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Police fatally shoot armed 16-year-old after Bunnings carpark stabbing

<p>A 16-year-old boy has been shot dead by police after he stabbed a man in the carpark of a Bunnings Warehouse on Saturday night. </p> <p>WA Police were called to the hardware store in south Perth, which was closed at the time of the incident, after they received a call from the teen saying he was going to commit acts of violence. </p> <p>A second emergency call was then made a short time later after the teenager stabbed a man in the carpark, in what appears to be a random attack. </p> <p>Police Commissioner Col Blanch said when they arrived on the scene, they found a 16-year-old armed with a large kitchen knife.</p> <p>Commissioner Blanch said the boy lunged at officers with the knife and was shot, and died a short time later in hospital.</p> <p>The man who was stabbed, who is in his 30s, is recovering in hospital and is believed to be in a serious but stable condition.</p> <p>The police commissioner and WA Premier Roger Cook held a press conference on Sunday morning and described the incident as "extremely confronting".</p> <p>They said the boy was "running around a car park, armed with a knife" when police arrived. </p> <p>"They [WA police] exited their vehicle and were confronted with a male alone with a large kitchen knife," Commissioner Blanch said.</p> <p>"Two officers drew their tasers and one of the officers drew his firearm. They challenged the male to put down the knife, which he did not."</p> <p>Mr Cook said there were indications the boy had been radicalised online, saying at the press conference, "I want to reassure the community at this stage it appears that he acted solely and alone."</p> <p>"Members of the WA Muslim community, who were concerned by his behaviour, contacted police prior to the incident and I thank them for their help."</p> <p>It was also said the boy's family was cooperating with police.</p> <p>Commissioner Blanch said the incident was not being labelled as a terrorist attack at this stage.</p> <p>"It certainly has the hallmarks of one [but] the reason why I would declare it as a terrorist act going forward — it's about timing," Commissioner Blanch said.</p> <p>"That's something that we can work towards as we find out more information from the motivations behind this."</p> <p><em>Image credits: ABC / Shutterstock</em></p>

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Bunnings has toppled Woolworths as Australia’s most ‘trusted’ brand – what makes us trust a brand in the first place?

