face.</p> <p>“I had notified Flight Centre that I needed to cancel my flight due to finding out that I had cancer and that l needed treatment urgently,” he said. </p> <p>“As I said to the girl at Flight Centre – ‘look at my face, do you think I want to get a refund for the hell of it? I rather be healthy and go on holiday.”</p> <p>Ross said that the airline issued him a credit note until April 22 of this year, but with his current circumstances, he was unable to travel before that date and applied for a full refund. </p> <p>He also claims that despite sending two medical certificates - the first which stated that Ross was unfit to fly for 12 months, and the second which included detailed information about his condition -  it “did not meet requirements on compassion”.</p> <p>“I thought ‘what the hell, what more can I do?’ This has done nothing but cause me a great deal of stress that I don’t need,"  he said. </p> <p>Ross submitted two different refund requests, one on March 20, which was rejected on the fourth of April, and another on April 9 which was rejected two weeks later. </p> <p>The email from a Flight Centre representative reportedly said: "They have advised that ‘the attached medical certificate does not fit into the GF guidelines for a refund due to compassionate reasons’." </p> <p>According to <em>news.com.au</em>,  Qantas has since contacted Ross and issued a refund, after an error was made in processing the supplementary material, by not connecting it to the earlier application.</p> <p>“We apologise to Mr Ross for this experience and have let him know we’re processing a refund for him.”</p> <p>They have also reportedly apologised for any distress they may have caused and are investigating how the error occurred so that it doesn't happen again. </p> <p><em>Images: news.com.au/ Getty</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Woman rejects $200k offer for her puppy

<p>A woman has divided social media viewers after she claiming that she declined a stranger's $200k ($303,000 AUD) offer for her Doberman pinscher puppy. </p> <p>In the viral video, which has since racked up over 970,000 views, Alexis Elliott said: “someone offered us $200k for our puppy, and I told my husband, ‘absolutely f**king not’.”</p> <p>“Would you guys sell your dogs for $200k? Like, that is my baby!" the LA-based woman asked her followers. </p> <p>Many couldn't believe that she declined the offer. </p> <p>“It’s a crime to not accept 200k,” one wrote. </p> <p>“In this economy? Yes,” another commented. </p> <p>“Would run upstairs so fast and pack his bag,” a third joked. </p> <p>While some people were eager enough to give up their own dogs for $200,000, others  agreed with Elliot and said that they would never give up their fur babies. </p> <p>“ABSOLUTELY NOT. The people saying yes should not have a dog tbh,” one viewer commented, adding: “That boy is my life.” </p> <div class="embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #323338; font-family: Figtree, Roboto, 'Noto Sans Hebrew', 'Noto Kufi Arabic', 'Noto Sans JP', sans-serif; background-color: #ffffff; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: initial; vertical-align: baseline; width: 580px; max-width: 100%; outline: none !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7308537421770116395&amp;display_name=tiktok&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40itsalexiselliott%2Fvideo%2F7308537421770116395%3Flang%3Den&amp;image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign.tiktokcdn-us.com%2Ftos-useast5-p-0068-tx%2Ff7435052bbf14b62a0c22bb295962a0f_1701651485%7Etplv-dmt-logom%3Atos-useast5-i-0068-tx%2FoMfzRS5SbCDFYrMIAQZA7AAlb2PgflRLDERaED.image%3Fx-expires%3D1702508400%26x-signature%3Di2tT0G7gwHGCVFhMDi4EPSvcPUI%253D&amp;key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&amp;type=text%2Fhtml&amp;schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p>“A lot of you in these comments don’t deserve a dog,” another slammed. </p> <p>“Omg never. The thought of my dog being confused and feeling abandoned breaks my heart,” a third commented, while another user added that they wouldn't sell their dog even if they were offered one million dollars. </p> <p>One sceptic added: “Nobody offered you 200k for a dog, people with that kind of money are mostly financially smart. And you did not birth it." </p> <p>A few others came to Elliot's defence and said that it had happened to them in the past. </p> <p>“Someone offered me 100k for my dog. He was a pretty well-off athlete. Not everyone is smart with their money,” one commented. </p> <p>“I had a lady offer us $1M for our dog, and when we laughed she said, ‘No seriously, make me an offer, I’ll pay it’,” another claimed.</p> <p><em>Images: TikTok</em></p> <p> </p>

Money & Banking

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Harry and Meghan reject Jeremy Clarkson’s apology

