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Heritage Aussie number plate to fetch over a million

A South Australian number plate is expected to sell at auction for over a million dollars. The sought-after No. 8 Plate was first issued in 1906 to Arthur Ernest Ayers, the son of South Australian businessman and politician Sir Henry Ayers, the original owner of the Ayers House in Adelaide. The number plate became available for the first time in February this year, with the online auction going live late last month. Almost 1,700 bids have already been made, with the leading bid as of Monday morning at around $1.32 million with the auction closing at 7pm (local time). “It’s very rare and very special,” Historic Plates auctioneer, Stewart Kay, said. The last time the SA Government issued a single digit number plate was in 1985, when plate No. 7 was sold. “These plates are all about the paperwork, so having a set of number plates hanging in grandad’s shed might not necessary confer ownership.” He added that the plate would likely be sold to a prominent Adelaide businessman for around $1.3 to $1.5 million. This is a record price for a South Australian number plate, with the previous highest being for a SA No. 1 Plate commemorating the Adelaide Grand Prix, which fetched $593,000 in 2020. Kay added that the older the number plate and lower the number, the higher the return expected at auction. “Number plates are a very historic connection back to 120 years ago when they were first issued,” Kay said. “They’re sort of triple threat, they look fantastic on a car, they have a great return in terms of investment and they have a certain level of prestige to them.” Anyone can purchase the rights to a number plate, however the plates can only be affixed to a vehicle that is registered to the state it belongs in. In New South Wales, a No. 1 plate surpassed its $10 million estimate and was sold for $12.4 million in January. Earlier this year, Victoria’s "luckiest" number plate with the number 888-888 sold for an eye-watering $230,000 to an anonymous buyer after it was privately owned for the past 30 years. Image: 7News

Money & Banking

"So Australian": Local trust praised for response to illegal tree cutting

A resident's decision to cut down a tree for a better view of Sydney Harbour has backfired after a sign was erected where the tree once stood, to condemn tree vandalism. Following multiple reports of resident carrying out tree vandalism along affluent streets, the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust has called out the behaviour by setting up the sign in the Sydney lower North Shore suburb of Woolwich. "Tree vandalism has occurred in this area," the sign read. "The Sydney Harbour Federation Trust protects and manages this land for the enjoyment of the public. "Acts of vandalism like this deprive all of us of the natural environment." The sign also warned that offenders could be subject to fines and/or prosecution as punishment, and urged those who notice any suspicious activity to contact 8969 2100. After an image of the sign was shared to a Sydney group on social media, the local trust's actions have been praised, with many saying they "loved how petty this is" and one even declaring the response "so Australian". "I hope they keep this sign, as a reminder to anyone contemplating doing something similar," one commented. "We're petty but we have a right to be. You don't f**n poison or cut down trees. F**n unacceptable behaviour," another added. Others accused the person who cut down the tree of being "entitled". In last November alone, over 300 native trees and shrubs vanished in front of multi-million dollar homes along the Sydney Harbour waterfront strip. Lane Cove Council believe that hand tools were used to silently cut down the trees, which impacts plants, and local wildlife including wallabies, possums and dozens of other species. On Monday, the council put out a statement saying its "pursuit of justice" is now ramping up, referring to the incident as "the largest tree vandalism case in Lane Cove’s recent history". They are trying to obtain permission to put up a sign to block "the harbour view of the property which would most benefit from the mass clearing of the trees." "As the area is classified as a Threatened Ecological Community and contains some items of Aboriginal Heritage, it was important the appropriate approvals were in place before installing the signage," the council added. "The legal case and banner installation are important steps in our commitment to seeking the strongest possible recourse response to send a message that we stand tall against tree vandalism." Images: Reddit

Legal

Australia to introduce new "gold standard" in ID verification

The Australian government is set to introduce a new "gold standard" in ID verification that will protect valuable information from potential data leaks. Government Services Minister Bill Shorten will is set to use his address to the National Press Club on Tuesday to announce the national Trust Exchange, or TEx program, which is currently at the “proof-of-concept stage”, and is slated to be rolled out at the end of the year. The program will connect to a user's MyGov Wallet or digital ID without the need to hand over any documents, allowing businesses to verify your identity using a government-issued QR code. The QR codes could be used for job applications, hotel bookings, or entry into a pub or RSL clubs, eliminating the need to hand over physical driver's licenses or passports. The technology will store information such as someone’s date-of-birth, address, citizenship, visa status, qualifications, occupational licences or working with children check, and other information already held by the government. "Services Australia is partnering with other government systems to develop TEx which would give Australians the ability to verify their identity and credentials based on official information already held by the Australian Government," Shorten is set to say in his National Press Club speech. "That means sharing only the personal information to get the job done, and in some cases, not handing over any personal information at all." “You control what details are exchanged. You then have in your wallet a record of sharing, say, your passport and trade certificate with your employer.” Shorten will say codes "digitally shake hands with your myGov wallet," leaving you with a record in your account of what you shared, and who you shared it with. "All that has been exchanged has been a digital 'thumbs up' from the Government that you are who you say you are," Shorten will say. Image credits: Shutterstock

Legal

Antarctic heat, wild Australian winter: what’s happening to the weather and what it means for the rest of the year

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/martin-jucker-379172">Martin Jucker</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a> Australia’s south and east have seen <a href="https://theconversation.com/southern-australia-is-freezing-how-can-it-be-so-cold-in-a-warming-climate-233977">freezing temperatures</a> and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/jul/29/australia-winter-weather-forecast-east-coast-colder-records">wild weather</a> this winter. At the same time, the continent as a whole – and the globe – have <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-03/australia-suffers-cold-winter-weather-despite-mild-forecast/104176284">continued to warm</a>. What’s going on? As ever, it’s hard to pinpoint a single cause for weather events. But a key player is likely an event unfolding high above Antarctica, which itself may have been triggered by a heatwave at surface level on the frozen continent. Here’s what’s happening – and what it might mean for the rest of this year’s weather. <h2>When the stratosphere heats up</h2> Out story begins in the cold air over Antarctica. July temperatures in the stratosphere, the layer of air stretching between altitudes of around 10 and 50 kilometres, are typically around –80°C. The winds are also very strong, averaging about 300 kilometres per hour in winter. These cold, fast winds loop around above the pole in what is called the <a href="https://sites.krieger.jhu.edu/waugh/research/polarvortex">stratospheric polar vortex</a>. Occasionally, persistent high air pressure in the lower atmosphere can influence large-scale waves that extend around the globe and up into the stratosphere. There they cause the strong winds to slow down, and the air high above the pole to become much warmer than normal. In extreme situations the stratospheric winds can completely break down, in what is called a “sudden stratospheric warming” event. These events occur every few years in the northern hemisphere, but only one has ever been observed in the south, in 2002 (though another <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-air-above-antarctica-is-suddenly-getting-warmer-heres-what-it-means-for-australia-123080">almost happened in 2019</a>). <h2>Pushing polar weather our way</h2> Once the polar vortex is disturbed, it can in turn influence the weather at the surface by steering weather systems from the Southern Ocean towards the Equator. However, this is a slow process. The impact at the surface may not be felt until <a href="https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-22-0425.1">a few weeks or even months</a> after the initial weakening of the stratospheric polar vortex. Once it begins, the stratospheric influence can prevail for more weeks or months, and helps meteorologists make <a href="https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-2601-2022">long-range weather forecasts</a>. In climate science terms, the weak stratospheric winds put an atmospheric system called the <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/sam/">Southern Annular Mode</a> into a negative phase. The main effect of this on surface weather is to bring westerly winds further north. In winter, this means polar air outbreaks can reach places like Sydney more easily. As a result, we see more <a href="https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI4134.1">rain over much of southern Australia</a>, and snowfall in alpine regions. In spring and summer it means westerly winds blow over the continent before reaching the east coast, bringing warm and dry air to southeastern Australia. The exact impact of a weaker polar vortex depends on how much and for how long the weather systems are being pushed further northward. It will also depend on other weather influencers such as El Niño and the Indian Ocean Dipole. <h1>This winter’s weirdness</h1> Unpicking exactly why any weather event occurs is tricky at the moment, because global weather has been absolutely crazy over the past 12 months or so. Global temperatures are <a href="https://theconversation.com/we-just-blew-past-1-5-degrees-game-over-on-climate-not-yet-213364">much higher than usual</a>, which is making unusual weather very common. But there are indications that the stratosphere is having some influence on our weather this winter. The stratospheric polar vortex started to warm in mid-July, and is about 20°C warmer than the long-term average. At the time of writing, the winds slowed down to about 230 kilometres per hour, 70 kilometres per hour slower than average. These numbers mean that, technically, the event does not qualify as a sudden stratospheric warming. However, further warming may still occur. If we look at how southern hemisphere winds have evolved in the past few weeks, we see a pattern which looks like what we would expect from a sudden stratospheric warming. First, we see warming in the stratosphere which is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL095270">at first accompanied by a poleward shift of weather systems</a>. The stratosphere’s influence then propagates downward and seems to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-22-0425.1">induce many weeks</a> of weather systems shifted towards the equator. This coincides with the period of cold and rainy weather along Australia’s east coast in late July and the beginning of August. Forecasts suggest the Southern Annular Mode will be a long way from normal conditions in the first half of August – four standard deviations below average, which is extremely rare. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/611211/original/file-20240804-19-sp862a.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/611211/original/file-20240804-19-sp862a.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/611211/original/file-20240804-19-sp862a.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=300&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/611211/original/file-20240804-19-sp862a.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=300&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/611211/original/file-20240804-19-sp862a.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=300&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/611211/original/file-20240804-19-sp862a.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=377&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/611211/original/file-20240804-19-sp862a.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=377&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/611211/original/file-20240804-19-sp862a.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=377&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Diagram showing atmospheric warming and winds" /></a><figcaption>How initial warming high in the stratosphere ends up changing winds near the surface and pushing polar weather further north. <a class="source" href="https://stratobserve.com">Z.D. Lawrence / StratObserve / Annotated by Martin Jucker</a></figcaption></figure> <h1>A surface disturbance</h1> The main reason for the polar vortex to slow down is disturbances from the surface. Weather over the Amundsen Sea near Antarctica in the South Pacific is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-22-0425.1">an important source</a> of these disturbances. This year, we have seen disturbances of this sort. There have been <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/aug/01/antarctic-temperatures-rise-10c-above-average-in-near-record-heatwave">near-record surface temperatures around Antarctica</a>. These disturbances may be due to the globally high ocean temperatures, or even lingering effects of the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-23-0437.1">eruption of the Hunga Tonga volcano in 2022</a>. But more research will be required to confirm the causes. <h1>What should we expect for the rest of the year?</h1> There are two pathways until the end of the year. One is that the stratospheric winds and temperatures recover to their usual values and no longer influence surface weather. This is what the forecasts from <a href="https://ozonewatch.gsfc.nasa.gov">Ozone Watch</a> seem to suggest. Another is that the stratosphere keeps warming and the winds keep being slower all the way into summer. In this scenario, we would expect a persistent negative Southern Annular Mode, which would mean a spring and potentially even summer with warmer and drier than usual weather over southeastern Australia, and a small ozone hole. The seasonal forecasting models from the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts <a href="https://x.com/drahbutler/status/1819142206348759170?s=46&t=sayfGwpo3_s310BwYpcdcQ">seem to favour this second scenario</a>. <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/martin-jucker-379172">Martin Jucker</a>, Senior Lecturer in Atmospheric Science, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a> Image credits: Shutterstock 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/antarctic-heat-wild-australian-winter-whats-happening-to-the-weather-and-what-it-means-for-the-rest-of-the-year-236067">original article</a>. </div>

