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Woolies faces up to $10b fine after pleading guilty to 1000 charges

<p>In what seems like a cascade of misfortune for Woolworths, the retail giant has found itself embroiled in yet another controversy.</p> <p>A week fraught with bad press took a turn for the worse when outgoing CEO Brad Banducci <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/last-chance-mr-banducci-woolies-ceo-threatened-with-jail-time" target="_blank" rel="noopener">faced the threat of jail time</a> for his refusal to address questions in a Senate inquiry probing supermarket price gouging. Now, the company is grappling with the repercussions of admitting to underpaying over a thousand former Victorian employees for their long service leave entitlements.</p> <p>The admission, made in a Melbourne court, revealed that Woolworths fell short in compensating at least 1,235 former workers, amounting to a staggering $1.24 million in underpayments spanning from November 2018 to January 2023. While some employees were owed only modest sums, others were deprived of significant entitlements, with figures reaching up to $12,000 in the most severe cases.</p> <p>The Melbourne Magistrates' Court learned that Woolworths, alongside its related company Woolstar, breached Victoria's Long Service Leave Act on a startling 1,227 occasions. The revelation came to light during an internal audit of the company's IT systems, prompting Woolworths to self-report the discrepancies to Victoria's Wage Inspectorate.</p> <p>Woolworths' barrister, Saul Holt KC, highlighted the company's commitment to rectifying the situation, after discovering the discrepancies during an audit of its IT systems and self-reporting it to Victoria's Wage Inspectorate. "That's just the right thing to do," he said.</p> <p>However, the gravity of the breaches places Woolworths at risk of facing a potentially astronomical fine, with a theoretical maximum exceeding $10.25 billion. While such a penalty could spell financial catastrophe for many, including a corporate behemoth like Woolworths, legal experts suggest that a more realistic figure would be capped at approximately $480,000, in line with typical penalties in Victorian magistrates courts.</p> <p>The magistrate presiding over the case, Nahrain Warda, has deferred her decision until Wednesday, April 24, leaving Woolworths in a state of uncertainty. In addition to the impending financial penalty, Kathleen Crennan, representing the Wage Inspectorate of Victoria, advocated for Woolworths to be convicted, denouncing the underpayments as inexcusable. "There's really no excuse for this to have happened in the first place," she said.</p> <p>In the face of mounting legal challenges and public scrutiny, Woolworths' reputation as an employer is under scrutiny. Despite assertions of being an "exemplary employer", founded on principles dating back to 1924, the company's track record is marred by repeated instances of underpayment scandals. </p> <p>As Woolworths awaits the magistrate's verdict and braces for the fallout from its legal battles, the spectre of underpayment casts a long shadow over the company's corporate governance and raises broader questions about accountability within the retail industry.</p> <p><em>Images: Woolworths</em></p>

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"Nat Bass gaff": Huge national anthem blunder at Bathurst 1000

<p>They say "old habits die hard", and it seems not even celebrities are immune after Natalie Bassingthwaighte made an embarrassing mistake on the grid at the Bathurst 1000. </p> <p>On Sunday, thousand of race fans flocked to Mount Panorama in the Central West of NSW to watch the annual battle between Holden and Ford as the drivers prepared for 161 laps amount the mountain. </p> <p>Before the drivers set off, former Rogue Traders lead singer Natalie Bassingthwaighte stood on the grid to perform the Australian National Anthem. </p> <p>Unfortunately, she appeared to make one major mistake during her performance.</p> <p>On January 1st 2021, the national anthem made a change in the opening verse, with the second line changing from “For we are young and free” to “For we are one and free”.</p> <p>Bassingthwaighte, however, is seemingly a creature of habit as she appeared to sing the old version of the anthem ahead of the historic race.</p> <p>The mistake didn’t get past those watching on from home with several users online pointing out the error.</p> <p>“Oh no Nat Bass gaff during Bathurst national anthem ‘for we are young and free’ and so close to our Voice referendum,” one wrote.</p> <p>Another added, “She sung the old version, not the new one.”</p> <p>The anthem was changed under Scott Morrison's government, who said while announcing the change it was “only right” the anthem reflected and acknowledged First Nations people.</p> <p>“While Australia as a modern nation may be relatively young, our country’s story is ancient, as are the stories of the many First Nations peoples whose stewardship we rightly acknowledge and respect,” Mr Morrison said.</p> <p>“In the spirit of unity, it is only right that we ensure our national anthem reflects this truth and shared appreciation."</p> <p>“Changing ‘young and free’ to ‘one and free’ takes nothing away, but I believe it adds much. It recognises the distance we have travelled as a nation."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Music