<p>Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have shot down Jeremy Clarkson’s apology following his scathing piece about them in <em>The Sun</em> at the close of 2022. </p> <p>The <em>Top Gear</em> star wrote the piece in the wake of the release of the couple’s Netflix documentary series, in which he explained how much he “hates” the Duchess of Sussex.</p> <p>The article, which was the most complained about and was removed from the website, saw Clarkson apologise for his words. </p> <p>It has now been revealed that the Sussexes have rejected Clarkson’s grovelling apology after it came out that Clarkson’s <em>Farm and The Grand Tour</em> series may be dropped by Amazon Prime.</p> <p>“On December 25, 2022, Mr Clarkson wrote solely to Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex,” read a response from the Sussexes’ representatives.</p> <p>“The contents of his correspondence were marked Private and Confidential.</p> <p>“While a new public apology has been issued today by Mr Clarkson, what remains to be addressed is his long standing pattern of writing articles that spread hate rhetoric, dangerous conspiracy theories, and misogyny.</p> <p>“Unless each of his other pieces were also written ‘in a hurry’, as he states, it is clear that this is not an isolated incident shared in haste, but rather a series of articles shared in hate.”</p> <p>Clarkson has now taken to Instagram to publicly apologise to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and to explain why he wrote such a piece.</p> <p>“I really am sorry. All the way from the balls of my feet to the follicles on my head. This is me putting my hands up. It’s a mea culpa with bells on,” his apology read.</p> <p>“Usually, I read what I’ve written to someone else before filing, but I was home alone on that fateful day, and in a hurry. So when I’d finished, I just pressed send. And then, when the column appeared the next day, the land mine exploded.  </p> <p>“It was a slow rumble to start with and I ignored it. But then the rumble got louder. So I picked up a copy of The Sun to see what all the fuss was about.</p> <p>“We’ve all been there, I guess. In that precise moment when we suddenly realise we’ve completely messed up.</p> <p>“You’re sweaty and cold at the same time. And your head pounds. And you feel sick.</p> <p>“I couldn’t believe what I was reading. Had I really said that? It was horrible.”</p> <p>Clarkson then went on to attempt to justify his reasoning for the article in which he claims he was thinking of an episode of <em>Game of Thrones</em> while writing the piece.</p> <p>“I was very angry with myself because in all those controversial days on Top Gear, when I was accused of all sorts of things, it was very rarely sexism.”</p> <p>He mentioned a few instances during <em>Top Gear</em> in which women drove faster laps than men, or the fact that there was never a segment about women not being able to park.</p> <p>Clarkson insisted that he wasn’t sexist, but went on to say: “I’m just not sexist and I abhor violence against women. And yet I seemed to be advocating just that. I was mortified and so was everyone else. My phone went mad. Very close friends were furious. Even my own daughter took to Instagram to denounce me. </p> <p>“The Sun quickly apologised, and I tried to explain myself. But still, there were calls for me to be sacked and charged with a hate crime.”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cnep9lSsnie/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cnep9lSsnie/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Jeremy Clarkson (@jeremyclarkson1)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">“More than <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/british-lawmakers-demand-jeremy-clarkson-apologise-to-meghan-markle" target="_blank" rel="noopener">60 MPs demanded action to be taken</a>. </span></p> <p>“ITV, who make Who Wants to be a Millionaire, and Amazon, who make the Farm Show and the Grand Tour, were incandescent. </p> <p>“I therefore wrote to everyone who works with me saying how sorry I was and then on Christmas morning, I emailed Harry and Meghan in California to apologise to them too.</p> <p>“I said I was baffled by what they had been saying on TV but that the language I’d used in my column was disgraceful and that I was profoundly sorry. </p> <p>“Over the last thirty years, I have written very nearly five thousand newspaper and magazine columns, so it was inevitable that one day, I’d do a Harry Kane and sky one of the damn things. Which is what happened with the piece about Meghan.</p> <p>“So can I move on now?  Not sure. It’s hard to be interesting and vigilant at the same time. You never hear pearls of laughter coming from a health and safety seminar. But I promise you this, I will try.</p> <p>“Who knows? Very soon now I shall be a grandfather so in future, maybe I’ll just write about that.”</p> <p><em>Images: Netflix / Wikipedia</em></p>

News

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Dan Andrews rejects state funeral proposition for Cardinal Pell

<p>Dan Andrews has rejected the idea of holding a state funeral for the late Cardinal George Pell, saying he "couldn’t think of anything more distressing" for victims of child sexual abuse at the hands of the Catholic Church.</p> <p>Cardinal Pell, Australia's most senior Catholic, died on Wednesday at age 81 in Rome, after suffering heart complications from hip replacement surgery.</p> <p>Speaking in Melbourne on Thursday, Andrews offered his condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Pell, acknowledging it would be a “sad time” for them.</p> <p>However, he said victims of institutional child sexual abuse remained “foremost” in his thoughts.</p> <p>“We see you, we believe you, we support you and you’re at the centre of not only our thoughts, not only our words, but our actions,” Andrews said.</p> <p>“We should never ever forget that predator brothers and priests were systematically moved around knowingly. It was part of a strategy from one working-class parish to the next."</p> <p>“We should never ever forget that, and we will never ever forget victims, survivors of institutional child sexual abuse at the hands of the Catholic church.”</p> <p>Andrews said there had been no request made for a state funeral service, which is funded by the Victorian government, nor would one be offered to Pell.</p> <p>“I don’t believe that there’s been a request made and these things are normally offered rather than asked for and there will be no offer made,” he said.</p> <p>“There will be no memorial service or state funeral because I think that would be a deeply, deeply distressing thing for every victim-survivor of Catholic church child sexual abuse. That is my view. I will not do that.</p> <p>“I couldn’t think of anything that would be more distressing for victim-survivors than that.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

News

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Greens leader slammed for rejecting Australian flag