<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/louise-grimmer-212082">Louise Grimmer</a>, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a></em></p> <p>Think of some of the world’s biggest brands: Nike, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Apple. With what do you associate them? Are they positive associations? Now consider, do you trust them?</p> <p>Brand trust is a measure of how customers <em>feel</em> about a brand in terms of how well the brand delivers on its promises. Trust is an important measure for any organisation, large or small.</p> <p>Whether or not customers trust a brand can be the difference between choosing that brand’s products or services over another.</p> <p>In Australia, Woolworths <a href="https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/9472-risk-monitor-quartely-update-december-2023">held the title</a> of our most trusted brand for three and a half years. But recent cost-of-living pressures have put supermarkets in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.</p> <p>Roy Morgan Research’s <a href="https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/9472-risk-monitor-quartely-update-december-2023">most recent trust rankings</a> show Woolworths has slipped to number two, handing its crown to hardware behemoth Bunnings.</p> <p>It’s clear that trust is fragile and can be quickly squandered when brands lose touch with those they serve.</p> <p>So what makes us trust a brand in the first place? And why do we trust some more than others?</p> <h2>What makes us trust a brand?</h2> <p>According to customer experience management firm Qualtrics, <a href="https://www.qualtrics.com/au/experience-management/brand/brand-trust/">brand trust</a> is</p> <blockquote> <p>the confidence that customers have in a brand’s ability to deliver on what it promises. As a brand consistently meets the expectations it has set in the minds of customers, trust in that brand grows.</p> </blockquote> <p>There are many ways to go about measuring brand trust. A typical first step is to ask lots of people what they think, collating their general opinions on product quality and the brand’s customer service experience.</p> <p>This can be strengthened with more quantifiable elements, including:</p> <ul> <li>online ratings and reviews</li> <li>social media “sentiment” (positive, negative or neutral)</li> <li>corporate social responsibility activities</li> <li>philanthropic efforts</li> <li>customer data security and privacy.</li> </ul> <p>Some surveys go even deeper, asking respondents to consider a brand’s vision and mission, its approaches to sustainability and worker standards, and how honest its advertising appears.</p> <h2>Is this a real and useful metric?</h2> <p>The qualitative methodology used by <a href="https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/9472-risk-monitor-quartely-update-december-2023">Roy Morgan</a> to determine what Australian consumers think about 1,000 brands has been administered over two decades, so the data can be reliably compared across time.</p> <p>On measures of both trust and distrust, it asks respondents which brands they trust and why. This approach is useful because it tells us which elements factor into brand trust judgements.</p> <p><a href="https://roymorgan-cms-prod.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/07035120/9472-Risk-Monitor-Quartely-Update-December-2023-1-1.pdf">Customer responses</a> about the survey’s most recent winner, Bunnings, show that customer service, product range, value-for-money pricing and generous returns policies are the key drivers of strong trust in its brand.</p> <p>Here are some examples:</p> <blockquote> <p>Great customer service. Love their welcoming staff. Whether it’s nuts and bolts or a new toilet seat, they have it all, value for money.</p> <p>Great products and price and have a no quibble refund policy.</p> <p>Great stock range, help is there if you need it and it is my go-to for my gardening and tool needs. Really convenient trading hours, and their return policy is good.</p> </blockquote> <p>In addition to trust, there are three other metrics commonly used to assess brand performance:</p> <ul> <li> <p><strong>brand equity</strong> – the commercial or social value of consumer perceptions of a brand</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>brand loyalty</strong> – consumer willingness to consistently choose one brand over others regardless of price or competitor’s efforts</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>brand affinity</strong> – the emotional connection and common values between a brand and its customers.</p> </li> </ul> <p>However, trust is becoming a disproportionately important metric as consumers demand that companies provide <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernhardschroeder/2020/01/16/from-the-traditional-to-the-outrageous-four-brands-that-use-honest-transparency-to-build-loyal-customers-with-non-traditional-marketing-and-branding/?sh=6689f81320a1">increased transparency</a> and exhibit greater care for their customers, not just their shareholders.</p> <h2>Why do Australians trust retailers so much?</h2> <p>Of Australia’s top ten most trusted brands, seven are retailers – Bunnings, Woolworths, Aldi, Coles, Kmart, Myer and Big W.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/582082/original/file-20240314-28-h0xdf4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/582082/original/file-20240314-28-h0xdf4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/582082/original/file-20240314-28-h0xdf4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=279&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/582082/original/file-20240314-28-h0xdf4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=279&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/582082/original/file-20240314-28-h0xdf4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=279&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/582082/original/file-20240314-28-h0xdf4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=350&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/582082/original/file-20240314-28-h0xdf4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=350&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/582082/original/file-20240314-28-h0xdf4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=350&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="table shows that Bunnings is now Australia's most trusted brand, and Optus the least trusted brand." /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">The latest changes to Australia’s most trusted and most distrusted brand rankings.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/9472-risk-monitor-quartely-update-december-2023">Roy Morgan Single Source (Australia)</a></span></figcaption></figure> <p>This <a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/90901331/america-most-trusted-brands-companies-report-2023-morning-consult">stands in contrast</a> with the United States, where the most trusted brands are predominantly from the healthcare sector.</p> <p>So why do retail brands dominate our trust rankings?</p> <p>They certainly aren’t small local businesses. Our retail sector is <a href="https://www.afr.com/companies/retail/in-the-shopping-trolley-war-the-supermarkets-have-to-give-20240122-p5ez4k">highly concentrated</a>, dominated by a few giant retail brands.</p> <p>We have only two major department stores (David Jones and Myer), three major discount department stores (Big W, Target and Kmart) and a <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-02-23/a-history-of-the-duopoly-coles-woolworths/103494070">supermarket “duopoly”</a> (Coles and Woolworths).</p> <p>It’s most likely then that these brands have been enjoying leftover goodwill from the pandemic.</p> <p>As Australia closed down to tackle COVID-19, the retail sector, and in particular the grocery sector, was credited with enabling customers to <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/inside-story-how-woolworths-and-coles-joined-forces-to-avert-covid-19-disaster-20200611-p551lk.html">safely access</a> food and household goods.</p> <p>Compared with many other countries, we did not see a predominance of empty shelves across Australia. Retailers in this country stepped up – implementing or improving their online shopping capabilities and ensuring physical stores followed health guidelines and protocols.</p> <p>Now, with the pandemic behind us and in an environment of high inflation, the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-02-20/woolworths-coles-supermarket-tactics-grocery-four-corners/103405054">big two supermarkets</a> face <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/feb/20/do-coles-woolworths-specials-actually-offer-savings-choice-survey-supermarket-price-gouging-inquiry">growing distrust</a> and a <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Supermarket_Prices/SupermarketPrices">public inquiry</a>.</p> <h2>Lessons from the losers</h2> <p>After <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/nov/20/optus-scandals-network-outage-cyberattack-ceo-resignation-kelly-bayer-rosmarin">two high profile disasters</a>, Optus finds itself the most distrusted brand in Australia.</p> <p>Its companions in the “most distrusted” group include social media brands Meta (Facebook), TikTok and X.</p> <p>Qantas, Medibank Private, Newscorp, Nestle and Amazon also made the top 10.</p> <p>The main reason consumers distrust brands is for a perceived failure to live up to their promises and responsibilities.</p> <p>For example, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/09/18/amazon-working-conditions-safety-osha-doj/">worker conditions at multinational firm Amazon</a> are seen by some consumers as a reflection of questionable business practices.</p> <p>Other brands may have earned a reputation for failing to deliver the basics, like when chronic <a href="https://www.afr.com/companies/transport/compensating-travellers-for-cancelled-flights-long-overdue-20240212-p5f45c">flight delays and cancellations</a> plagued many Qantas customers.</p> <h2>Lessons from the winners</h2> <p>On the flip side, consumers have rewarded budget-friendly retailers with increased trust in the most recent rankings.</p> <p>Aldi, Kmart and Bunnings have improved their standing as trusted brands, no doubt in part because they have helped many Australian consumers deal with tight household budgets.</p> <p>As discretionary consumer spending continues to tighten, we may see a more permanent consumer shopping <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/retail/rise-of-the-value-shopper-as-budgets-are-crunched-a-threat-and-opportunity-for-retailers/news-story/9b7a355cfb3866ec60d2ee42b7cbd567">shift towards value for money</a> brands and discounters.</p> <p>Trust is a fragile thing to maintain once earned. As we move through 2024, Australian companies must pay close attention to their most important asset – strong relationships with those they serve.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/225578/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/louise-grimmer-212082">Louise Grimmer</a>, Senior Lecturer in Retail Marketing, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a></em></p> <p>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/bunnings-has-toppled-woolworths-as-australias-most-trusted-brand-what-makes-us-trust-a-brand-in-the-first-place-225578">original article</a>.</p>

Money & Banking

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Bunnings worker wins $1.25 million payout