Travel Trouble

Beyond the Barrier Reef: Australia’s 3 other World Heritage reefs are also in trouble

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kate-marie-quigley-1400512">Kate Marie Quigley</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/james-cook-university-1167">James Cook University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/andrew-hamilton-baird-11285">Andrew Hamilton Baird</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/james-cook-university-1167">James Cook University</a> The Great Barrier Reef is world famous – it’s the largest coral reef system in the world and home to tens of thousands of species. No wonder it is World Heritage listed. But Australia has three lower profile reefs which are also World Heritage listed – Ningaloo and Shark Bay in Western Australia, and Lord Howe Island, 600 kilometres off the New South Wales coast, the <a href="https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/612288-most-southerly-coral-reef">southernmost coral</a> in the world. Ningaloo has 260km of coral reef, while the reefs of Shark Bay have less coral but are home to ancient stromatolites, vast seagrass beds and iconic species such as dugongs. This month, the World Heritage Committee will meet in New Delhi. On the agenda will be how the world’s natural World Heritage sites are faring. The Australian government will be under increased scrutiny to prove it has upheld its <a href="https://www.dcceew.gov.au/parks-heritage/heritage/about/world/management-australias-world-heritage-listed/managing-world-heritage-australia/protecting-world-heritage#regulation">international commitments</a> to protecting these reefs. Our <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gcb.17407">new research</a> has found all four of these reefs are in greater danger than we thought – even those in subtropical waters, such as Lord Howe Island. Our two Indian Ocean reefs at <a href="https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/578/">Shark Bay</a> and Ningaloo actually face more species and function loss than the Great Barrier Reef. At 1.5°C of warming, we are likely to lose about 20% of the 400-odd coral species which currently live across these four reefs (equating to about 70 extinctions). At 2°C warming, our modelling of species abundance and ecosystem functions predict an almost complete collapse in reef ecosystems – even for the subtropical reefs. This aligns with <a href="https://www.annualreviews.org/docserver/fulltext/animal/12/1/annurev-animal-021122-093315.pdf?expires=1721002489&id=id&accname=guest&checksum=A9A203CC0F3AEB7D1FE9420F50EDF69A,%20https://backend.orbit.dtu.dk/ws/files/238807594/AGR2020.pdf">predictions</a> by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change for the future of coral reefs. We believe our work adds to the need to consider whether Australia’s four iconic reefs should be <a href="https://whc.unesco.org/en/danger/">on the list</a> of World Heritage sites in danger. <h2>What does it mean when a reef is World Heritage listed?</h2> Declaring a natural or cultural site as World Heritage is done to encourage the preservation of locations of immense ecological and cultural value. Nations have to <a href="https://whc.unesco.org/en/nominations/">nominate sites</a> they think are worthy of protection. Australia has 20 World Heritage sites, <a href="https://www.dcceew.gov.au/parks-heritage/heritage/places/world-heritage-list">of which</a> 12 are natural. When sites are formally listed, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) requires the country’s government to look after it. If the site is degrading, it can be listed as in danger. UNESCO has considered listing the Great Barrier Reef as in danger twice, in 2021 and again in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/jun/24/set-more-ambitious-climate-targets-to-save-great-barrier-reef-unesco-urges-australia">June this year</a>. For the reef to keep its World Heritage status, the government must prove its policies are sufficient to keep the reefs in <a href="https://www.dcceew.gov.au/parks-heritage/heritage/about/world-heritage/outstanding-universal-value">good health</a>. In the debate over the Great Barrier Reef, two things have been missed – first, any mention of Australia’s other World Heritage reefs, and second, whether the federal government’s current policies to cut greenhouse gases are enough to protect the reefs into the future. <h2>What did we find?</h2> Our new results suggest all four reefs are in trouble. Given current warming trends, they will only deteriorate further in the future if we stay on this course. While the Barrier Reef has drawn a great deal of attention, it’s actually the ecosystems at Ningaloo, Shark Bay and Lord Howe Island which are projected to warm the most. When standardised to park boundaries, temperatures here are projected to increase by up to 1.3°C by the end of the century. (This temperature estimate is for sea temperatures, not the overall surface temperature which we use as shorthand when we talk about 1.5°C or 2°C of warming). While that might not sound like much, it will be enough to push many corals to potential extinction. Many coral species already exist within 1-2°C of the maximum temperature they can tolerate. Our modelling shows Shark Bay and Ningaloo actually face a greater risk of species and function loss than the Barrier Reef. It also suggests the ability of our reefs to bounce back will be overcome when warming tips over 1.5°C globally. While these models incorporate the baseline heat tolerance of coral species on these reefs, they don’t yet include their <a href="https://www.annualreviews.org/content/journals/10.1146/annurev-animal-021122-093315;jsessionid=mfIBuwjZ-ru5bkBMhWXDjumNnsvZgxkl02fPAg63.annurevlive-10-241-10-101">potential for genetic adaptation</a>. The question of whether some corals could adapt to this rapid warming is still open. A lot is riding on their ability to do so. <h2>Looming danger</h2> This year, the <a href="https://theconversation.com/sentinels-of-the-sea-ancient-boulder-corals-are-key-to-reef-survival-in-a-warmer-world-223207">Great Barrier Reef</a> and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/mar/06/lord-howe-island-coral-bleaching-moving-south-fears-ocean-temperatures">Lord Howe Island</a> have suffered intense stress from high sea temperatures – the direct result of burning fossil fuels and producing heat-trapping greenhouse gases. This year is <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/2024-could-be-worlds-hottest-year-june-breaks-records-2024-07-08/#:%7E:text=The%20latest%20data%20suggest%202024,so%20far%2C%20some%20scientists%20said.">on track</a> to again be the hottest year on record, overtaking the previous record holder of 2023. Australia is already in the midst of an extinction crisis. Australia has one of the worst track records for extinctions. Since European colonisation, 34-38 mammal species have <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/abs/10.1126/science.adg7870">gone extinct</a> compared to just one from the contiguous United States, which covers a similar area. You might have read that coral cover – a measure of how much coral there is in an area – <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00338-024-02498-5">hit historic highs</a> on the Great Barrier Reef last year. Coral cover is a helpful and important metric, but it’s <a href="https://theconversation.com/record-coral-cover-doesnt-necessarily-mean-the-great-barrier-reef-is-in-good-health-despite-what-you-may-have-heard-188233">not perfect</a>. For instance, fast-growing heat tolerant coral species might expand as less heat tolerant species die off. Importantly, relying on coral cover alone can mask significant changes in how the <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2019.2628">reef is functioning</a>. It’s hard to assess how species in our oceans are doing, given the difficulty of access and the large number of species, including many <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-first-step-to-conserving-the-great-barrier-reef-is-understanding-what-lives-there-146097">unknown to science</a>. If warming continues unabated, we will likely start to lose species before we have even documented them. Our results are based on “moderate” climate models of global surface temperature changes. Australia has committed to cutting emissions by 43% below 2005 levels by 2030. While that sounds good, it’s not enough – this decrease is compatible with <a href="https://environment.govt.nz/what-you-can-do/climate-scenarios-toolkit/climate-scenarios-list/ipccs-ssp-rcp-scenarios/">hitting 3.2ºC by 2100</a>. To limit warming to 1.5ºC or below by 2050, we would need to commit to much greater cuts in emissions – 90% below 2005 levels by 2030. Our results clearly suggest Australia’s four World Heritage reefs will be dramatically affected by warming in the near future. They will no longer qualify as being maintained under “conditions of integrity”. It’s hard to see how they can avoid being added to the in danger list.<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/234268/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kate-marie-quigley-1400512">Kate Marie Quigley</a>, DECRA Research Fellow in molecular ecology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/james-cook-university-1167">James Cook University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/andrew-hamilton-baird-11285">Andrew Hamilton Baird</a>, Professorial fellow in coral reef ecology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/james-cook-university-1167">James Cook University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/beyond-the-barrier-reef-australias-3-other-world-heritage-reefs-are-also-in-trouble-234268">original article</a>. </div>