<p dir="ltr">Greens leader Adam Bandt has been accused of "virtue signalling" after refusing to stand next to the Australian flag while speaking at a press conference on Monday.</p> <p dir="ltr">Before Mr Bandt spoke at Sydney's Commonwealth Parliamentary Offices on Monday, a member of staff was seen moving the flag from behind the podium so that only the Aboriginal flag and Torres Strait Island flag could be seen.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Bandt said he removed the flag because it “represents lingering pain” for some Australians, sharing his view that Australia should become a republic with a new flag.</p> <p dir="ltr">“For many Australians, this flag represents dispossession and the lingering pains of colonisation,” Mr Bandt said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Through Treaty with First Nations’ Peoples and by moving to a Republic, we can have a flag that represents all of us.”</p> <p dir="ltr">However, his "stunt" prompted severe backlash with Minister for Government Services Bill Shorten describing it as a divisive act.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-876c3067-7fff-f984-ba88-829f5fbcb98d"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“Antics like this, this virtue signalling saying, ‘I love First Nations People more than anyone else’ ... it turns more people off than turns them on,” he told Today.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Ahead of a press conference with Greens leader Adam Bandt, a Greens staffer has just moved the Australian flag out of the TV camera shot. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/auspol?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#auspol</a> <a href="https://t.co/g524GbpKKH">pic.twitter.com/g524GbpKKH</a></p> <p>— Isobel Roe (@isobelroe) <a href="https://twitter.com/isobelroe/status/1538733802037846016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 20, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">2GB’s Jim Wilson also told the show it was “highly offensive” and “insulting”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We had a Royal Commission into Veteran Suicide resume in Townsville yesterday - men and women who fought under the Australian flag. On the same day, you have this peanut who goes on and removes the Australian flag,” Wilson said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I find it deeply offensive and not the Australia we want to embrace.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Have all three flags, but don’t remove the national flag.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Indigenous leader Warrne Mundine also weighed in on Mr Bandt’s display shortly after, questioning whether it was appropriate for federal parliament and whether the Greens “actually hate Australians”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s idiotic,” Mr Mundine said. “Are the Greens actually in the Australian federal parliament? Seriously? Do they actually hate Australians that much? Aboriginals call themselves Australians all the time.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The Greens are just a fringe university type group trying to run down the country.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Bandt primarily spoke about Labor’s approach to emissions during the press conference, claiming the party is “an obstacle to greater climate action” and that they aren’t listening to the Australian people..</p> <p dir="ltr">“Labor is bringing a weak target to parliament that means the end of the Great Barrier Reef,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Labor is now an obstacle to greater climate action and they are refusing to listen to the will of the people who have just delivered a big mandate for climate mandates at the election.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Image: Getty Images</p>

News

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Karl Stefanovic rejected by Jacinda Ardern

<p dir="ltr">Jacinda Ardern has rejected Karl Stefanovic’s proposal to be appointed as an unofficial Australian. </p> <p dir="ltr">The New Zealand Prime Minister appeared on <em>The Today Show</em> after meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. </p> <p dir="ltr">The pair met up to discuss what the countries have in common and on how to improve their migration policies. </p> <p dir="ltr">Karl then suggested that Ms Ardern could one day become an Australian, to which she immediately responded with a rejection. </p> <p dir="ltr">"We love welcoming Kiwis, especially claiming the good ones as our own," Karl said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"No, there is absolutely no prospect of that ever happening, thank you," Ms Ardern swiftly</p> <p dir="ltr">"That's the firmest answer we've had this morning, you don't want to think about it?" Karl asked.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It's a hard no, but thank you though,” she said ending the conversation. </p> <p dir="ltr">It’s no secret Australia likes to claim some New Zealanders as their own be it Russell Crowe or Keith Urban. </p> <p dir="ltr">Ms Ardern was the first world leader to be invited to Australia since Mr Albanese was sworn in as Prime Minister. </p> <p dir="ltr">The pair discussed the trans-Tasman relationship and are looking forward to creating more opportunities for citizens of each country. </p> <p dir="ltr">"The prime minister and I are determined to take trans-Tasman relations to a new level - a new level of cooperation in the mutual interests of both of our nations," Mr Albanese said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"What that means is new jobs, new growth, new opportunities to co-operate."</p> <p dir="ltr">Ms Ardern welcomed the ideas and said it was great working so closely with Australia. </p> <p dir="ltr">"There are no two countries that I can think of that have a closer relationship than ours and when I say that we are family, I mean it very sincerely," she said.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: The Today Show</em></p>

TV

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New details of Chris Dawson trial after suppression request rejected

<p>In the first day of trial, detailed allegations have emerged surrounding Chris Dawson, the footballer-turned-high-school teacher, and that he allegedly wanted to hire a hitman to murder his wife Lynnette.</p> <p>73-year-old Dawson arrived in Sydney from the Sunshine Coast on Sunday night ahead of his trial in the NSW Supreme Court, where it was determined that details from the trial are not private, and can be revealed. Judge Ian Harrison rejected an application from lawyers for both the defence and crown to have the case suppressed under blanket non-publication orders.</p> <p>Lawyers applied to have the entire trial, including the verdict, suppressed and argued the reporting could prejudice further court proceedings in the coming months.</p> <p>The judge-alone trial is expected to go for six to eight weeks where Crown prosecutor Craig Everson will allege Dawson killed Lynette, who vanished in January 1982.</p> <p>The 33-year-old disappeared from the family’s home at Bayview, on Sydney’s northern beaches, leaving behind her two children.</p> <p>In his opening address, Mr Everson told the court the couple were both just 21 when they got married in 1970 but were not able to have children around the same time as Mr Dawson’s twin brother, Paul. This caused a “level of animosity” from Mr Dawson to his wife, Mr Everson said.</p> <p>On the way home from a trip to the Gold Coast with his teammates from the Newtown Jets in October 1975, Mr Dawson allegedly asked Robert Silkman if he “knew someone who could get rid of his wife”.</p> <p>Five years later, the court heard Mr Dawson developed a sexual relationship with a student at the high school where he was a teacher and he became “infatuated with her”.</p> <p>“He repeatedly asked her to marry him,” Mr Everson said.</p> <p>In December 1981, the court heard Mr Dawson valued the house he shared with Lynnette at Bayview before the next day leaving his family and moving to Queensland with the student to “start a new life”.</p> <p>The pair returned to Sydney four days later and the court heard the student ended the relationship in December 1981. Mr Dawson begged her to call him as she went on holiday with friends the following month.</p> <p>“The crown alleges that on or about the 8th of January 1982 the accused alone or with the involvement of another person murdered Lynnette Dawson,” Mr Everson told the court.</p> <p>“Then later he disposed of her body at an unknown location.”</p> <p>It is the crown case that Mr Dawson was “motivated to kill Lynnette” by his desire to have a relationship with the student. A week later he brought the student back to his house and told her “Lynette was gone and wouldn’t be coming back”, the court heard.</p> <p>However, Mr Dawson allegedly told friends and family his wife had left him with the children and had called him a few times, before reporting her missing six weeks later.</p> <p>Mr Everson told the court the student is expected to give evidence that Mr Dawson told her he contemplated getting a hitman against his wife, but “decided against it because innocent people would be hurt”.</p> <p>The trial continues.</p> <p><em>Image: Channel 9</em></p>