<p>Bunnings is set to fork out $1.25 million after a worker was seriously injured on the job. </p> <p>Sarah Jane, 31, worked as a merchandiser for Neutrog at Seven Hills Bunnings in Western Sydney in 2018  when she severely injured her back while trying to lift and drag forward a bucket of fertiliser to the front of a pallet.</p> <p>Each bucket weighed between 10.8 and 11.2 kilograms, and Jane said that she continues to suffer from the injury today. </p> <p>Her case was heard in the NSW Supreme Court this week with Bunnings agreeing to pay $750,000 in a settlement plus legal costs, which are estimated to be about $500,000.</p> <p>Neutrog, who was her employer, has also been ordered to contribute to the costs. </p> <p>As part of the settlement, Bunnings admitted they “knew or ought to have known” the foreseeable risk when they failed to train Jane to use a pallet jack, which could have prevented her injury.</p> <p>Jane was only trained using a Bunnings module, but was not told that pallet jacks were available to help her move stock forward. </p> <p>The pallet are regularly used by Bunnings workers but court documents note that they “did not apply the same rigour or adopt the same precautions for the merchandisers, who were nonetheless subject to Bunnings control and oversight”.</p> <p>Jane’s lawyer, Luke Power, said that the settlement was a "win for the little guy" after a lot of push back from Bunnings regarding the case. </p> <p>“There has been a lot of push back and we were told on numerous occasions there was no case,” Power said.</p> <p>“This has been incredibly stressful for her, and it was fought tooth and nail.”</p> <p>Despite winning the big payout, Jane, who is also a mother, has said that the injury has dramatically changed her life. </p> <p>“It’s a win but it doesn’t really feel like a win,” she said. </p> <p>“Not just everything that they’ve put me through, but just the injury itself, and how much it’s changed my life and how much I’ve missed out on with my kids when they were young.”</p> <p><em>Images: news.com.au</em></p>

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Bunnings' inspired makeover proves a smash hit with Bluey fans

<p>Bunnings' latest <em>Bluey</em> inspired makeover has proven to be a hit among fans, as they brought to life part of the cartoon-world. </p> <p>The hardware giant collaborated with the hit children's cartoon and rebranded six of its Australian stores and one New Zealand outlet with the moniker "Hammerbarn."</p> <p>This is an homage to a popular episode with the same name, where the cartoon heelers go to a hardware store that looks exactly like Bunnings. </p> <p>“We’re excited to be working with BBC Studios and Ludo Studio to bring Hammerbarn to life in stores across the country,” says Ryan Baker, chief customer officer of Bunnings.</p> <p>The rebranding goes beyond the exterior with special Hammerbarn merch, Bluey-branded trolleys, and Bluey-themed workshops, meet-and-greets and scavenger hunts every weekend.</p> <p>“Our team across Australia have had kids and parents referring to Bunnings as Hammerbarn ever since the episode aired, so making this a reality in our stores for customers is really special," Baker said. </p> <p>“We wanted the Hammerbarn experience to be accessible to as many ‘Bluey’ fans and customers as we could, so it’s great to have a Hammerbarn transformation in each state – even down to the kids’ trolleys that have been rebranded."</p> <p>Hammerbarns resemblance to Bunnings is no coincidence as the episode reportedly took inspiration from a real store in Keperra, Queensland.</p> <p>“The design of Hammerbarn draws inspiration from the Bunnings Keperra store in Brisbane, the home of Bluey, which adds an extra layer of significance," Ludo Studios, the creators of the series said. </p> <p>“We are thrilled to offer fans the opportunity to experience Hammerbarn for real life; it’s everything we’ve ever wanted!”</p> <p><em>Images: Perth Now</em></p> <p> </p>

Home & Garden

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“This is life-changing information”: Shopper discovers little-known Bunnings hack

<p>A shopper has revealed the details of a little-known Bunnings store policy that will ensure a blooming garden. </p> <p>Georgia Magill, a young woman from Perth, was shopping for plants in the hardware store when she was urged by the cashier to keep her receipt.</p> <p>The uni student was shocked why she should hold on to the receipt for a small house plant, as the worker went on to explain why. </p> <p>“She was like, ‘Oh because they come with a 12 month warranty’,” Georgia explained in a now-viral TikTok video.</p> <p>“And then she goes: ‘It doesn’t really matter how they die we’ll just replace them for you within a 12 month period.’”</p> <p>The hardware store created the ‘Perfect Plant Promise’ in February 2020 which states all plants, except for seedlings, can be returned within 12 months of purchase if they die. </p> <p>Bunnings won’t just replace the plant, it also offers money back, if you’d prefer to give up on your gardening dreams.</p> <p>"This is life-changing information,” she concluded in the video. </p> <p>While the policy has been around for several years, many Aussies hadn’t heard of it either, commenting in shock on the TikTok video, which has been viewed almost 1.5 million times. </p> <p>“What? I have literally had Bunnings plants die within weeks,” one wrote,</p> <p>“I did know this… but I also refuse to let Bunnings know how many plants I’ve murdered,” another stated. </p> <p>Another person declared, “It’s such a good idea. I can’t believe I didn’t know it!!”</p> <p>Among the comments were more tips for former and current Bunnings workers, offering some extra tips on how to utilise the policy. </p> <p>“Ex Bunnings worker here, keep the original pot so we know what plant it is, not everyone in store is a plant expert,” one remarked.</p> <p>“(From a Bunnings worker) either take a photo of your receipt or ask for it to be sent via SMS as they fade! For any warranty item,” another suggested. </p> <p>However, one worker urged Aussies not to take advantage of the offer, saying, “We will return your plant with a receipt and ‘proof’ but please don’t abuse this system. Plants die.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images / TikTok</em></p>

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Demands for "killer product" to be dropped from Bunnings over fatal disease links