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Sneak peek into Grant Denyer’s countryside home

<p dir="ltr"><em>Better Homes and Gardens</em> host Johanna Griggs has shared a sneak peek into Grant Denyer’s countryside home, for an upcoming episode of the show.</p> <p dir="ltr">On Tuesday, Joh took to Instagram to share a snippet from the episode she filmed with the former <em>Sunrise</em> star, who has spent the last few years renovating his home in Bathurst.</p> <p dir="ltr">“On this week’s show @johgriggs7 catches up with @grantdenyer who has carved out a life in the countryside, renovating a stunning country home and even raising a herd of Scottish highland cows 🐮,” the caption read.</p> <p dir="ltr">In the video, Joh visited Grant’s home and took in the incredible natural views and even fed Grant’s highland cows in a unique bonding moment.</p> <p dir="ltr">“So Grant, what has more pressure, working in live TV or out here in a paddock with cows?” Joh jokingly asks in the clip.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Well, actually, there’s a lot of similarities to be honest,” Grant replied.</p> <p dir="ltr">“You’ve gotta watch your back!” he added when a cow headed straight towards a nervous-looking Joh.</p> <p dir="ltr">They then moved into Grant’s open plan living room which boasted plenty of natural light and beautiful views of the countryside.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This has got to be one of the most serene, beautiful kitchens I’ve ever seen,” Joh said as the camera panned around the kitchen.</p> <p dir="ltr">The pair even joked about how big the bench top was and Grant joked that it was “5.8 Grants Denyers long.”</p> <p dir="ltr">To which Joh quipped: “and two Johannas,” which elicited a fit of giggles among the two.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CuiPOI9B4No/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CuiPOI9B4No/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Johanna Griggs AM (@johgriggs7)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Fans took to the comments to share their awe over Grant’s home.</p> <p dir="ltr">“That view from the kitchen window 🙌🏻” wrote one fan.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Oh this will be fabulous. Two of my favourite people in one place. Their home is stunning,” commented another.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Wow that’s just a magnificent Kitchen. What a view,” wrote a third.</p> <p dir="ltr">Grant lives in the idyllic property with his wife Chezzi and three daughters Sunday, Scout and Sailor.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

TV

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Only days left for one Aussie state's residents to make $1000 claim

<p dir="ltr">New South Wales residents who faced the brunt of July 2022’s floods have only one week remaining to claim their $1000 lump sum payment.</p> <p dir="ltr">Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the Disaster Recovery Payment [DRA] - of $1000 per adult and $400 per child - as he set off to tour some of the hardest hit regions in July 2022. The news gave some hope to those who had lost everything in the disaster that swept through their homes, and the chance to secure the likes of clothing, food, and temporary shelter.</p> <p dir="ltr">At the peak of the devastation, over 100 evacuation orders - amounting to roughly 85,000 people - had been issued across the state, with thousands of properties inundated, with SES crews responding to over 370 flood rescues, and a frightening 7600 help requests. </p> <p dir="ltr">People living in the local government areas [LGAs] that were directly impacted by the floods are eligible, although certain criteria must be met. Service Australia outlines that you (or a dependent child to whom you’re the principal carer) must be an Australian citizen or hold an eligible visa, be in an eligible LGA, and must be claiming the payment for the first time. </p> <p dir="ltr">Those whose homes suffered major damage due to the floods and required either repair or replacement in certain areas, as well as those whose “major assets” - the likes of caravans, vehicles, water tanks, and sheds - were also in need of repair or replacement are eligible for the payment as well. </p> <p dir="ltr">And residents who were seriously injured, or had an immediate family member (who is/was an Australian citizen) die or go missing in the floods, are also eligible. </p> <p dir="ltr">Furthermore, individuals who lost income as a direct result of the floods may be able to get the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment [AGDRP]. If this is the case, they are then also able to claim the DRA.</p> <p dir="ltr">As for which LGAs the payment covers, residents from the following who felt the floods’ impact should look into it: Bayside, Blacktown, Blue Mountains, Camden, Campbelltown, Canterbury Bankstown, Central Coast, Cessnock, Cumberland, Dungog, Fairfield, Georges River, Hawkesbury, Hornsby, Kempsey, Kiama, Lake Macquarie, Lithgow, Liverpool, Maitland, Mid-Coast, Muswellbrook, Nambucca Valley, Narromine, Newcastle, Northern Beaches, Oberon, Parramatta, Penrith, Port Macquarie-Hastings, Port Stephens, Randwick, Shellharbour, Shoalhaven, Singleton, Strathfield, Sutherland, The Hills, Upper Lachlan, Warren, Wingecarribee, Wollondilly, and Wollongong. </p> <p dir="ltr">New South Wales residents who are eligible only have until April 5 to make their claim. To check your eligibility status, <a href="https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/who-can-get-new-south-wales-floods-july-2022-australian-government-disaster-recovery-payment?context=62849">head to Service Australia</a>. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Money & Banking