News

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Shane Warne rejected from favourite TV show

<p dir="ltr">Shane Warne was rejected from a TV role because of his shiny white veneers.</p> <p dir="ltr">The late cricketer wrote to the producers of the popular TV show <em>Peaky Blinders</em>, a historical fiction drama set in the 1920s and '30s in Birmingham, England.</p> <p dir="ltr">Warnie mentioned that Peaky Blinders was his favourite show and asked for a little role in the series.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">And to all you legends from Oz <a href="https://twitter.com/ThePeakyBlinder?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ThePeakyBlinder</a> !!!!!!! <a href="https://t.co/8ugBQiTS5j">https://t.co/8ugBQiTS5j</a> <a href="https://t.co/HjbK7rLNr0">pic.twitter.com/HjbK7rLNr0</a></p> <p>— Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShaneWarne/status/1342953254062190592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 26, 2020</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Retired AFL star Aaron Hamill shared the story to the 50,000 people at the MCG for Warnie’s memorial.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He said, ‘I've got this great idea,’ as he always did. He said, ‘I've sent off an email to the producers of Peaky Blinders [asking for a cameo]’,” Hamill said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He got a response saying: ‘Dear Shane, thanks very much. We love your enthusiasm but unfortunately porcelain veneers weren’t around in Birmingham in 1931’.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Warnie was so obsessed with Peaky Blinders that he started wearing a flat cap, similar to that of the main character, played by Cillian Murphy.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I love Peaky Blinders so I thought I don't mind the look of [the flat cap] and I might wear it to see if people like it. People have liked it, so I kept wearing it,' Hamill recalled.</p> <p dir="ltr">Watch Hamill’s story about Warne <a href="https://twitter.com/RohaNadym/status/1509104800310472706" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Twitter and Instagram</em></p>

Movies

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Man rejected from interview through accidental email to management

<p dir="ltr">Alexander Wood was refused an opportunity to be interviewed for a position he applied for thanks to an accidental HR email.</p> <p dir="ltr">This was the third time Alexander applied for a barista position at Utica Coffee Roasting Company in New York. </p> <p dir="ltr">He was interviewed by the company in April 2021 and was offered the role but was unable to accept due to his living circumstances. </p> <p dir="ltr">In December 2021, after reapplying, HR got in touch with Alexander saying they will set up a time for an interview…but no one got back to him.</p> <p dir="ltr">After applying again recently in March 2022, Alexander was rejected from any interview after he was CC’d in an email from HR saying he never showed up last time. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Well, today is the first time I got CC'ed on an email I should not have been,” he wrote on Facebook on March 15. </p> <p dir="ltr">“It was an email an HR employee meant to send to management about how I never showed up for an interview and I was CC'd into their responses.”</p> <p dir="ltr">He explained that he was at an “all-time low in my life, I had just left downstate after being rendered homeless for over a week, I had left my toxic relationship, and I was legally tied to an apartment that I did not feel safe living in.” </p> <p dir="ltr">After sorting out his life, Alexander applied once again, only to randomly check his phone and saw the “triggering email” from the company. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I got hopeful and checked when I could only to find out it was an email meant for the other managers talking about how I never showed up for an interview,” he continued.</p> <p dir="ltr">Sharing a screenshot of the email thread, HR had informed management that Alexander had allegedly not shown up for a previous interview.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Well that’s interesting ok so lets reject him…” management responded. </p> <p dir="ltr">Alexander said he would “never no-call, no-show an interview, especially at that point in my life.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Shocked at their unprofessionalism, Alexander responded with proof of their emails showing that someone from HR would get in contact with him but didn’t. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I am absolutely astonished at the carelessness in this situation. Needless to say, I will not get a job there and will most likely never step foot in the establishment again. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I'm confident in my skills and I hold enough pride not to put up with this kind of absolute garbage. These are the things you don’t do with your business.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Facebook</em></p>

Money & Banking

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“I have standards”: Woman’s dating request rejected for bizarre reason

<p dir="ltr">A woman was left shocked after her date cancelled their first meeting – all because she asked to meet at Starbucks. </p> <p dir="ltr">Taking to Twitter, the woman named Colleen shared the odd exchange she’d had with the man whom she’d matched with on a dating app.</p> <p dir="ltr">In the screenshots of their text conversation, Colleen begins by asking the man named Matt if he is free to grab a coffee at the chain on Thursday, The Sun reported.</p> <p dir="ltr">Well, the invite was enough to put Matt off entirely.</p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/Screenshots.jpg" alt="" width="648" height="433" /></p> <p dir="ltr">He replies saying: “Starbucks? …</p> <p dir="ltr">“Yeah I’m not sure this is going to work. You seem nice and all, but I have standards – obviously you don’t.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m trying to build a vision and work towards the finer things in life, and that starts with people on my own wavelength. Starbucks just f**ks up the vibe.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Dumbfounded, Colleen captioned her tweet: “I literally cannot take online dating anymore how is a guy going to be insane about a Starbucks date ?????”</p> <p dir="ltr">It has since gone viral, amassing over 71,000 likes on Twitter, but there was one person who didn’t see the funny side.</p> <p dir="ltr">Matt then screenshotted Colleen’s tweet and sent it back to her, writing “Is this you? How embarrassing.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Colleen reports she has now blocked the man’s number and hopefully his dating profile too. </p> <p><em><span id="docs-internal-guid-9f531bfe-7fff-214f-c5b0-d8d1d9fb9e90">Images: Getty / Twitter</span></em></p>