<p>Bunnings Warehouse is being urged in the strongest possible terms to pull a popular item off their shelves amid concerns it could be linked to a fatal disease.</p> <p>A particular range of trendy kitchen countertops have been linked to an incurable disease that the national construction union says has been harming tradies.</p> <p>The Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMMEU) have taken their demands for the recall directly to the hardware giant’s chief executive Michael Schneider, warning it was “unconscionable” to keep the engineered stone benchtops on Bunnings’ product line up.</p> <p>“Bunnings has unique market power and a unique place in Australian society. If you were to remove this killer product from your shelves, it would send a powerful message,” CFMEU boss Zach Smith wrote.</p> <p>The engineered benchtops, which have become a feature in many modern day Australian kitchens and bathrooms, contain a high concentration of crystalline silica.</p> <p>When cutting the benchtops, silica dust is released into the air, which can lead to the potentially deadly and incurable disease of silicosis, as well as lung cancer.</p> <p>In his letter, Mr Smith called for the product to be removed “effective immediately”.</p> <p>“I am disappointed that, despite all this information being in the public sphere, Bunnings is still advertising and selling high-silica engineered stone products in your stores nationwide,” he said.</p> <p>“Conversely, it is unconscionable for Bunnings to continue promoting and selling this killer product when there is no need to do so."</p> <p>“There are many, many alternatives to engineered stone as a benchtop material. The business costs of removing these products are insignificant when we are faced with the prospect of more deaths.”</p> <p>It has been estimated that up to 103,000 tradies will be diagnosed in their lifetime with silicosis as a result of exposure to silica dust at work, while more than 10,000 will develop lung cancer.</p> <p>In response to the concerns raised, Jen Tucker, the Director of Merchandise at Bunnings, acknowledged that the hardware giant is aware of the issue at hand and emphasised their commitment to keeping a close watch on and adhering to guidance from regulatory authorities. However, Ms. Tucker did not explicitly endorse the request made by the CFMEU.</p> <p>She went on to clarify that the majority of benchtops available in their stores are made from laminate or timber materials. However, for the engineered stone benchtops that they offer, these are pre-cut to precise dimensions before reaching a customer's location.</p> <p>Furthermore, these engineered stone benchtops are exclusively supplied and installed by specialist providers who hold valid engineered stone licenses. These providers strictly adhere to rigorous safety standards, prioritising the well-being of their production and installation teams, all in accordance with the stipulations of their licenses.</p> <p>Ms Tucker underscored Bunnings' unwavering commitment to the safety of their staff and customers, underscoring its profound importance to the company. She also acknowledged that safety is a broader concern within the industry and noted that the federal government is presently conducting a review on this matter.</p> <p>In this regard, Bunnings expressed its support for new legislation and the establishment of consistent standards and licensing procedures across various states and territories, all in pursuit of enhancing safety within the industry.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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Woman suing Bunnings over death of her father

<p>The daughter of Anthony James Georgiou, who lost his life <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/help-me-bunnings-thief-dies-after-security-guard-s-headlock-hold" target="_blank" rel="noopener">after being placed in a headlock hold</a> by two security guards at a Bunnings store in Melbourne, is taking legal action against the retail chain.</p> <p>Anthony, 31, was apprehended by security contractors at a Frankston Bunnings in September 2016 after attempting to steal a gas cylinder and saw blade.</p> <p>According to reports, the security officers, Abdul Habib Brenzai and George Oyee, restrained Georgiou on the ground and in a headlock, despite his pleas for help and struggles to breathe. He lost consciousness and was rushed to the hospital, where he passed away shortly afterward.</p> <p>In September 2022, a Victorian coroner then found that Georgiou’s death would not have occurred if he was not restrained by the contractors at Bunnings.</p> <p>"There seems little doubt that had Georgiou not been involved in the struggle ... he would have walked away from Bunnings that day,” coroner Darren Bracken said in his findings at the time. </p> <p>Now, represented by Slater and Gordon Lawyers, Anthony Georgiou's daughter – whose identity remains undisclosed due to her age – is suing the security officers, their employer (New Security Solutions Group), and Bunnings Warehouse. The lawsuit claims "psychological injury, shock, and financial loss" resulting from her father's untimely death.</p> <p>The statement of claim filed in the Victorian Country Court alleges that the security officers failed to exercise reasonable care and ensure Georgiou's safety by preventing him from leaving the store that day. The officers are accused of engaging in a "prolonged assault" and applying excessive pressure on his neck, actions that are deemed "intentional, reckless, and/or negligent."</p> <p>Furthermore, the security guard's employer, New Security Solutions Group, is accused of inadequate training and supervision of Brenzai and Oyee, contributing to the unfortunate incident.</p> <p>Bunnings is also facing accusations of failing to provide the guards and their employer with their code of conduct, which would have outlined their obligations regarding detaining individuals on the premises.</p> <p>Neha Pratap, a public liability lawyer from Slater and Gordon, asserted that dependents of individuals who die due to the negligence of others have the right to seek compensation. The legal team argues that Anthony's death was avoidable, and the lawsuit aims to hold the responsible parties accountable for their actions or lack thereof.</p> <p>Anthony Georgiou’s family said their “lives have been forever altered” by his death in a statement. “We wish those responsible could understand the profound impact their action or inaction has had. <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Most affected is Anthony’s daughter, who has lost the joy and security that her father provided. She now lives with a constant void in her heart.”</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Images: Getty / A Current Affair</span></em></p>

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"Colossal prick" slammed over outrageous Bunnings parking

<p>A motorist in Perth has been slammed for their "extra selfish" parking act in the carpark of a Bunning's Warehouse. </p> <p>A frustrated fellow shopper captured the parking faux pas and posted the image of the car to Reddit, which shows a ute with an attached trailer parking over four spaces, including one reserved for people with disabilities.</p> <p>"There was no disabled badge and of course there is plenty of trailer parking available at Bunnings," the user wrote, adding that there were suitable bays available closer to the store's entrance.</p> <p>Fellow motorists and shoppers were shocked and appalled by the selfish act, with one Reddit user urging the author of the post to send the photo to both Bunnings and the local council, citing a $500 fine as a deterrent for the future.</p> <p>"Blocking the disabled bay gets extra selfish points," a user commented, while someone else vented, "Not content with being a colossal prick and taking up four spots, decides to go world-class and make one of those spots a disabled parking bay. Some f**king people."</p> <p>The post was flooded by outrage at the audacious parking, with users overwhelmingly agreeing that parking in spaces designated for disabled drivers is inexcusable.</p> <p>After being alerted to the post, Bunnings Regional Operations Manager Hayley Coulson expressed disappointment on behalf of the retailer. "We were disappointed to learn a customer recently used a disability parking bay for their trailer outside our Innaloo store, which our team was unaware of at the time."</p> <p>"These parking bays are incredibly important for the community and we remind our customers that they're only reserved for people with a disability or mobility restrictions."</p> <p>She added, "We're really focused on ensuring disability parking bays are always available for their intended use, and we do our best to communicate regularly with our stores to remind them that these bays are not to be compromised for any reason, at any time."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Reddit</em></p>