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“Fun until it wasn’t”: Grant Denyer takes smiling selfie moments before disaster

<p>Former <em>Sunrise</em> presenter Grant Denyer has taken to Instagram to report that he was involved in a disastrous biking accident.</p> <p>Grant, who has been training ahead of the 2023 Bathurst 12 Hour race this weekend, was with friend and training partner Mick when they ran into trouble. </p> <p>Despite dubbing the incident a “huge stack”, it seems no real injury was sustained, with Denyer’s sharing a light hearted take with his 408k followers. </p> <p>“No joke, 2 mins after this photo we had a huge stack doing wheelies and clipping handlebars,” he captioned the image. The photo in question features Grant and Mick on their bikes, cycling along a country road, with big smiles on each of their faces.</p> <p>“D*ckheads,” Grant said of the pair, and added that they were “putting in the big yards for the @bathurst12hr this weekend. Doing a lot of riding. New to it. As our crash proves … Thx Mick from @bathurstaquapark for being a great training partner. Most of the time”.</p> <p>Grant’s post was met with great amusement from his followers, with most making fun of the situation along with him. It didn’t seem to phase Grant, who met their comments with lighthearted jokes of his own. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CoEdKdkrFGG/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CoEdKdkrFGG/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Grant Denyer (@grantdenyer)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“Two hands for beginners, legend,” wrote one. </p> <p>“Yeah um…. Was fun until it wasn’t!” Grant responded, going on to mention that they  “took each out and ended up in the scrub. Naturally we did it on the last kilometre of the run. It’s always the ‘last run’ isn’t it?”</p> <p>“Yep, you certainly were putting lots of effort into the big hill as I was passing,” said one supporter, suggesting they had spotted Grant out on the road. </p> <p>Grant, who mentioned that he was new to riding in his original caption, responded to confirm that “it does not come natural I can assure you!! These little legs work HARD”. </p> <p>Mick, Grant’s riding partner, came up in a few of the comments, and Grant made sure to praise his skill while still poking some fun at the whole situation. </p> <p>“He’s a wildcat that’s for sure! A beast on the bike.” He said of his training partner, “bloody talented at everything. Except keeping to himself”. </p> <p>Grant, who has quite the history with motorsports under his belt, will still be participating in the Bathurst 12 hour, an international endurance race that will span Friday through to Sunday.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p> <p> </p>

Travel Trouble

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

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

Legal

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How a new art project in Bathurst is embracing the many identities of the town