Relationships

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Family left homeless after 227 rejected rental applications

<p dir="ltr">A family of five from Adelaide have been left homeless after being rejected for over 200 rental applications over the span of 18 months.</p> <p dir="ltr">In October 2020, Hayden Coonan, 39, his partner Aimee Kent, 34, and their three young children moved into a home in the south of Adelaide. </p> <p dir="ltr">As soon as they moved in, Hayden and Aimee began looking for another rental, due to the home’s state of disrepair. </p> <p dir="ltr">“It wasn’t long until we started having problems with the house — gas was off, no hot water, burst water pipes,” Mr Coonan told <a href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/real-estate/renting/adelaide-family-homeless-after-227-applications-for-rental-vacancies-rejected-in-16-months/news-story/ab84488f3e3b4e89d193305aa4bd7f8b">news.com.au</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite the couple having a dual income and a spotless rental history, they were knocked back on countless rental applications. </p> <p dir="ltr">“We’ve kept on looking, not getting anywhere, there’s no rhyme or reason [to the rejections],” he added. “You never anticipate it taking this long. It just dragged on and on.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The couple and their kids were evicted from their property recently on the basis of a no reason termination, although the couple suspect the property’s need for major maintenance could explain the sudden eviction. </p> <p dir="ltr">Now, Hayden, Aimee and their kids are homeless. </p> <p dir="ltr">The family are unable to live in their car or a potential caravan, as their two eldest children have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, while the youngest child has a degenerative physical disability.</p> <p dir="ltr">For now, they are staying with Aimee’s mother while they work out a plan. </p> <p dir="ltr">“We’re there for now. It’s a three-bedroom house, there’s eight of us there,” Mr Coonan said.</p> <p dir="ltr">While applying for properties, Hayden noted that they were often given “glowing references” by a real estate agent, and still got knocked back on a lease. </p> <p dir="ltr">In addition to this, homes would often be leased for much higher than the asking price. </p> <p dir="ltr">“There are properties being advertised for $380 [which is in their price range], they eventually go for $480,” he recalled.</p> <p dir="ltr">As they continue to apply for rental properties, Mr Coonan and Ms Kent have been placed on a high priority list for social housing.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: news.com.au</em></p>

Real Estate

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"Extraordinary" rejection of Greg Hunt's aged care claim

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Health Minister Greg Hunt lost face after his claim that 100 percent of aged care residents have been vaccinated has been challenged by one woman who said her grandmother’s facility had not even administered the first dose.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though Mr Hunt initially said 100 percent of Victorian residential aged care facilities have been vaccinated, he later backtracked, saying a “lack of uptake was down to residents refusing the jab”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Now, a woman appearing on </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Project</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> has challenged his claims.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Kate Howard says her family has been desperate for her 95-year-old grandmother to be vaccinated for months, but no one in the facility where she lives has yet to receive their first dose.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“She, like the rest of our family, is incredibly keen and we have been keen since the phase 1A rollout was announced in February and we’ve done all that we can to try and make sure she is vaccinated,” Ms Howard told host Carrie Bickmore.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We’ve been emailing since the start of March to try and get some understanding about who’s responsible and, you know, I’m over the politicking of this - I just want my grandmother vaccinated.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ms Howard said that despite her family signing a consent form for her grandmother’s vaccination on March 22, no residents in the home had been vaccinated. She called out Mr Hunt’s claims last week that around 97 percent of aged care facilities across all of Australia have already been vaccinated.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Do you have a family member currently in a Victorian aged care facility? Let us know in the comments if they've had their first vaccine dose, and if not, why not? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheProjectTV?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheProjectTV</a> <a href="https://t.co/CfPXZdVpDa">pic.twitter.com/CfPXZdVpDa</a></p> — The Project (@theprojecttv) <a href="https://twitter.com/theprojecttv/status/1399292884076183555?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 31, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On Monday, he said vaccinations in aged care facilities were being brought forward “for those residents who did not receive first vaccinations, did not have consent of their families or provide it themselves”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Project host Waleed Aly interjected, saying: “You said something that could potentially be a big story, if I’ve got this right - you are saying in your grandmother’s home no-one has been vaccinated?”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“No, they’ve not received one jab yet,” she replied.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I believe less than half of the aged care workers have, off their own bat, gone and got vaccinations but the others are still remaining,” Ms Howard added.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When asked how recent her information was, Ms Howard confirmed she had received the information on Monday afternoon after getting in touch with her grandmother’s home.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Aly described the revelation as “extraordinary”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“This makes me so angry,” Bickmore said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We’ve got family in aged care as well waiting for their second doses and it’s taking far too long,” she said. “Especially given what we saw happen last year.”</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image credit: Channel 10</span></em></p>

News

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"I regret it": Grant Denyer recalls time he rejected Pamela Anderson