Domestic Travel

What are family trusts?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jamie-thwin-1542004">Jamie Thwin</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/brett-david-freudenberg-226795">Brett David Freudenberg</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/melissa-belle-isle-1541984">Melissa Belle Isle</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a> Many of us associate trust funds with their depictions in popular culture – tools used by the mega-rich to distribute enormous family incomes among “trust-fund babies”. Recently, they even went viral as the centrepiece of a <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@girl_on_couch/video/7363742421588512043?lang=en">TikTok audio</a> by user @girl_on_couch, who was famously “looking for a man in finance. With a trust fund. 6'5. Blue eyes.” But trusts – which allow assets to be managed by one party for the benefit of others – are more widespread than many people realise. And they’re not just for the super wealthy. In 2020-21, <a href="https://treasury.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-01/p2024-489823-teis.pdf">more than a tenth</a> of all Australians who lodged a tax return reported trust income. Among the most common types of trust in Australia are family trusts, which are often designed to hold family assets or manage a family business. But their popularity has seen them regularly <a href="https://www.afr.com/policy/tax-and-super/treasury-eyes-tax-on-60b-in-family-trusts-20240131-p5f1fr">in the sights</a> of government and the tax office. So what exactly are family trusts, and why are they so controversial? <h2>First, what’s a trust?</h2> A trust is a legal arrangement where a person nominated as a “trustee” manages assets for the benefit of another person or particular group of people. It isn’t a separate legal entity, but rather a kind of legal relationship. A trust imposes what’s called an “equitable obligation” on its trustee to hold and manage trust assets according to specific conditions. These are set out in a “trust deed” for the explicit benefit of others, known as the trust’s “beneficiaries”. The trustee acts as the legally appointed administrator of trust assets. But the beneficiaries still have what’s called “equitable interest” under the arrangement – certain rights to benefit from those assets. Trustees can be individuals or companies. And many trusts include an “appointor” who has ultimate control. This appointor can appoint or remove the trustee at any time, and in many cases must consent to any changes in the trust deed. <h2>What’s a family trust, and why do people use them?</h2> In Australia, a family trust is a type of “discretionary trust”. Unlike a “fixed trust”, this means the trustee can make decisions about how assets and income are allocated among beneficiaries. Family trusts are typically set up by a family member for the benefit of the family as a whole. A family trust deed can nominate multiple beneficiaries. These could include not only parents, children, grandchildren and other family members, but also other trusts and even companies. Family trusts are often used to take advantage of their tax implications. This is because between years, trustees can vary the distribution of income among beneficiaries. Any undistributed income left in the trust is taxed at the top marginal tax rate of 45%. But if distributed to beneficiaries with lower personal marginal tax rates, it is instead taxed at those rates, which can lower the total tax paid. This explanation oversimplifies the picture, and there are a range of important caveats. For example, if a beneficiary is non-resident of Australia for tax purposes, the trustee will be liable to pay tax on their behalf. And distributing trust income to beneficiaries aged under 18 can attract penalty taxes at the top marginal rate. <h2>Why are they controversial?</h2> Family trusts have attracted scrutiny from regulators and the public for a range of reasons – perhaps chief among them, this broad ability to lower taxation by splitting income. The private nature of many trusts means there is often minimal public reporting, so it can be difficult to determine who in society is benefiting from trust income, and how. There are also concerns that they can be structured inappropriately to hide income. Trusts can also help safeguard a family’s wealth by shielding a family’s assets from the liabilities of individual members. The beneficiaries of a discretionary trust generally have no legal entitlement to its assets. This means that if the beneficiary goes bankrupt or gets divorced, the trust’s assets may often be protected from any claims. In 2019, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) released the findings of an <a href="https://www.ato.gov.au/about-ato/research-and-statistics/in-detail/general-research/current-issues-with-trusts-and-the-tax-system">independent review</a> into trusts and the tax system. Some key areas of concern include: <ul> <li>income tax shuffles (individuals exploiting differences in income definitions between trust law and tax law to dodge higher marginal tax rates)</li> <li>using convoluted structures like circular trusts (two trusts that are beneficiaries of each other) to obscure trust income and who the ultimate beneficiaries are, and</li> <li>trusts failing to lodge tax returns.</li> </ul> The use of trusts as a business structure in Australia may yet require further review. This should not only seek to examine the legislation underpinning trusts, but also improve education for accountants to better understand trust and tax law.<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/232601/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jamie-thwin-1542004">Jamie Thwin</a>, PhD Student (Tax Law), <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/brett-david-freudenberg-226795">Brett David Freudenberg</a>, Professor of Taxation, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/melissa-belle-isle-1541984">Melissa Belle Isle</a>, Lecturer Taxation, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock 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/what-are-family-trusts-232601">original article</a>. </div>

Money & Banking

Australia's most trusted brands for 2024 revealed

Despite the rise in cost-of-living, there are some brands that Aussies continue to have confidence in, and are willing to spend their money on. Over 4,000 Australians were surveyed by market research agency Catalyst, who were commissioned by Reader's Digest, and they were asked to choose the brands they trusted the most across nearly 70 different categories. "It's been a very challenging few years, but ultimately our category winners share a key common trait," Catalyst Research director Cameron Gentle said. "They consistently deliver on their promise. People have an expectation of what they're going to get, and the particular product or organisation delivers what they're after. Time and again." The survey, now in its 25th year, has crowned Bunnings as the ‘most iconic’ retailer and the fourth most trusted brand. Other noteworthy winners include Singapore Airlines for the most trusted brand to fly with, Panadol for pain relief, and Toyota for cars. Dettol was ultimately crowned the most trusted brand, earning the number one spot. "Since its humble beginnings in 1935, when Dettol Antiseptic Liquid was used as a post-surgery antiseptic skin wash in hospitals, Dettol has evolved to become the trusted brand in germ protection around the home," Readers Digest wrote. Check out the list of Australia's top 20 most trusted brands below: 20. Yates 19. Finish 18. Lipton 17. Woolworths 16. Weet-bix 15. Selleys 14. Glen 20 13. Dairy Farmers 12. Royal Flying Doctors Service 11. Weber 10. Bega 9. Toyota 8. Panadol 7. Bridgestone 6. Cancer Council 5. Dulux 4. Bunnings 3. Cadbury 2. Band-Aid 1. Dettol Image: Trusted Brands