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Big changes for Bunnings Warehouse snags

<p>There’s nothing quite like a weekend shop at Bunnings, largely because it means there’ll be a fresh snag waiting for you post-shop, and with the hardware store’s latest announcement, it will be even easier to get your hands on one.</p> <p>Bunnings Warehouse has announced it is rolling out mobile payment options for customers who aren’t carrying cash or coins on them.</p> <p>Until now, most Bunnings sausage sizzles largely relied on cash payments, at the discretion of each community group that hosts their sausage sizzle, but the cardless concept proved difficult in a largely cashless economy.</p> <p>The Bunnings website states, "Not-for-profit organisations are able to book a sizzle with their local store - they need to bring volunteers and adequate supplies and Bunnings helps with the rest.”</p> <p>"The rest" being the addition of free mobile payment facilities.</p> <p>"We offer a free mobile payment option to community groups fundraising through sausage sizzles at our stores, providing an easy way for them to maximise fundraising and offering customers a cashless way to pay for their snag and support their local community group," said Bunnings General Manager Operations Matt Tyler in a statement.</p> <p>There will be no additional cost to customers or community groups, who previously had to bring their own EFT machine if they wanted to pay by card.</p> <p>Bunnings Warehouse will be incurring all the transaction fees to ensure community groups get 100 per cent of all the money raised.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Shutterstock / Instagram</em></p>

Food & Wine

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“Most reviewed bucket in bucket history”: Bizarre Bunnings buy achieves legendary status

<p dir="ltr">Everyone knows that a good review can make or break a product, but for Bunnings, some particularly enthusiastic reviewers have done more than just get their bucket’s name out there - they’ve established a new legend.</p> <p dir="ltr">The<a href="https://www.bunnings.com.au/bunnings-20l-pail-bucket_p0138319"> Bunnings-branded 20L Pail Bucket</a>, which sells for $8, is now even considered to be the “most reviewed bucket in bucket history”. And if the feedback from its top fans is anything to go by, it’s all for good reason.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Wow. The legends are true,” one declared. “This bucket does far more than just bucket. Paired together with a set of drumsticks, these make fantastic drums … Do yourself a favour and buy a whole set so you can have drumming parties with a group of friends out the back with a few beers and some snags on the barbie.”</p> <p dir="ltr">And as another wrote, “attention, fellow bucket enthusiasts! Feast your eyes upon the legendary Bunnings 20L Bucket, a miraculous marvel that puts all other buckets to shame … Prepare for bucket greatness, my friends. The Bunnings 20L Bucket is here to show you what a real bucket is capable of. Bow down to the bucket supremacy and embrace the bucket revolution! Your world will never be the same again. Bucket on, my comrades!”</p> <p dir="ltr">One wrote up their success using the bucket in a practical manner, titling their take as “the bucket to end all buckets”. </p> <p dir="ltr">One proud bucket owner took a slightly different approach, sharing the tale of their noble pail when they wrote that “once upon a time, there was a humble bucket named Bertie. Bertie the Bunnings Bucket, lived in a small shed in the backyard of a cosy cottage. Every day, Bertie eagerly awaited his owner, a retired landscaper named Gus, to fill him with water. Bertie took pride in nourishing the vibrant flowers and lush plants in the garden. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Over time, Bertie became more than just a vessel; he became a symbol of growth and the beauty that can bloom with a little care.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Another wrote a poem that went a little something like “oh Bunnings buckets, sturdy and strong. So useful for tasks all day long. For gardening, cleaning, and DIY too. There's nothing these buckets can't do … Oh Bunnings buckets, you're the best. Easy to use and always impressed. With you by my side, I can't go wrong. My go-to tool, all day long!”</p> <p dir="ltr">“I purchased this because it was on my bucket list,” shared one fan of puns and buckets alike. “I was so excited I couldn’t keep a lid on it.”</p> <p dir="ltr">And even for those who couldn’t yet fork out the $8 to take the life-changing item home, respect was in the air, with one writing that they would keep saving because “this is THE Bunnings bucket. The bucket. All my mates have one, even my flash neighbours have one. It's a statement bucket.”</p> <p dir="ltr">A labrador, who goes by Tim Tam, even had their humans leave a positive message on their behalf, declaring that “my hoo mans took me to Bunnings and brought me 2 of these buckets, they are my favourite … every day I am excited to see the bucket!”</p> <p dir="ltr">And as one shopper put it quite simply, “it’s a bucket that buckets”. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Bunnings</em></p>

Home & Garden

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Chelsea buns

<p>This plump, fruit-filled bun has been around since the 18th century, and there’s a reason it remains popular to this day. Try our cranberry version of this English institution.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li>¾ cup warm milk</li> <li>14g dry yeast</li> <li>¼ cup caster sugar</li> <li>3 ½ cups plain flour</li> <li>1 teaspoon salt</li> <li>60g butter, chopped</li> <li>2 eggs, lightly beaten</li> <li>1 ½ cups dried cranberries</li> <li>⅓ cup brown sugar</li> <li>1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon</li> <li>1 orange rind, finely grated</li> <li>70g butter, softened</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p> <ol> <li>Whisk together the milk, yeast, and two teaspoons of the caster sugar. Leave aside in a warm place for about 10 minutes, until frothy.</li> <li>Into a large bowl, sift the flour then stir in the salt and remaining caster sugar.</li> <li>Use your fingertips to rub the chopped butter into the flour mixture until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.</li> <li>Add the milk mixture and eggs and stir until combined. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth (around 10 minutes).</li> <li>Place the dough into a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm place for at least 40 minutes, or until doubled in size.</li> <li>Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll it out into a rectangle of about 30cm by 35cm. Set aside two teaspoons of the softened butter and spread the rest over the dough.</li> <li>In a bowl, combine the cranberries brown sugar, cinnamon, and orange rind. Spread this mixture evenly over the buttered dough.</li> <li>Roll the dough from the longer side. Cut into three-cm-thick slices and place into a greased a 20 to 25cm cake tin or baking dish. Be sure to leave a little room between each bun. Set the buns aside for about 20 minutes to rise.</li> <li>Preheat your oven to 200°C and spread the remaining softened butter over the buns.</li> <li>Bake buns for two to 25 minutes, or until they’re golden brown and cooked through. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.</li> </ol> <p><em>Images: Shutterstock</em></p>

Food & Wine

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Searching for a sizzle: Rod Stewart spotted at Bunnings!