<p>In an alternate universe, Grant Denyer and Pamela Anderson could have been a couple.</p> <p>On Tuesday night's episode of I'm A Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here, Denyer revealed he was asked out by the Baywatch star while she was in Australia promoting M&amp;M's.</p> <p>Anderson reportedly made a quick trip to Melbourne to relaunch green M&amp;M's and test a theory that the green chocolate is an aphrodisiac.</p> <p>Denyer seemed to become a part of the experiment, with the TV host sharing that he was invited to party with the star.</p> <p>Grant opened up about the missed opportunity during a game of "truth or lie".</p> <p>Denyer began: “Pamela Anderson wanted to date me,” to the unconvinced crowd.</p> <p>“She was out doing a promotional tour for M&amp;M’s. I was nervous as hell, really shy … Very turned on,” he joked.</p> <p>“And she was like ‘You’re cute, do you want to come to a party with me?’”</p> <p>Looking slightly crestfallen, he continued to reveal he turned her down as he had to catch a flight back home to Sydney that night.</p> <p>“I said no … Because I had to fly home.”</p> <p>His tale prompted roars of “LIAR” from the other celebs, who couldn’t believe he’d reject (or perhaps receive) such an offer from Pamela Anderson of all people.</p> <p>“No one believed that this honey pot here could lure in a bee like Pamela Anderson,” Denyer told the camera elsewhere.</p> <p>“Not a notch on my belt, but it’s a scar on my memory,” he added with a laugh, telling the stars “I regret it to this day.”</p>

Relationships

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Prince Charles rejects handshake from WW2 veteran

<p><span>Prince Charles respectfully rejected a handshake from a World War II veteran at a VJ Day 75 event.</span><br /><br /><span>The Prince of Wales, 71, and his wife Camilla, The Duchess of Cornwall both attended a ceremony to commemorate all personnel who died during the war.</span><br /><br /><span>The event was held at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire on Sunday.</span><br /><br /><span>Charles and Camilla had approached a group of veterans when one shakily stood from his seat to salute Prince Charles.</span><br /><br /><span>He then extended his hand to the heir for a hearty shake.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7837383/prince-charles-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/78b0e13e7bd7467f82ca7891e97966ae" /><br /><br /><span>However the royal did not take the extended invitation while briskly walking to the ceremony at the time and only said just a few words to the veteran.</span><br /><br /><span>Prince Charles chatted to the veteran following the ceremony during which he chose to use a “namaste” gesture with the man.</span><br /><br /><span>Charles laid down a wreath at the Burma Railway Memorial near Mornington Crescent train station in Camden High Street in London as part of the ceremony.</span><br /><br /><span>Thousands of British civilian and military prisoners of war died of disease, starvation and maltreatment while they built the Burma Railway during the war.</span><br /><br /><span>The Burma Railway in its entirety is a 415-kilometre railway that runs between Ban Pong, Thailand, and Thanbyuzayat, Burma.</span><br /><br /><span>It was built by the Empire of Japan from 1940–1944 to supply troops and weapons in the Burma campaign of World War II.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CD6lvq8AS8E/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CD6lvq8AS8E/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Clarence House (@clarencehouse)</a> on Aug 15, 2020 at 8:47am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>The memorial to the deadly railway was unveiled on 21 September 2012.</span><br /><br /><span>The royal family began finding alternate ways to greet people during official appearances in 2020.</span><br /><br /><span>Among these royal members is Prince Charles who was diagnosed with the COVID-19 in March.</span><br /><br /><span>Charles, for the most part, chooses to greet people with a namaste gesture - both hands together in a prayer position and a small bow.</span><br /><br /><span>Prince Charles also led the UK in two minutes of silence to "remember the courage" of Commonwealth forces who fought during the war.</span><br /><br /><span>He told the veterans that the UK would never forget the sacrifice they and their friends made, saying they are "respected and cherished".</span><br /><br /><span>“All too often those who fought in the Far East have been labelled the forgotten army in the forgotten war," he said.</span><br /><br /><span>"Many of the soldiers, nurses and other personnel felt angered and disappointed at how they were treated when they finally returned from a war which, from the public's point of view, had ended on May 8, 1945.</span><br /><br /><span>"Today, in this hallowed place, and in the presence of all those gathered here or in their homes, or wherever they may be, let us affirm that they and the surviving veterans are not forgotten."</span><br /><br /><span>He finished up his speech by saying: "Rather you are respected, thanked and cherished with all our hearts and for all time.</span><br /><br /><span>"We salute all those who remain among us and offer our most heartfelt and undying gratitude for those who have gone before.</span><br /><br /><span>"Your service and your sacrifice, will echo through the ages."</span><br /><br /><span>He also honoured his father, Prince Philip, who witnessed the signing of Japan's surrender during the war when he was second-in-command on HMS Whelp docked in Tokyo Bay.</span></p>

News

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“That is no way to live”: NSW premier rejects lockdown talk