Money & Banking

Incredible treasure trove of unseen royal images

In a mesmerising blend of history and artistry, Buckingham Palace's newly christened King's Gallery has unveiled a captivating journey through time and royalty with the debut of "Royal Portraits: A Century of Photography". Opening its on May 17, this groundbreaking exhibition delves into the illustrious lineage of the Royal Family through more than 150 carefully curated portraits – some never before seen by the public eye. A highlight among these treasures is a poignant snapshot capturing a rare familial moment: Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Margaret, Princess Alexandra, and The Duchess of Kent cradling their newborns. Lord Snowdon, Princess Margaret's husband, immortalised this touching scene as a token of gratitude to Sir John Peel, the esteemed royal obstetrician responsible for delivering all four babies within a mere two-month span. In this heartfelt image, Queen Elizabeth II tenderly holds Prince Edward, her youngest offspring, while Princess Margaret, Princess Alexandra and The Duchess of Kent embrace their own bundles of joy. Accompanying this snapshot is a handwritten letter penned by Princess Margaret to her sister, affectionately addressed as "Darling Lilibet", requesting a signature on a print destined as a cherished memento for the esteemed doctor. The exhibition transcends mere family portraits, delving deep into the evolution of royal portraiture over the past century. Visitors are treated to a visual feast of iconic images captured by renowned photographers, including Dorothy Wilding, Annie Leibovitz, David Bailey and Rankin. Notably, the legendary Cecil Beaton's immortalisation of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation remains a cornerstone of the collection, offering a timeless glimpse into history. The exhibition also pays homage to the enduring allure of Princess Anne through her striking appearances on Vogue covers and a celebrated coming-of-age portrait by Norman Parkinson, commemorating her 21st birthday. From the timeless elegance of Princess Anne to the radiant charm of Prince William and Kate Middleton, and the spirited grace of Zara Tindall, the exhibition showcases a diverse tapestry of royal personalities spanning generations. Yet, it is not merely the portraits themselves that captivate visitors, but the untold stories and intimate moments woven into each frame. Delving into the depths of royal history, the exhibition reveals unseen wartime images by Cecil Beaton, illustrating King George VI and Queen Elizabeth's unwavering resolve amidst the chaos of conflict. As visitors explore the gallery, they are guided by a free multimedia experience narrated by Dame Joanna Lumley, offering a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the artistry and craftsmanship behind these timeless portraits. From Hugo Burnand's vivid recollections of photographing the royal coronation to the candid insights of royal photographers such as Rankin and John Swannell, the multimedia guide adds depth and dimension to the exhibition, inviting visitors to immerse themselves fully in the rich tapestry of royal history. "Royal Portraits: A Century of Photography" is not merely an exhibition; it is a testament to the enduring legacy of the British monarchy, captured through the lens of some of the most esteemed photographers of our time. From the grandeur of coronations to the tender embrace of a mother cradling her newborn, each portrait tells a story – a story of tradition, resilience and the timeless allure of royalty. Images: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2024.

Art

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

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/louise-grimmer-212082">Louise Grimmer</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a> 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? Brand trust is a measure of how customers feel 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. Whether or not customers trust a brand can be the difference between choosing that brand’s products or services over another. 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. 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. It’s clear that trust is fragile and can be quickly squandered when brands lose touch with those they serve. So what makes us trust a brand in the first place? And why do we trust some more than others? <h2>What makes us trust a brand?</h2> According to customer experience management firm Qualtrics, <a href="https://www.qualtrics.com/au/experience-management/brand/brand-trust/">brand trust</a> is <blockquote> 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. </blockquote> 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. This can be strengthened with more quantifiable elements, including: <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> 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. <h2>Is this a real and useful metric?</h2> 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. 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. <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. Here are some examples: <blockquote> 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. Great products and price and have a no quibble refund policy. 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. </blockquote> In addition to trust, there are three other metrics commonly used to assess brand performance: <ul> <li> brand equity – the commercial or social value of consumer perceptions of a brand </li> <li> brand loyalty – consumer willingness to consistently choose one brand over others regardless of price or competitor’s efforts </li> <li> brand affinity – the emotional connection and common values between a brand and its customers. </li> </ul> 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. <h2>Why do Australians trust retailers so much?</h2> Of Australia’s top ten most trusted brands, seven are retailers – Bunnings, Woolworths, Aldi, Coles, Kmart, Myer and Big W. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/582082/original/file-20240314-28-h0xdf4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/582082/original/file-20240314-28-h0xdf4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&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&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=279&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/582082/original/file-20240314-28-h0xdf4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=279&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/582082/original/file-20240314-28-h0xdf4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=279&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/582082/original/file-20240314-28-h0xdf4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=350&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/582082/original/file-20240314-28-h0xdf4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=350&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/582082/original/file-20240314-28-h0xdf4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=350&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="table shows that Bunnings is now Australia's most trusted brand, and Optus the least trusted brand." /></a><figcaption>The latest changes to Australia’s most trusted and most distrusted brand rankings. <a class="source" href="https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/9472-risk-monitor-quartely-update-december-2023">Roy Morgan Single Source (Australia)</a></figcaption></figure> 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. So why do retail brands dominate our trust rankings? 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. 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). It’s most likely then that these brands have been enjoying leftover goodwill from the pandemic. 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. 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. 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>. <h2>Lessons from the losers</h2> 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. Its companions in the “most distrusted” group include social media brands Meta (Facebook), TikTok and X. Qantas, Medibank Private, Newscorp, Nestle and Amazon also made the top 10. The main reason consumers distrust brands is for a perceived failure to live up to their promises and responsibilities. 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. 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. <h2>Lessons from the winners</h2> On the flip side, consumers have rewarded budget-friendly retailers with increased trust in the most recent rankings. 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. 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. 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.<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" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/louise-grimmer-212082">Louise Grimmer</a>, Senior Lecturer in Retail Marketing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/bunnings-has-toppled-woolworths-as-australias-most-trusted-brand-what-makes-us-trust-a-brand-in-the-first-place-225578">original article</a>.

Money & Banking

Tourist arrested for disgusting act at sacred UNESCO World Heritage Site

A tourist has been arrested after he committed this disgusting act on top of the Leshan Giant Buddha, a sacred UNESCO World Heritage Site in China. The man allegedly found a blind spot away from CCTV cameras, climbed over the security fence and on top of the statue. Once he reached the top of the monuments head, he proceeded to pull down his pants and urinate in front of horrified visitors who filmed the act. Security guards quickly removed the unidentified man and handed him over to police, after being informed of his actions. It is reported that the man was taken to a nearby hospital for psychiatric evaluation. The UNESCO World Heritage Site itself is a 71-metre-tall monument, which is considered to be the largest and tallest stone Buddha statue in the world. The Leshan Giant Buddha monument is located in the Sichuan Province of China, and was carved out of a cliff face between 713 and 803 AD. The statue and surrounding Mount Emei Scenic Area have been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996. This act is one of many incidences of tourists behaving badly across the world. In June 2023 a German tourist was detained after <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/travel-trouble/tourist-accused-of-causing-over-8-000-in-damages-to-iconic-roman-statue" target="_blank" rel="noopener">climbing up</a> a 16th-century Fountain of Neptune, and was accused of causing over $8,000 in damages to the iconic statue. Prior to that, an Irish tourist landed himself into <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/tourist-busted-for-carving-name-into-world-s-most-famous-roman-relic" target="_blank" rel="noopener">trouble in Rome</a> after carving his and his girlfriend's name onto the walls of the Colosseum. Images: News.com.au