<p>Legendary rocker Rod Stewart has been spotted shopping at Bunnings in Sydney’s Balgowlah.</p> <p>The 78-year-old, who just wrapped up his tour down under, was seen in all white when he popped over to Sydney’s Northern Beaches perhaps in search of the store’s famed sausage sizzle before learning the snags are a weekend-only affair.</p> <p>One man posted a photo of the British star with staff, paired with the caption, “Rod Stewart spotted at Bunnings in Balgowlah feeling somewhat disappointed to hear that they only do snags in bread on the w/e.”</p> <p>The tweet, originally posted to the Manly Observer, received a fair bit of attention.</p> <p>One comment read, “Road crew sent him out to pick up some gaffer tape apparently,” complete with a winky face emoji.</p> <p>Another Twitter user explained this wasn’t the first time Stewart has been spotted out and about in Sydney of late, writing, "He was spotted all the way out in Pendle Hill the other day. Apparently he's a bit of a train model enthusiast and popped into the store.”</p> <p>In a Facebook post, Stewart was seen visiting Woodpecker Railways, a small family-run shop in New South Wales.</p> <p>In an interview with 3AW he revealed he is quite the fan of Bunnings.</p> <p>"I love Bunnings," he said. "I found this particular angled wood that you can't get in England so I'm trying to get it to England, but we haven't found our way to do it yet."</p> <p>Stewart is just another celeb to join the list of Bunnings lovers.</p> <p>Fellow Brit Harry Styles was spotted wearing the classic Bunnings hat on stage during his Australian tour, while Ryan Gosling and Sydney Sweeney have been pictured with Bunnings umbrellas while filming in Sydney.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Twitter</em></p>

Music

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Birthday boy’s Bunnings bonanza

<p dir="ltr">When it comes to birthdays, most children dream of a bouncy castle and a cake of epic proportions. But for one young boy and his parents, it was far more important to hit the nail of the theme on the head with the Bunnings bash.</p> <p dir="ltr">Shay Chalmers and her husband, Ray, transformed their backyard for three-year-old Remy’s big day, decking the place out with Bunnings-themed decor, a pot planting worktable, a bouncy castle, and their very own sausage sizzle station.</p> <p dir="ltr">“On the day we had a planting station, a painting station and a Play-Doh station (with printed Bunnings themed cutters),” Shay told <em>The Daily Mail’s FEMAIL</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">As for why they spent the $600 to give Remy his unique celebration? He’s one of Bunnings’ top fans, according to Shay.</p> <p dir="ltr">“My son Remy is Bunnings obsessed, like his dad, and points them out as we drive,” she said. “It was fun to put together a party.”</p> <p dir="ltr">A total of 30 guests came to join in on the fun with Remy and his family, each having their turn with the Bunnings merchandise on hand, which featured everything from branded uniforms for the children, volley and soccer balls, hats, and lolly bags. Although sourcing the goods proved a challenge for Shay and Ray, as “it's actually pretty hard to get a lot of branded merch in Perth, I [Shay] had to get my dad from Queensland to send a bunch of things over.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Remy even had his very own Bunnings cake to enjoy, made for him by Shay’s friend.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The highlight was seeing how excited the adults were to be there,” Shay noted, “I secretly think they enjoyed it more than the children.”</p> <p dir="ltr">If footage from the party - shared to Shay’s social media accounts - is anything to go by, she could be onto something. Although the kids certainly seemed to be having a blast, too.</p> <div><iframe title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7214286852046540034&amp;display_name=tiktok&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40mortgagebrokershay%2Fvideo%2F7214286852046540034&amp;image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign-sg.tiktokcdn.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-alisg-p-0037%2F0f24efe571894cda9778202a36ca5d97_1679707061%3Fx-expires%3D1679976000%26x-signature%3DKZDE%252F8eQy4%252BwySOznZirQyX38rg%253D&amp;key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&amp;type=text%2Fhtml&amp;schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">And the fun may yet go on, with many in the video’s comments voicing their desire to have a birthday just like Remy’s, while some were simply wondering where their invite had gotten to.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m 27 and want a Bunnings themed party for myself,” one declared.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Nah bc [because] this is a dream,” shared another, “I can literally spend hours at Bunnings and not get bored.”</p> <p dir="ltr">One Bunnings employee viewed the clip, and admitted that “this is the cutest thing ever.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Meanwhile, another saw potential for young Remy as a future Bunnings employee, and offered a tip by telling Shay “you better put some of these pictures in in his job application down the track.”</p> <p dir="ltr">And Shay was in complete agreement, responding “oh yes!! They wouldn’t deny him a job with all this experience.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: @mortgagebrokershay / Tiktok, @shaychalmbers / Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

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"Hero we need": Fed-up tradie disrupts Bunnings traffic