<p>NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has said another lockdown was “an option we don’t want to take” in the state.</p> <p>The statement came as the number of COVID-19 cases linked to the outbreak at the Crossroads Hotel in Casula reached 30.</p> <p>“Every time we have an outbreak we can’t afford to lockdown, reopen, lockdown, reopen,” Berejiklian told ABC’s <em>7.30 </em>on Tuesday night.</p> <p>“That is no way to live and that is no way to be able to install confidence in businesses to keep employing people.</p> <p>“We have to learn to manage these outbreaks.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">"As much as we'd love to have elimination, as much as we’d love to be able to be in that state, it's not going to happen in New South Wales.” - NSW Premier <a href="https://twitter.com/GladysB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GladysB</a> on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/coronavirus?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#coronavirus</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/abc730?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#abc730</a> <a href="https://t.co/obEZhXGemd">pic.twitter.com/obEZhXGemd</a></p> — abc730 (@abc730) <a href="https://twitter.com/abc730/status/1282982187826941952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2020</a></blockquote> <p>The premier warned that NSW was not going to be “COVID-free” anytime soon, and residents should find a way to “coexist with the virus”.</p> <p>“There is no way that New South Wales will have zero cases during a pandemic,” she said.</p> <p>“We were always going to have cases when we’ve eased restrictions and we have to expect that.</p> <p>“The reason where we’re in especially high alert in New South Wales is also, of course, of what’s happened in Victoria.”</p> <p>Picton Hotel in southwest Sydney has also been closed after a person with COVID-19 attended the pub three times to use the gaming room.</p> <p>NSW Health is urging those who visited the Crossroads Hotel between July 3 and 10 to self-isolate for 14 days after their last time there. Patrons are advised to get tested even if they have no symptoms.</p> <p>Those who return a negative result are also asked to stay in isolation.</p>

Domestic Travel

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Quaden Bayle’s family rejects $700,000 Disneyland trip

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> <p>Just a week after hundreds of thousands of dollars was raised to send Quaden Bayles and his family on a trip to Disneyland, Quaden’s Aunty Mundanara Bayles have spoken exclusively to<span> </span><em><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/2020/02/27/exclusive-quaden-bayles-family-declines-crowdfunded-trip-disneyland-would-prefer" target="_blank">SBS NITV</a></em><span> </span>saying that they are declining the trip.</p> <p>This is due to the fact that they want the funds to go to the charities who need it, which include Dwarfism Awareness Australia and Balunu Healing Foundation.</p> <p>"What kid wouldn't want to go to Disneyland, especially if you have lived Quaden's life. To escape to anywhere that is fun that doesn't remind him of his day to day challenges," she said.</p> <p>"But my sister said 'you know what, let's get back to the real issue'. This little fella has been bullied. How many suicides, black or white, in our society have happened due to bullying."</p> <p>"We want the money to go to community organisations that really need it. They know what the money should be spent on, So as much as we want to go to Disneyland, I think our community would far off benefit from that."</p> <p>The charities are earmarked for a specific reason, according to Quaden’s Aunty.</p> <p>"We need to come together and work out how to make sure young people like Quaden don't have to deal with what they have been dealing with," Ms Bayles said.</p> <p>"We've had seven kids at the Murri School in Brisbane, where I am on the board, take their lives in the last ten years."</p> <p>American comedian Brad Williams set up the GoFundMe page on February 21st, and since then, it has raised over $AUD 700,000 thanks to twenty thousand donors around the globe.</p> <p>The page was set up after a video of Quaden went viral that showed the aftermath of a bullying incident that happened at school.</p> <p>As Quaden was born with Achondroplasia, which is the most common form of dwarfism, he has had to deal with constant health complications as well as being bullied since the age of three.</p> <p>As the video went viral in Australia and overseas, many celebrities and NRL players have reached out to Quaden to do what they can to help. Despite the heightened media attention, Quaden’s mother Yarraka says he’s doing well.</p> <p>“It’s a bit overwhelming but we are doing good considering. It’s pretty full on but we are strong enough to get through especially with all the mobs support and unconditional love," she told NITV News.</p> <p>“Quaden is ok. He is spinning out a bit, we just have to protect our boy as best we can. We’ve got a good team around us now.”</p> </div> </div> </div>

News

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Arnott’s makes Tim Tam using “beautiful” Australian strawberries supermarkets rejected

<p>A new Tim Tam biscuit is boosting a Queensland couple’s bid to save tens of thousands of tonnes of Australian fruit rejected by supermarkets at the peak of growing seasons.</p> <p>Stuart and Allison McGruddy have launched an initiative that fights against the war on waste by freezing fruit. But after further research, they were disheartened to know that many major companies use imported, rather than local Aussie ingredients.</p> <p>But that’s slowly changing, as biscuit maker Arnott’s has used 20 tonnes of the fruit the couple saved in their new limited-edition Sunshine Coast Strawberries and Cream Tim Tam.</p> <p>Mr McGruddy who is a chef, and wife Allison left London eight years ago to work on his family’s farm, and were taken aback at the amount of perfectly ripe Australian fruit being rejected because it didn’t live up to supermarket standards.</p> <p>According to FoodWise, approximately 20 to 40 per cent of fruit and vegetables are rejected before it even reaches supermarket shelves due to not meeting aesthetic requirements.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Featmyberries%2Fposts%2F2877213695663865&amp;width=500" width="500" height="390" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe></p> <p>“I’ve been to farms in the local area with strawberries that dump multiple tonnes a day, and I take photos of it, and it just blows me away,” said Mr McGruddy.</p> <p>“Like after the needle incident a couple of years ago, people got to see just how much strawberry waste happens in the industry, and it is the same with bananas and mangoes.”</p> <p>Ms McGruddy added: “We were seeing lots of beautiful raspberries that might be rejected by supermarkets at the time, and Stuart’s dad said, ‘What can you do with these beautiful berries, Stuart – c’mon, you can do something with them’.</p> <p>“Not long after that we had the 2015 outbreak of hepatitis A that was caused by contaminated berries produced in China, and we thought we need to do something about this, let’s get an Australian offering, so that’s basically the premise behind our business.”</p> <p>They founded My Berries, and freeze and bag a growing range of Australian-farmed fruit in a small factory near Bribie Island.</p>