Travel Trouble

Australia’s most expensive number plate breaks record

Australia’s most rare licence plate has broken records in the days before it is set to be auctioned off, with the single-digit number plate expected to sell for over $10 million. Heritage number plates are in high demand amongst collectors, with the first plates coming out of each state only branded with a single number. The first ever NSW heritage plate, which was first made for the state's first police commissioner, is being auctioned off for the first time in over a century, with the plate simply reading “1” attracting nation-wide attention. The plate was last year <a href="https://www.lloydsonline.com.au/LotDetails.aspx?smode=0&aid=47033&lid=4617672&_ga=2.27604924.1274045232.1705885942-1957527670.1705885942">listed</a> on Lloyds Auctions, where bidding soared to over $10 million within the first 72 hours on the site. Lloyds described the plates as “the holy grail must-have for any blue-chip passion investor or the no. 1 gift for that person who has ‘everything’.” Lloyds Auctions chief operations officer Lee Hames called the plate a “unicorn” and said the public auction listing was “truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity”. “Generally, rare heritage plates such as these are usually passed down through generations within families,” Hames said. After being made for the police commissioner in 1910, the number 1 plate was then handed over to Sir Fredrick Stewart, the founding chairman of Australian National Airways, who held onto the plates until his death. The extraordinary value comes from the rarity of the plates, with only nine single digit number plates available in each state and territory. “These are as rare as hens’ teeth and the perfect addition to any rare classic or prestige vehicle,” Mr Hames continued. “In fact, you could potentially say that the number plate will be most likely worth MORE than the car you put it on.” At its current bidding levels, NSW 1 will be the most expensive number plate ever to sell in Australia. Image credits: Lloyds Auctions

Money & Banking

Sapling planted at Sycamore Gap to "restore hope" removed by National Trust

UK resident Kieran Chapman, 27, is "absolutely gutted" after the sapling he planted in memory of the<a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/you-can-t-forgive-that-teen-arrested-after-felling-of-iconic-200-year-old-tree" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> felled Sycamore Gap tree</a> was heartbreakingly removed by National Trust. The 27-year-old spent hours on Friday planting the sapling just metres away from the stump of the iconic Sycamore Gap tree, but his efforts were in vain, as the sapling had been dug up by the National Trust on Sunday morning. The conservation charity said that they had to remove the sapling because it is a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site. A National Trust spokesperson told the Newcastle Chronicle that while they understand “the strength of feeling following the events at Sycamore Gap” the site “is a scheduled ancient monument and a globally important archaeological setting, with UNESCO world heritage designation”. “Altering or adding to it can damage the archaeology, and is unlawful without prior consent from government.” But Chapman couldn't hide his disappointment: “It’s just devastating, isn’t it? It genuinely brought people a lot of joy and that’s been taken away," he told the publication. “I honestly thought if it got a good response they might end up keeping it.” Chapman planted the sapling because he wanted to “restore people’s faith in humanity, bring a smile back to people’s faces and just give them a bit of hope”. “I planned to go and take the dog for a walk next weekend there," he added. In a follow up post on Facebook, Chapman added that he was told by the National Trust that his tree will be replanted on another piece of land at the Housesteads Visitor Centre on Hadrian’s Wall. “Too many politics around all this for my liking, the top and bottom of it, it’s a tree, planted in soil. I understand the land is protected, but to protect a tree from being planted in the earth, where they’re designed to be, no matter where it’s location, is crazy,” he wrote. Two people were arrested over the incident, a 16-year-old boy and 69-year-old former lumberjack. Both have been released on bail, with the lumberjack insisting that he had no involvement in the felling. “You’ve got the wrong feller,” he told The Sun. “I’m a former lumberjack and I’ve just been kicked off my property so I can see why people have pointed the finger. “My brother came down to make sure I hadn’t been arrested as he had heard a rumour that I had cut it down. I didn’t do it," he added. Images: Getty/ Facebook

Travel Trouble

6 reasons Australians don’t trust economists, and how we could do better

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/peter-siminski-250958">Peter Siminski</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a> Economics is about organising markets in ways that contribute to social welfare, which means anyone interested in anything from inequality to housing affordability, to health and education systems, or climate change to gender gaps ought to be interested in it. But economists are far from the most trusted professionals. We are apparently among the <a href="https://kingcenter.stanford.edu/news/abhijit-banerjee-good-economics-hard-times">least-trusted</a> in the US and <a href="https://www.ipsos.com/en-uk/ipsos-veracity-index-2020-trust-in-professions">midway</a> down the ranking in the United Kingdom. In Australia, such surveys on our most trusted professions <a href="https://www.governanceinstitute.com.au/advocacy/ethics-index/">don’t include</a> <a href="https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/roy-morgan-image-of-professions-survey-2021-in-a-year-dominated-by-covid-19-health-professionals-including-nurses-doctors-and-pharmacists-are-the-most-highly-regarded-but-almost-all-professions-d">economists</a>, which itself is noteworthy. Nevertheless, it’s worth reflecting on why Australians may distrust economists, and the ways in which economics can better serve Australia. <h2>1: Weak diversity and reflexivity</h2> Diversity is imperative for a field that helps make decisions about the allocation of resources. At <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/publications/bulletin/2020/jun/why-study-or-not-study-economics-a-survey-of-high-school-students.html">high school</a>, economics students are increasingly male, and concentrated in metropolitan and high socio-economic status locations. <hr /> <iframe id="Pdz6D" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/Pdz6D/2/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe> <hr /> Only 0.5% of Indigenous graduates identified economics or econometrics as their main discipline in the 2021 census. Two-thirds of the Australians employed as economists are <a href="https://labourmarketinsights.gov.au/occupation-profile/economists?occupationCode=2243">male</a>, and although university economics departments have improved recently, they are still notoriously <a href="https://genderinstitute.anu.edu.au/gess/academic-appointments-in-economics-in-Australia">male-dominated</a>. Compounding this is that – unlike other social sciences – mainstream economics is not a tradition where <a href="https://medicine.unimelb.edu.au/school-structure/medical-education/research/qualitative-journey/themes/reflexivity">reflexivity</a> is encouraged. Reflexivity involves reflecting on one’s background and environment. Nor are economists often encouraged to reflect on the role of power in the promotion of the ideas they and others espouse, including in the media. <h2>2: The media and conflicts of interest</h2> Economists span academia, government, private and not-for-profit sectors. <figure class="align-right zoomable"><figcaption></figcaption></figure> But those appearing in the media appear to come disproportionately from banks, other financial institutions, management consultancies and think tanks. Particularly worrying is that some think tanks do not disclose the identity of their donors. The media seems uninterested in holding them to account for this. In contrast, all reputable academic journals (and <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/541221/original/file-20230804-21-4t1zo2.png">The Conversation</a>) require authors to declare any potential conflicts of interest as a condition of publication. Also worrying is that some think tanks seem particularly ideologically driven. In my view, the media should be much more critical and discerning in its engagement with economists and potential conflicts of interest. And more space should be made for academic and public-sector economists. Choices as to who is quoted should be guided by informed attempts to identify genuine expertise, as well as by diversity considerations. The opposite approach, sensationalism, is irresponsible and detrimental to the public good. And it contributes to distrust in economists. Equally, academic economists should strive to contribute more to national economic debates. A realignment of incentives within universities would help. <h2>3: Efficiency preferred to equity</h2> Decisions made by governments usually affect both the “size of the pie” (loosely, what economists call efficiency) and how it is shared (equity). How to balance this trade-off is a question of values, about which economists have no special insight. But we are well placed to summarise the likely distributional implications of policies. It is true that many economists are at the forefront of research on <a href="https://wid.world/">inequality</a>, but it is also true that economists often focus too much on efficiency. It is rare for economists to explicitly discuss the implications of government decisions for both. Recent examples are debates about increases to the minimum wage and to JobKeeper payments in the context of containing inflation. <h2>4: A heavy international focus</h2> Most of our best and most prominent economists were trained overseas, which is a double-edged sword. We should continue to help top students to study at the world’s best institutions, and continue to recruit top economists globally. But we should accept that this can come with the price of reduced interest and engagement in Australian issues. In my view we should balance this by also creating a truly world-class Australian postgraduate training system, perhaps through cross-institutional collaboration, drawing on strengths and creating economies of scale. Such programs <a href="https://tinbergen.nl/graduate-program">run</a> <a href="https://www.parisschoolofeconomics.eu/en/teaching/phd-program-pse/">successfully</a> in Europe. This has been discussed many times by academics in Australia, but it requires government resolve to happen. <h2>5: Declining economics training</h2> It’s also hard to trust economics if you don’t understand it. Year 12 enrolments in economics have fallen by about <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/publications/bulletin/2020/jun/pdf/why-study-or-not-study-economics-a-survey-of-high-school-students.pdf">70%</a> since the 1990s. In New South Wales at least, economics has been mostly replaced by “business studies”. <hr /> <iframe id="ANlgw" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/ANlgw/1/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe> <hr /> The study of economics has also declined strikingly compared to other fields at universities. Census data shows that only 1% of university graduates under 40 specialised in economics, compared to 2.5% of those now in their 70s. <hr /> <iframe id="tE4bE" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/tE4bE/2/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe> <hr /> Management and commerce degrees are much more popular, producing 23% of graduates across all ages. While these degrees do include some economics, it is usually in only one or two compulsory units. <h2>6: Overconfidence</h2> While it was once said that every two economists had at least <a href="https://quotefancy.com/quote/939837/Winston-Churchill-If-you-put-two-economists-xin-a-room-you-get-two-opinions-unless-one-of">three opinions</a>, reflecting the inherent uncertainties in the discipline, economists seem very sure of themselves in the media. A large dose of humility would help, and it would help build trust. The media and consumers of the media should seek out the voices that acknowledge the necessary uncertainties.<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/208833/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/peter-siminski-250958">Peter Siminski</a>, Professor of Economics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a> Image credits: Shutterstock 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/6-reasons-australians-dont-trust-economists-and-how-we-could-do-better-208833">original article</a>.