<p>A tradie at his wit's end has pulled a petty stunt to fire back at Bunnings customers who “use the trade entry as easy access” and held him up.</p> <p>The tradie shared his stunt to the Tradie Mayhem Facebook group alongside images of the row of parked cars at the Artarmon Bunnings, which sparked his frustrated act.</p> <p>The man said he did it for all tradespeople who have been “held up during the week at Bunnings by people that use the trade entry as easy access, taking their sweet time” after parking in the easy access area.</p> <p>“I double parked blocking them all in at Artarmon Bunnings,” he said.</p> <p>The staff announced over the speaker system that his ute needed to be moved, to which he responded, “just made me take my time and let them know that’s how we feel during the week when we’re trying to get work done and are held up by them”.</p> <p>Initial responses were positive, praising the tradie and labelling him as the “hero we need”.</p> <p>“Tradie privilege, don‘t think so,” one member commented.</p> <p>“It‘s so they can load their vehicle instead of dragging it through the car park. If you’re driving a normal car park outside and enjoying some exercise.”</p> <p>“Love this, trade yard always packed with cafe dwellers,” a third wrote.</p> <p>Some individuals shared their frustrations of having to share the space with the general public, calling for the original poster to “pester Bunnings about it”.</p> <p>“Bring back the trade only access to Bunnings before 8-9 am that they had during Covid.”</p> <p>Others were quick to point out a major flaw in the tradie's argument, saying the undercover parking is not reserved for tradies but a loading area of things that cannot be taken through checkout.</p> <p>The loading bays are for any customers who are temporarily loading timber or bulky items in the trade yard.</p> <p><em><a href="https://www.news.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">News.com.au</a></em> asked Artarmon Bunnings for a comment about the stunt, and the warehouse manager said the area in question was a “load and go area”.</p> <p>“We don’t usually have too many long waits there, but there is the occasional one-off when a customer will come in and park on the side or right in the middle of the driveway,” he said.</p> <p>“We did have a little shortage of our load and go guys that usually work down there, but that is currently being fixed.”</p> <p>The manager said the fact the area was only one lane for a busy, multi-use loading area meant that there can be waits, but there was a staff member there to direct the traffic.</p> <p>“But because it is one lane obviously our main priority is our customers and getting them in and out of here as quickly as possible.</p> <p>“Unfortunately, other stores have five lanes, we only have one.</p> <p>“There are occasional customers who want to get through and load personal items because it’s easier to bring down to the car, so we are looking at getting it to be the best system possible.”</p> <p><em>Image credit: Facebook</em></p>

Home & Garden

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Bunnings announces barking mad new range

<p>Hardware supergiant Bunnings has unveiled its plan for the “biggest category expansion in 20 years”, to the delight of pet owners nationwide.</p> <p>In a move sure to set tails wagging, the retailer has declared its pet products range will swell from a few hundred lines to roughly 1000 items.</p> <p>Pet retail has thrived during the Covid-19 era, and Bunnings’ latest move stands as a challenge to its rival retailers, with the likes of Woolworths having spent $586m in 2022 for a controlling stake in PETstock’s parent company.</p> <p>Bunnings hopes to have its brand new dedicated pet areas up and running by the end of March, effectively launching the competition for best in show between retail giants.</p> <p>As Bunnings’ managing director Michael Schneider told <em>The Australian</em>, “what we are going to be bringing to life in our stores over the next four weeks is quite a comprehensive step change in our pet range, probably the biggest category expansion in Bunnings for 20 years.”</p> <p>The company, which has allowed dogs to enter the shop with their families since 2015, has seen a staggering boost in pets coming by to sniff out the best deals since Australia’s Covid restrictions were lifted, something that Bunnings hopes will encourage people to turn towards their new pet category.</p> <p>“We have an internal page called Bunnings Pet Spotting,” Schneider said, “we have 10,000 of our team signed up to that page who share photos of dogs and their owners coming into our stores ... our team members like to share the space.</p> <p>“I think the fact that you are already there with your pet creates a natural habitat for people to come in and shop [for them].”</p> <p>Schneider went on to discuss that the company is aware of how important pets are to people, and how competitive prices are key for Australians, explaining how “we’ve seen some really significant shifts at a societal level around how we think about four-legged friends in our homes. This is an up to $10 billion category, depending on how you look at it.”</p> <p>That $10b category has benefited greatly from Australians setting pet ownership records with the puppy pandemic boom, and Bunnings is eager to embrace it.</p> <p>“Sixty per cent of Australians now own at least one pet,” Schneider said. “It has become a very important part of many, many families across Australia and we think that that connection that people have with the Bunnings brand, bringing those pets into the store, creates a great advantage.”</p> <p>Despite its enthusiasm, Bunnings has announced that it will be “strategic” about the expansion. Rather than offering the likes of grooming and vet-care as many competitors do, they will keep their attention on necessities with their general merchandise.</p> <p>One thing is for certain, despite new market competition, the retailer has assured shoppers that they will still have the opportunity to do exactly what they’ve come to expect: fetch a good deal.</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Fight breaks out of Bunnings sausage sizzle

<p dir="ltr">Three men have been captured in a bizarre fight, with the wild footage circulating on TikTok.</p> <p dir="ltr">The expletive-laden argument broke out just metres from a Bunnings sausage sizzle in an underground carpark.</p> <p dir="ltr">The fight was apparently over a parking spot, with a man at one point yelling, “Get the car out my f***ing way”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Two of the three men continue eating their sausage sandwiches during the entire altercation - a fact pointed out by the TikTok user who shared the video, which immediately went viral and has racked up over 100,000 views.</p> <div><iframe title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7178344250172624129&amp;display_name=tiktok&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40dora_rinaldi%2Fvideo%2F7178344250172624129%3Fis_copy_url%3D1%26is_from_webapp%3Dv1&amp;image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign-sg.tiktokcdn.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-alisg-p-0037%2FoUhEIbpedgvRnqzQCntDAnBQmBn8I7t3jfjyv0%3Fx-expires%3D1671516000%26x-signature%3DhflwdY%252BMRp8WEdyPtZbrnfM1ghY%253D&amp;key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&amp;type=text%2Fhtml&amp;schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p dir="ltr">As the group of men argued loudly, those manning the sausage sizzle continued to calmly serve customers, with one calling out, “Do you want a sausage to calm down guys?” sparking laughter from onlookers.</p> <p dir="ltr">TikTok users were amused by the entire bizarre interaction, with one commenting, “What did you put in them damn sausages?”</p> <p dir="ltr">“Old mate treating the sausage sizzle as if it’s a drive thru,” another wrote, while another posted, “Love how he’s not gonna let a fight stop him from enjoying his Bunnings snag”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Meanwhile, several others pointed out that “Nothing comes between a person and their Bunnings sausage sizzle".</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: TikTok</em></p>