<p>For many, Bathurst’s Mount Panorama is exclusively a car racing venue. For Indigenous Australians it is a place called Wahluu, where First Nations women once offered their sons for tribal initiation.</p> <p>It is a cherished Wiradyuri territory that hosts dreaming and creation stories. Earlier this year, further development on the site <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/2021/05/03/wahluu-womens-site-be-protected-says-federal-environment-minister">was blocked</a>, with the federal government acknowledging the cultural significance of the location for the Wiradyuri people.</p> <p>In some respects, the conflicting identity of Bathurst’s mountain can be reconciled through the forms of masculinity it represents: the male-centric sport of car racing – so central to the town’s present-day image – and the rite of passage of young Aboriginal men into adulthood.</p> <p>Now, a new art project, <a href="https://kateofthesmiths.com.au/fast-cars-dirty-beats/">Fast Cars &amp; Dirty Beats</a> is navigating these cultural differences by fostering a sense of community.</p> <p>Created by artistic director Kate Smith, Fast Cars &amp; Dirty Beats embraces Mount Panorama’s/Wahluu’s dual identity that, for some, is representative of a cultural divide between black and white Australia. Smith’s vision is not culturally constrained, but rather expressive of a location that is complex and multicultural.</p> <p>Liaising with Bathurst Wiradyuri Elders, Smith and her artistic collaborators have developed a series of community-focused projects revolving around the cultural significance of Wahluu/Mount Panorama.</p> <p>One of these initiatives, Mountain Tales, was launched on the first of July as part of Bathurst’s Winter Festival. Mountain Tales is the culmination of a year-long community engagement connecting local schoolchildren, teachers and parents with skilled craftspeople and musicians, fashioning decorative lanterns and the cultivation of a drumming community.</p> <p><strong>A lantern procession</strong></p> <p>Although it was raining for the July launch, more than 300 locals formed a dramatic lantern procession on the cold winter’s night.</p> <p>I was swept up in the pageantry unravelling across the CBD, eventually settling at Bathurst’s historical <a href="https://tremainsmill.com/">Tremain’s Mill</a>. Here the community proudly displayed their beacons of light, paying homage to the Chinese presence in Bathurst since the 1800s.</p> <p>Supporting the procession, Rob Shannon’s drummers created a collective heartbeat, fostering a sense of joy and belonging.</p> <p>After this ceremony of light and sound, members of the community told stories about the significance of Mount Panorama/Wahluu. Yarns were shared concerning the mountain being a place where locals experienced a first kiss or participated in some youthful skylarking.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/473106/original/file-20220707-22-kkwl50.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/473106/original/file-20220707-22-kkwl50.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/473106/original/file-20220707-22-kkwl50.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=800&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/473106/original/file-20220707-22-kkwl50.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=800&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/473106/original/file-20220707-22-kkwl50.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=800&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/473106/original/file-20220707-22-kkwl50.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1005&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/473106/original/file-20220707-22-kkwl50.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1005&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/473106/original/file-20220707-22-kkwl50.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1005&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="A paper lantern in the shape of a car." /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">Cars are central to Australia’s image of Bathurst – but they’re not the whole story.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Kate Smith</span></span></figcaption></figure> <p>Wiradyuri Elder Wirribee Aunty Leanna Carr-Smith explained to the group how the area plays host to both women’s and men’s business. But such stories are only for the ears of Indigenous women and men.</p> <p>There is a secrecy about Wahluu. Some stories are off limits to white Australians.</p> <p><strong>Wiradyuri Ngayirr Ngurambang – Sacred Country</strong></p> <p>The most breathtaking project launched at the Mountain Tales event is Aunty Leanna/Wirribee and Nicole Welch’s collaboration with Smith, <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/4hanss4771t8aim/SacredCountryV6_withAudio.mp4?dl=0">Wiradyuri Ngayirr Ngurambang – Sacred Country</a>, a film emblazoned across Tremain’s Mill.</p> <p>The old mill precinct is a reminder of colonisation and its violence. For this occasion it operated as a backdrop through which Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians connected. Beaming the film’s panoramic landscapes across this built environment juxtaposed the two cultures.</p> <p>Considering the urgency of global warming, the film brings together drone footage of Wahluu/Mount Panorama and aerial photography of other Indigenous landscapes in the region. It is an ethereal perspective. The soundscape is as rich and textured as the landscape, conveying an extraordinary, yet fragile, beauty.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/473108/original/file-20220707-12-yw20iu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/473108/original/file-20220707-12-yw20iu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/473108/original/file-20220707-12-yw20iu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=516&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/473108/original/file-20220707-12-yw20iu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=516&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/473108/original/file-20220707-12-yw20iu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=516&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/473108/original/file-20220707-12-yw20iu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=649&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/473108/original/file-20220707-12-yw20iu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=649&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/473108/original/file-20220707-12-yw20iu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=649&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="Film still." /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">Projected onto the wall of Tremain’s Mill, Wiradyuri Ngayirr Ngurambang – Sacred Country is a meeting of Indigenous landscapes with colonial Australian history.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Kate Smith</span></span></figcaption></figure> <p>Wiradyuri Ngayirr Ngurambang – Sacred Country also explores shared understandings between First Nations and non-First Nations women. Their interracial connection is enacted through a seamless editing style that bridges the Tarana landscape to the Wahluu/Macquarie River, and then eventually to Wahluu/Mount Panorama.</p> <p>The film’s boundless landscapes evoke an all-embracing hospitality that traverses cultural differences. Sometimes the imagery creates vaginal shapes that feminises the country. The land and its creatures come across as alive and vibrant.</p> <p>Sky and earth are mirrored, inspiring our contemplation of eternity and the Indigenous custodianship of Country.</p> <p>Departing later that night, I pondered eternity. One lifetime is nothing compared to 65,000 years of Indigenous connection to Country. This awareness was both profound and comforting. But the night of collective celebration and storytelling also encouraged me, and no doubt others, to delight in life’s briefest moments.</p> <p><em>Wiradyuri Ngayirr Ngurambang – Sacred Country is playing at Tremain’s Mill, Bathurst, until July 17.</em> <!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/185860/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/suzie-gibson-111690" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Suzie Gibson</a>, Senior Lecturer in English Literature, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/charles-sturt-university-849" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Charles Sturt University</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-a-new-art-project-in-bathurst-is-embracing-the-many-identities-of-the-town-185860" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Kate Smith</em></p>