Home & Garden

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Embarrassing mistake on The Reject Shop Christmas wrapping

<p>An eagle-eyed mother has left the internet in stitches after spotting an embarrassing spelling mistake on Christmas wrapping paper that was picked up from The Reject Shop.</p> <p>The mother from Queensland said that she wrapped up all of her family’s presents using the wrapping paper, but it was only until she had finished that she realised that a key word was misspelled.</p> <p>She noticed that the word ‘Christmas’ was accidentally spelt as ‘Chirstmas’.</p> <p>The mother shared the mistake in a closed Facebook post, according to<span> </span><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-7793323/Aldi-eagle-eyed-shoppers-spot-embarrassing-spelling-error-Christmas-wrapping-paper.html" target="_blank">The Daily Mail</a></em>.</p> <p>“Did anyone else pick up some wrapping paper from The Reject Shop? Check the spelling,” the mother said.</p> <p>“I wrapped them all before I even noticed. I think my family will find it funny, as I did.”</p> <p>Other shoppers were quick to point out that they’d bought the wrapping paper for their presents.</p> <p>“Oh my God, I didn't even take any notice and I've wrapped a whole heap up,” one woman said as she laughed.</p> <p>However, some were indifferent to the mistake as wrapping paper is only going to get “ripped” at Christmas.</p> <p>“Who cares, it's only going to be ripped open on 'Chirstmas' day,” one said as she laughed over the spelling over Christmas.</p> <p>One joked: “Just use it for the little ones who can't read yet.”</p> <p>Others said that they would specifically seek out the paper just for a joke with their family.</p> <p>“So funny, at least the person getting the presents might have a giggle - it'll be a present to remember,” one said.</p> <p>“I would buy it just for the spelling,” one said.</p> <p>Another said: “Gonna buy it anyway, see if anyone notices.”</p> <p>One said: “Bet you $100... unless you tell them, they won't even notice!”</p> <p>Scroll through the gallery to see what the spelling mistake on the wrapping paper looks like.</p> <p><em>Photo credits:<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-7793323/Aldi-eagle-eyed-shoppers-spot-embarrassing-spelling-error-Christmas-wrapping-paper.html" target="_blank">The Daily Mail</a></em></p>

Art

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“He was proud”: George Michael’s sister rejects Elton John’s claim that Michael was “uncomfortable” being gay

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">George Michael’s sister has hit back at Sir Elton John’s claims that the late singer was uncomfortable with his sexuality.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">John made the comments to Sharon Osbourne on her US TV show The Talk, according to </span><a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/10208853/elton-john-george-michael-died-gay/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Sun</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“He couldn’t get it, George. And he resented the fact I had hinted that maybe he change his life a little bit and he’d be happier if he tried something else.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The person has actually got to want it. It’s like me in the end. I really wanted it.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I had two alternatives: one to die, and one to live, and I wanted to live,” John said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">John also said that Michael was “so uncomfortable in his skin about being gay even though he said he wasn’t.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Michael’s sister Melanie Panayiotou said that George was “my ‘very proud to be gay’ brother, contrary to what you may have read recently”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Michael’s sister is referencing some of Michael’s most famous solo work, as it was speaking about his sexuality.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He later said in an </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/dec/26/george-michael-lgbt-rights-i-never-had-a-problem-with-being-gay"><span style="font-weight: 400;">interview</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> that he never had a “moral problem” being gay.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I never had a moral problem with being gay.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I thought I had fallen in love with a woman a couple of times. Then I fell in love with a man, and realised that none of those things had been love.”</span></p>

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“Stab in the back”: Centrelink rejects family’s application of 3-year-old battling cancer

<p>Madison Sullivan and her husband Mitchell are still reeling from their rejection from Centrelink after their three-year-old son was diagnosed with an aggressive and rare form of childhood cancer.</p> <p>Three-year-old Lukas has been diagnosed with stage four neuroblastoma barely a week after complaining of stomach pains at daycare. This diagnosis changed the world of the Sullivans as their days were quickly filled with immediate and extensive treatment, including chemotherapy, radiation and surgeries.</p> <p>As a result, both parents needed to take leave from their full-time jobs. With the reduced hours that husband Mitchell was working, this kept the family afloat while Madison became Lukas’ full-time carer.</p> <p>It was on the advice of the family’s social worker that they applied for Carer’s Allowance. This would assist the family with $641 a fortnight, but after a month-long wait, the family were told that they were rejected.</p> <p><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fphoto.php%3Ffbid%3D10218190171176605%26set%3Da.3131445015935%26type%3D3&amp;width=500" width="500" height="442" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe></p> <p>Centrelink told the Sullivans that the care Lukas received on a day-to-day basis was not demanding enough for Madison to be eligible as his carer.</p> <p>“They’re saying that regardless of him having stage four cancer and being on an aggressive treatment plan for 12 months [we don’t] meet the requirements. Which is just so bizarre,” Ms Sullivan told<span> </span><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/three-year-old-boy-with-stage-four-cancer-rejected-by-centrelink-094405044.html" target="_blank">Yahoo News Australia</a>.</em></p> <p>“They said the care [Lukas receives] is not high enough which is just crazy.</p> <p>“He needs ‘round-the-clock care.”</p> <p>Centrelink’s response to their situation has left the Sullivan family shocked.</p> <p>“It’s a stab in the back,” she said.</p> <p>“It’s like they’re saying [looking after someone with cancer] doesn’t need that much care. The people that reject it –– I’d like to see them have to deal with it.”</p> <p>The family are planning to appeal the decision made by Centrelink, but according to<span> </span>7News, the Department of Human Services is standing by its decision.</p>

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