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"That's what it's all about": Bunnings worker praised for act of kindness

<p>A Bunnings worker has been praised after his wholesome interaction with an elderly customer went viral. </p> <p>The employee, who at the time was on shift at Rothwell Bunnings in Queensland’s Moreton Bay Region, was applauded for his kind act as he helped a woman back to her car. </p> <p>He was spotted slowly guiding an elderly woman across the road while having a “lovely conversation”.</p> <p>The sweet moment was later shared to social media where it has since attracted a huge reaction.</p> <p>“I wanted to share a photo that makes my heart sing,” the woman behind the post to Facebook wrote. </p> <p>“A worker from Bunnings at Rothwell accompanying an older lady to her car. They were having a lovely conversation and he didn’t seem to mind that it took her a bit longer.”</p> <p>She went on to praise the worker on his patience and kindness, and called for his employer to share their recognition of the young man. </p> <p>“Well done to this young man for his kindness and compassion, he should be very proud of the person that he is.</p> <p>“I would also like to say to Bunnings Warehouse Australia that this staff member’s a superstar and should be acknowledged because his humanity and kindness also reflects well on Bunnings.”</p> <p>Dozens of people flocked to the comments to agree with the post, singing their praises for the young worker. </p> <p>“It’s great to see employees going out of their way to help their customers. Bunnings is one company where this is not a rarity. Well done to the employee, it warms the heart to see this happening nowadays,” one comment read. </p> <p>“He is amazing. I hope Bunnings realise how valuable he is,” someone else wrote. </p> <p>“Well done, what a caring young man. I hope you have a lot of happiness in your life. You deserve only the best,” a third wrote. </p> <p>Others agreed gestures of this nature made a significant difference in the community. </p> <p>“And that’s what it’s all about, helping elderly people in the community. It all makes a difference to them and they appreciate it very much,” one remarked.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images / Facebook</em></p>

Caring

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Clever Bunnings and Kmart scams to be wary of

<p dir="ltr">Aussies have once again become targets to scammers offering them a job at Bunnings or Kmart that pays extremely well. </p> <p dir="ltr">Scammers are taking to Facebook targetting desperate job seekers asking for their personal details via WhatsApp. </p> <p dir="ltr">The ad is offering $48 and $75 for part-time or full-time work and attempts to appeal to those who have no experience, same day pay, and the opportunity to complete training on the phone.</p> <p dir="ltr">Bunnings confirmed that they are aware of the scam and are working on taking it down, advising job seekers to be wary.</p> <p dir="ltr">“One of the latest scams is a Facebook post asking for your personal details via WhatsApp to apply for a job with us,’ the retailer said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Another one is an email with an offer to win a Bunnings gift card if you click a link. We place a lot of time and effort into recruiting our amazing team, and we’re in no way associated with this activity.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We also don’t ask for personal information or banking details in unsolicited communications.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Kmart also confirmed they are aware of the scam and are warning customers to not fall for it, instead to apply on the website.</p> <p dir="ltr">The ACCC’s Scamwatch explained that the ads are some of the easiest ways for scammers to steal money. </p> <p dir="ltr">“If you provide your bank account details, the scammer may use them to steal your money or commit other fraudulent activities,” their website reads.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Be suspicious of unsolicited ‘work from home’ opportunities or job offers, particularly those that offer a ‘guaranteed income’ or require you to pay an upfront fee.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Facebook</em></p>

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$700 Bunnings reno hailed as "best transformation"

<p>One woman’s home DIY renovation project has scored a slew of praise and the unofficial title of “best transformation” after she spent four days working on it – and didn't even come close to breaking $1,000.</p> <p>Deciding it was time to give her front verandah a make-over, Elle Jay headed to Bunnings to pick up her supplies. After selecting some stylish looking grey and white tiles, she then broke them up into differently sized pieces with the aim of replicating a (currently very trendy) "crazy pave" look.</p> <p>Grabbing the Bondall grout sealer, Deluxe Snowy Mountain half paint for the front of the property and Tubman’s Shirelaa half for the front door, she was ready to go.</p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/09/Before-reno-story.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p>The previous design she was working with involved a yellow tint paint on the weatherboard home, a slatted picket fence and table with chairs.</p> <p>Elle says she prepped the surface with a pressure hose, letting it dry overnight, before sweeping what remained.</p> <p>The three different tiles were then broken up using a hammer wrapped in an old towel, with each tile needing to be the same thickness.</p> <p>“To avoid using smaller pieces to fill larger gaps, we used a grinder to round some edges and make different shapes to fill the spaces,” Elle explained.</p> <p>“I traced around already laid tiles using baking paper, cut out the shape and then drew onto the tiles.”</p> <p>Elle separated the tiles before mixing up the tile glue and laying them out.</p> <p>It took a total of two days to lay the tiles, and an additional two to grout, clean and seal everything. The space she was working on was a total of 13 square metres and required a handful of other additions, such as removing the screens on the windows and doors.</p> <p>The end result was a stunning tiled floor that perfectly mimics “crazy pave”, which can cost up to $165 per box of tiles.</p> <p>Elle’s total renovation cost her just $700, including all the materials.</p> <p>People were completely enamoured with the stylish overhaul with one woman calling it the "best transformation she’d seen in a while".</p> <p>Another added: “Wow what a beautiful transformation! Awesome job! Your furbaby definitely approves lol.”</p> <p>A third added: “My goodness what a transformation, just gorgeous.”</p> <p>You can check out Elle's Instagram at <a class="body-link" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #1691db; text-decoration-color: #1691db; padding: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;" title="www.instagram.com" href="https://www.instagram.com/elleandivory/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@elleandivory</a><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;"> </span><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">where she often renovates and flips homes.</span></p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p> <p><em><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/09/Reno-story.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></em></p>

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