Money & Banking

Tony Bennett: the timeless visionary who, with a nod to America’s musical heritage, embraced the future

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jose-valentino-ruiz-1293457">Jose Valentino Ruiz</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-florida-1392">University of Florida</a> In the history of American popular music, there have been few luminaries as enduring and innovative as Tony Bennett. With a career that spanned almost 80 years, Bennett’s smooth tones, unique phrasing and visionary musical collaborations left an indelible mark on vocal jazz and the recording industry as a whole. That his <a href="https://apnews.com/article/tony-bennett-dies-c3b3a7e2360449fb936a38794c7c3266">death at the age of 96</a> on July 21, 2023, was mourned by artists as varied as <a href="https://twitter.com/KeithUrban/status/1682395658395824133">Keith Urban</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/OzzyOsbourne/status/1682411338340126720">Ozzy Osbourne</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/HarryConnickJR?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1682411086656557056%7Ctwgr%5E04a78435a793b5246d7bc19e09529f2b2f0bcfab%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fvariety.com%2F2023%2Fmusic%2Fnews%2Ftony-bennett-elton-john-reaction-tribute-1235676405%2F">Harry Connick Jr.</a> should come as no surprise. Yes, Bennett was a jazz crooner. But if his voice was always a constant – even late into his 80s, way past an age when most other singers have seen their vocal abilities diminish – then his embrace of the contemporary was every bit a facet of Bennett’s appeal. <h2>Vocal innovator</h2> Bennett’s journey is a testament to the power of daring innovation. From the early days of his career in the 1950s to his final recordings in the early 2020s, he fearlessly explored new musical territories, revolutionizing vocal jazz and captivating audiences across generations. His vocal style and phrasing were distinctive and set him apart from other artists of his time. He utilized a delayed or “laid-back” approach to falling on the note, a technique known as “<a href="https://www.musictheoryacademy.com/how-to-read-sheet-music/rubato/">rubato</a>.” This created a sense of anticipation in his phrasing, adding an element of surprise to his performances. Through Bennett’s skilled use of rubato, he was able to play with the tempo and rhythm of a song, bending and stretching musical phrases to evoke a range of emotions. This subtle manipulation of timing gave his songs a natural and conversational quality, making listeners feel as though he was intimately sharing his stories with them. Armed with this silky, playful voice, Bennett found fame fairly early on in his career, delivering jazz standards alongside the likes of Mel Tormé and Nat King Cole. By the mid-1960s, he was being touted by Frank Sinatra as “the best singer in the business.” But his musical style fell out of fashion in the 1970s – a lean period during which Bennett <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2023/07/21/tony-bennett-son-life-career-drugs/">almost succumbed to a drug overdose</a>. Then, in the 1990s, Bennett found a new audience and set off a series of collaborations with contemporary musical stars that would become the standard for his later career. No genre of artistry was deemed off-limits for Bennett. “<a href="https://www.tonybennett.com/music-detail.php?id=11">Duets: An American Classic</a>,” released to coincide with his 80th birthday in 2006, saw collaborations with country stars such as k.d. lang and the Dixie Chicks – now known as the Chicks – and soul legend Stevie Wonder, alongside kindred jazz spirits such as Diana Krall. “Duets II,” a 2011 follow-up, saw further explorations with the likes of Aretha Franklin, Queen Latifah, Willie Nelson and Amy Winehouse, in what would become the <a href="https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/amy-winehouse-final-recording-session/">British singer’s last recording</a>. But his cross-generational, cross-genre and cross-cultural appeal is perhaps best exemplified by his <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/21/arts/music/tony-bennett-lady-gaga.html">collaborations with Lady Gaga</a>, first on the 2014 Grammy-winning album “Cheek to Cheek.” The recording brought together two artists from different generations, genres and backgrounds, uniting them in a harmonious celebration of jazz classics. The collaboration not only showcased each one’s vocal prowess, but also sent a powerful message about the unifying nature of music. Lady Gaga, a pop artist with avant-garde leanings, might have seemed an unlikely partner for Bennett, the quintessential jazz crooner. Yet their musical chemistry and mutual admiration resulted in an album that mesmerized audiences worldwide. “Cheek to Cheek” effortlessly transcended musical boundaries, while the duo’s magnetic stage presence and undeniable talent enchanted listeners. The successful fusion of jazz and pop encouraged artists to experiment beyond traditional boundaries, leading to more cross-genre projects across the industry – proving that such projects could go beyond one-off novelties, and be profitable at that. <h2>Timeless artistry</h2> Bennett’s embrace of contemporary artists did not mean that he abandoned his own musical self. By blending traditional jazz with contemporary elements, he managed to captivate audiences across generations, appealing to both longtime fans and new listeners. One key aspect of Bennett’s success was his ability to embody the sentiment of old America, reminiscent of artists like Sinatra, Billie Holiday and Louis Armstrong, while infusing contemporary nuances that resonated with the human condition of a more modern era. His approach to music captured both the essence and struggle of America, giving his songs a timeless and universal appeal. Moreover, his voice conveyed familiarity and comfort, akin to listening to a beloved uncle. Bennett’s albums stood out not only for his soulful voice and impeccable delivery but also for the way he drew others from varied musical backgrounds into his world of jazz sensibilities. As a producer, he recognized the importance of nurturing creativity and bringing out the best in artists. Meanwhile, Bennett’s approach to evolving his own sound while preserving its essence sets him apart as an artist. Fearless in his pursuit of innovation, he delved into contemporary musical elements and collaborated with producers to infuse new sonic dimensions into his later albums. The result drew listeners into an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kNpdLZwetU">intimate and immersive, concert-like acoustic journey</a>. <h2>Depth of emotion</h2> The greats in music have an ability to speak to the human experience. And either in collaboration with others or on his own, Bennett was able to achieve this time and time again. His albums were successful not only due to their technical brilliance and musicality but also because Bennett’s voice conveyed a depth of emotion that transcended barriers of time and culture, touching the hearts of listeners from various backgrounds. There was a universality in his music that made him a beloved and revered artist across the globe. Bennett’s life spanned decades of societal upheavals in the United States. But in his music, listeners could always find beauty in challenging times. And as the 20th- and 21st-century American music industry went through its own revolutions, Bennett’s artistic evolution mirrored the changes, cementing his place as a music icon who defies the boundaries of time and trends.<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/210244/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <iframe style="border-radius: 12px;" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/2UxxnhUE5YLchYgutxKEbJ?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="380" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" loading="lazy"></iframe> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jose-valentino-ruiz-1293457">Jose Valentino Ruiz</a>, Program Director of Music Business & Entrepreneurship, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-florida-1392">University of Florida</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/tony-bennett-the-timeless-visionary-who-with-a-nod-to-americas-musical-heritage-embraced-the-future-210244">original article</a>.

Music

Balmain Private: A decade of trust and success

Having celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2022, Balmain Private has firmly established itself as one of Australia's most reliable investment options. Since its inception in 2012, the company has consistently delivered impressive results, making it a trusted choice for individuals and advisers alike. With a track record of $244 million in interest paid to investors – and with an even more impressive capital loss of zero dollars – Balmain Private has demonstrated its commitment to delivering solid returns. Over the past decade, investors have enjoyed an average annual return of 7.56%*, with the highest reaching an outstanding 11.25% net return*. What sets Balmain Private apart is its unique approach to investment. The company empowers investors by allowing them to build, select, and manage their own portfolio of first mortgage loans. This flexibility appeals to a wide range of investors, including Retail, High Net Worth and Self-Managed Superannuation Fund investors, who seek alternative income sources beyond traditional options. At Balmain Private, the approval process for investment offerings is highly meticulous. Only the best loans make it to the investors, ensuring a carefully curated selection that prioritises quality and performance. Remarkably, more than 20% of loans repaid have exceeded the target return rate, while the rest have consistently met their target rate of return. Investing with Balmain Private is not only rewarding but also convenient. The entire process can be completed online, allowing investors to transact at their leisure. Whether on a PC, tablet or smartphone, investors have easy access to their portfolio. Additionally, Balmain Private offers a Mobile App that enables investors and advisers to manage, invest and review their portfolio on the go. The app allows for seamless depositing or redeeming of funds and provides downloadable reports right on your mobile device. To further enhance transparency and control, investors or their advisers can manage their portfolio through an intuitive online investor portal. This portal provides comprehensive details on current investments, capital movements, income distributions and transactions, ensuring that investors stay well-informed every step of the way. If you're ready to explore the opportunities offered by Balmain Private, you can download their complimentary <a href="https://info.balmain.com.au/rs/929-AKB-976/images/BPD%205727%20Target%20Market%20Determination.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Target Market Determination</a> (TMD), their <a href="https://info.balmain.com.au/FactSheetOrder-Over60_01LandingHomepage.html?utm_source=Over60&utm_medium=Editorial&utm_campaign=June&utm_content=Editorial_TextLink" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Investor Fact Sheet</a>, or get in touch with their Investments Team at 02 9232 8888. For more detailed information, you can also visit their library of materials at <a href="https://linktr.ee/balmainprivate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://linktr.ee/balmainprivate</a>. Balmain Fund Administration Limited, with ABN 98 134 526 604 and AFSL No: 333213, serves as the issuer of units in the Balmain Discrete Mortgage Income Trusts ARSN 155 909 176. Before making any investment decision, it is crucial to read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and the Target Market Determination (TMD) available on the company's website or by calling 02 9232 8888. It's important to carefully consider whether investing in the Trust aligns with your financial goals, as rates of return are not guaranteed and are subject to future revenue, which may be lower than expected. As with any investment, there is a risk of losing some or all of the principal investment. However, Balmain Private's exceptional track record and commitment to investor satisfaction provide a solid foundation for a successful investment journey. Choose Balmain Private for your chance to embark on another decade of trust and prosperity. Image: Shutterstock This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with Balmain Private. *Since inception. Past performance is not indicative of future performance. Investors should consider the risk associated with any Loan as set out in the PDS and any relevant Supplementary PDS (SPDS) pertaining to that Loan.

Money & Banking

Tourist busted for carving name into world's most famous Roman relic

An Irish tourist has run himself headfirst into trouble in Rome after he was reportedly caught carving his name - and his girlfriend’s - into the Colosseum. It is said that he had been making his carvings, which were six-centimetre-tall initials, with a metal point - possibly his keys - and gouged into a pillar of the 2000-year-old historic monument. The inscription, dedicated to himself and his partner, reportedly read “Ivan+Haley 23”. The Carabinieri police have claimed that the 32-year-old man was caught by private security at the World Heritage Site, and that social media videos of the incident alerted police to the alleged crime. The man has been accused of damaging the historical landmark, the Carabinieri confirmed to CNN, with the act considered to be a crime under Italian law. The Colosseum is one of the seven wonders of the modern world, and also a World Heritage Site, and Italy’s Minister of Culture has called for the tourist to be “identified and sanctioned”. “I consider it very serious, unworthy and a sign of great incivility that a tourist defaces one of the most famous places in the world, the Colosseum, to engrave the name of his fiancée,” he tweeted, along with footage of the incident. “I hope that whoever did this will be identified and sanctioned according to our laws.” He later uploaded another video, accompanied by the scathing caption “Tourist scars the Colosseum.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Reputo gravissimo, indegno e segno di grande inciviltà, che un turista sfregi uno dei luoghi più celebri al mondo, il Colosseo, per incidere il nome della sua fidanzata. Spero che chi ha compiuto questo gesto venga individuato e sanzionato secondo le nostre leggi. <a href="https://t.co/p8Jss1GWuY">pic.twitter.com/p8Jss1GWuY</a> — Gennaro Sangiuliano (@g_sangiuliano) <a href="https://twitter.com/g_sangiuliano/status/1673318742057525248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 26, 2023</a></blockquote> If the man is convicted, he faces a penalty of at least €2,065 (~$3,370.7) and up to one year in prison, according to CNN. And it isn’t the first time the Colosseum has been defaced by those seeking to carve out their place in history, with a Russian tourist facing a fine of €20,000 for carving the letter “K”. It’s a serious offence in the hearts of many, with archaeologist Federica Rinaldi - who is responsible for the ancient amphitheatre - telling the publication that “the Colosseum, like any monument that represents the history of all of us, must be preserved and handed over to future generations.” “It is a monument that deserves everyone’s respect because it belongs to everyone, and it must remain so,” Rinaldi added. “Carving one’s initials, in addition to being a crime, seems to be a gesture of those who want to appropriate the monument. Better take a selfie!” Images: Twitter

Legal

King Charles cuts ties with TV host over affair revelations

King Charles has cut all ties with UK television host Phillip Schofield, after he lied about having an affair. Schofield has been dumped from his hosting gig at This Morning, which he has been the face of for 21 years, after he admitted he had an affair with a much younger man who worked at the ITV network. The 61-year-old resigned from the network after lying about the “consensual on-off relationship", admitting in a statement that the affair was "unwise" but stressed it was "not illegal". He added that he was "deeply sorry" for having lied to his wife and to ITV about his relationship with the man reportedly 30 years his junior and who he first met as a teenager. “Contrary to speculation, whilst I met the man when he was a teenager and was asked to help him to get into television, it was only after he started to work on the show that it became more than just a friendship,” he said in his recent statement. In light of the affair, Schofield has been dropped by The Prince's Trust, after being an ambassador for several years. A spokesperson from the King's charity told <a title="The Telegraph" href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/05/30/phillip-schofield-dropped-princes-trust-this-morning-affair/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Telegraph</a> UK that it was mutually agreed it was "no longer appropriate to work together". "In light of Phillip's recent admissions, we have agreed with him that it is no longer appropriate to work together," a Prince's Trust spokesperson said. All references to Schofield have been removed from the charity's website and also his own page. It previously read, "Outside of work, Phillip is an ambassador for the charity The Prince's Trust, dedicating time to further the work of supporting vulnerable young people in the UK". The Prince's Trust was created in 1976 by then-Prince Charles to help young disadvantaged people in the UK, with the hugely successful charity helping more than one million young people by providing them with business grants, education and training. Following the bombshell revelation of Schofield's affair, ITV said it had investigated the allegations of his affair "several times" from early 2020, but said it didn't find any evidence. It's been a trying time for the ex-presenter with his brother Timothy recently being jailed for 12 years over child sex offences. Image credits: Getty Images

News

12 trusted home remedies that will only make you worse

Proceed with caution Any herbal supplement or remedy could potentially cause liver or kidney failure or have dangerous interactions with other medications you may be taking. That’s why physician Dr Ehsan Ali, recommends you ask your doctor before popping any herbal pill or natural cure. “All patients of all ages should check with their doctor first about what home remedy they want to try,” says Dr Ali. “Better to be safe than sorry!” St. John's Wort This herb is touted as a treatment for depression, but comprehensive studies are lacking. Dangers can arise when patients are already taking other medications. There have been incidents of St. John’s Wort interfering with birth control pills, leading to unintended pregnancies. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health warns that St. John’s Wort can disrupt the action of many medications, including warfarin, antidepressants, and anti-rejection drugs following organ transplants. Kava This herb, grown on South Pacific islands is often suggested for anxiety. It has been found to have a calming effect similar to Valium. Research, including a study published in 2015 in the journal Trialssuggests that kava may be an effective treatment for generalised anxiety disorder. However, heavy consumption of the herb is linked with heart problems and eye irritation. Kitchen cures for burns Kitchen cures can seem harmless and certainly, food products can make gentle and effective beauty treatments (think: avocado or honey masks for skin and hair). But when someone has an injury or disease, natural products can do more harm than good. Dr Svetlana Kogan, a holistic physician, has heard many potentially dangerous cures for injuries, including applying egg whites to burns. Egg whites, especially organic ones, can be full of bacteria – including salmonella – which could lead to serious infections. Instead, minor burns can be treated at home with cool water and acetaminophen for pain. Gargling with mouthwash The common cold continues to confound doctors and there isn’t much sufferers can do except stay hydrated. But when the symptoms progress to an inflamed throat, indulging in the common practice of gargling with mouthwash can do more harm than good. “Gargling inflamed tonsils with mouthwash is actually very irritating to the area and does not have any effect on potential strep throat,” says Dr Kogan. Her recommendation for a sore throat? Warm liquids to soothe the inflamed area and get plenty of rest. Money The best use for money when it comes to your health is paying your medical bills. But some people use currency to try and cure ailments. For years, placing a coin or other hard, flat object on a baby’s belly to help heal an umbilical hernia has been a common practice in many cultures – a very unsafe practice: “An umbilical hernia is a gap in the layer of muscle in the abdominal wall (called the rectus abdominis muscle),” explains Dr Danelle Fisher, a paediatrician. “The muscle usually grows together and the hernia goes away on its own in more than 90 per cent of babies who are born with it. Having an object strapped to the baby’s belly is not advisable because it can cause a skin infection and it doesn’t change the hernia or hasten its healing.” (Not to mention that coins can be pretty dirty and are a choking hazard for your baby.) So what should you do if your baby has an umbilical hernia? Nothing, aside from watchful waiting and consulting with your child’s paediatrician. Breast milk Mother’s milk is the best possible natural food for babies. Although many mothers claim their milk clears up skin conditions, there’s no scientific proof of this, warns Dr Sarah Yamaguchi, an obstetrician and gynecologist. “Breast milk can transmit infectious diseases such as HIV and pumped breast milk if not stored properly can be contaminated and can actually introduce bacteria into an already infected area,” says Dr Yamaguchi. Instead, she advises, patients suffering from infections or inflamed skin should try to keep the area clean and dry and seek medical attention. Castor oil In her work as an obstetrician, Dr Yamaguchi has seen her fair share of women in the final stages of pregnancy who just cannot wait to have their baby. She has seen many women take castor oil believing it will jump-start labour. “Castor oil may help if you are constipated and need to pass a bowel movement, but it’s not going to help you go into labour and it tastes awful,” she says. Syrup of Ipecac This syrup, made from the roots of a South American plant, is often kept in the home by parents to act as a counter treatment for accidental poisoning, as it induces vomiting. However, this form of treatment is incredibly dangerous, warns Dr Fisher. Many poisons do further damage when they make their way out of the body, damaging the oesophagus and potentially causing breathing problems. Dr Fisher advises parents not to use syrup of ipecac at all. The only appropriate reaction to a child swallowing something poisonous, she says, is to call your local Poison Control immediately and seek medical treatment. Charcoal Some people believe that activated charcoal, often derived from coconut shells, is thought to trap and remove dangerous toxins from the body. It is often recommended for treating bloat and constipation. However, it is a controversial treatment. Dr Kogan has heard of patients swallowing activated charcoal for detoxification purposes, which she strongly discourages. “It is dangerous because it can cause life-threatening intestinal obstructions and severe dehydration,” she says. Eating well and drinking plenty of water can have similar, but safer, detoxification effects on the body. Blowing on or licking a wound Parents everywhere are known for spitting on a tissue and using it to clean their children’s faces and sometimes even to clean a wound. Blowing on or introducing saliva to a cut is very dangerous. “Our breath and saliva have tons of bacteria which can contaminate the wound and lead to an infection,” says Dr Kogan. Instead, use fresh water and consult a doctor if needed. Vitamins As long as you follow a healthy diet, you’ll get all the vitamins and minerals you need. That’s good because sliding into the habit of trying to make up supposed deficiencies with supplements can quickly lead to trouble, warns Dr Kogan. The danger comes when people ignore the recommended doses and take too much of a particular vitamin. Too much vitamin D, for instance, can cause liver and heart problems, while an overabundance of B6 can lead to nerve toxicity; a vitamin A overdose can even cause death in extreme cases. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/healthsmart/12-trusted-home-remedies-that-will-only-make-you-worse?pages=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

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Expedition cruises - and what you should know before boarding one

It’s crucial to do your research before embarking on any new adventure, and New-Zealand based travel writer Sue Halliwell has drawn on her 15 years of cruise ship expedition experience to unpack such a trip, and the importance of coming prepared. I once took two New York socialites shoe shopping in the small New Zealand port of Napier. Both women had boarded our expedition cruise around New Zealand and its sub-Antarctic islands at Auckland with high heeled shoes as their only footwear, and by Napier it was evident that ‘elegant and elevated’ was actually a liability on nature walks, beach landings and a pitchy ocean. As the sole female on the ship’s expedition team, I was assigned the job of getting them adequately shod, discovering as I did that they also lacked warm gear and rain jackets. In fact, our A-listers appeared to know little about the nature of an expedition cruise on any level. While watching sperm whales off the South Island coast some days later, one asked me if, “these creatures live all their lives in the ocean?” adding “surely they come to land to give birth?” She looked incredulous when I set her straight, a reminder that appreciation of the natural world is a journey we each take at our own pace. They were the wives of two even higher profile Americans who were also aboard, and I’m picking the lads booked the cruise. First in line for every off-ship excursion and kitted out in top notch outdoor gear, these guys were onto it. But, somewhere the inter-spouse memo had gone astray, their other halves arriving better prepared for a traditional floating city, casino and cabaret cruise experience. They won’t be the first or last to make that mistake. So, what should our society gals have understood about an expedition cruise, and how might they have adjusted their expectations and packing lists had the memo actually reached them? Also known as an adventure or eco cruise, the Travel Industry Dictionary defines an expedition cruise as “typically aboard a smaller vessel, with an emphasis on the natural habitat of exotic destinations and responsible tourism. The term also implies a relatively expensive cruise with onboard experts in the ecology of the destination and a certain level of rigour, such as in Antarctic cruises.” Translated, that means you’ll be discovering coasts less travelled and their unique wildlife, landscapes and people. The ship will be small enough to nudge close to shore yet sizeable enough to handle mighty oceans. It will likely carry fewer than 200 passengers, and close to that number of crew, ensuring up-market service, dining and accommodation. Expedition cruise companies place great emphasis on responsible and sustainable travel, and protecting the natural and cultural environments visited. Indeed, many team with organisations such as National Geographic to present high quality environmental expertise, education and experiences, and actively support conservation and social projects in their target locations. As you would expect of sumptuous travel to remote destinations with the rarest of nature and best of guides, expedition cruises don’t come cheap. These are bucket list holidays at the apex of cruising, so unless money is no object, it pays to make the most of their once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Full participation in an expedition cruise involves taking all the off-ship excursions offered, although how actively you participate is up to you. With relatively low passenger numbers, most onshore excursions divide into manageable groups ranging in capability from fitness fanatics to snail’s pacers. Each group is shuttled between ship and shore – or around the coast – on inflatable zodiacs, and accompanied by experienced expedition team members to ensure their members remain safe and informed. These off-ship activities will be trip highlights, and you make the most of them by being prepared. As our American ladies learned, that includes being suitably dressed. Appropriate attire differs by destination, but the general rule is comfortable and activity-capable. Your gear doesn’t need to be expensive, but it does need to do the job - especially in cold climates like Antarctica or the Arctic, where not dressing appropriately can put you and others at risk. Check the packing list on your cruise website or brochure, and if there isn’t one, ask. Likewise find out whether large but essential items such as polar jackets and gumboots are supplied, to free up valuable suitcase space. Throw in a few dressier outfits for dinner, although bow ties and sequins went down with the Titanic. Nowadays, the expedition cruise dining dress code tends toward smart casual, and the after-dinner entertainment is equally low key. Don’t get me wrong, there will be plenty of evening fun for those wanting it; however, after a day of wild and wonder-filled activity, followed by drinks and dinner, most passengers prefer rocking to sleep with the waves to rocking around the clock. Unless you are a New York socialite for whom dancing the night away in designer get-up may be the reason for booking a cruise. However, our ladies were different people now and about to teach me an important lesson. Until I met them, I held to expedition cruises being the preserve of nature lovers, photography nuts, eco-travellers, science boffins and adventure freaks; you were made for them or you weren’t. But, as the cruise neared its end and the New Yorkers and I dined together in wild sub-Antarctic weather, a particularly impressive southern ocean swell upended both their wine glasses into my lap. As happens occasionally on a polar ocean cruise, the captain directed us to our cabins to ride out the storm, and as we lurched from the dining room one of my dinner companions drawled to the other, “Hey, I’d much rather go upstairs and watch those albatrosses skim these waves!” The expedition cruise had done its job. Wherever these ladies sat on the nature appreciation continuum on boarding the ship, they were much further along it now. I was impressed by their efforts to make the most of a situation they obviously hadn’t expected and, who knows, they might even deliberately book an expedition cruise for their next vacation. At least they now have the gear. Images: John Cardiner, Doug Gould [supplied, used with permission]

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