Domestic Travel

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Desperate mum offers $1000 for help with kids on a flight

<p dir="ltr">A desperate mother-of-three has offered to pay someone to help look after her children on a long-haul flight.</p> <p dir="ltr">Taking to Facebook, the woman offered $1,000 to help with her four-year-old, two-year-old, and two-month-old on their Malaysia Airlines flight from London to Sydney on June 12.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Anyone heading from London to Sydney who wants to make $1,000??” her post began.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Offering to pay this to someone if you book onto my flight and help me with my 3 children please. Read on for details.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’ll be travelling alone with my 3 children so I really need someone to help me. Hoping there is someone out there doing this trip anyway so would already be paying for a flight, which makes this a bonus if you don’t mind helping with little ones. </p> <p dir="ltr">The mother also explained in the post what the helping hand would be required to do on the 23.5 hour long flight.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Type of things you might be helping with: holding the baby so I can help the older girls, helping the 4 year old and 2 year old with their meals, keeping 4 year old and 2 year old entertained - puzzles, books, get their tvs and headphones sorted etc.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Also maybe have the baby in the baby carrier for a nap so I can help the older girls/ give them attention.”</p> <p dir="ltr">In an attempt to entice someone to take the position, the woman explained that it would basically cost around $42 an hour - despite not expecting them to help the full 24 hours.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Whenever the older girls are asleep you wouldn’t need to do anything and even when they’re awake I am happy for them to watch as much tv as they like so all you might need to do then is make sure headphones don’t fall off, put on the next movie etc. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I will also do as much as I can, but I’ll have the baby to look after as well.”</p> <p dir="ltr">She explained that her eldest daughters had recently been on a long flight but this time she has a newborn baby and her husband won’t be joining them.</p> <p dir="ltr">The mother received messages of good luck and support from members of the local group.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Good luck mama!I know it is very hard work and I can’t imagine with 3 kids but if it helps I am sure the flight attendants will do their best to help out. I flew alone with my baby (4 months) to France and they were super lovely. They held my daughter while I had go to the bathroom, played and even took photos with her. Hopefully you find someone but I am sure people will help on the plane xx,” one wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Hope you find someone lovely to help. Have a great trip,” another commented.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m sure the universe will send you the right person on that flight. Best of luck and don’t stress. Call Malaysia Airline and see if they offer help I’m sure they do!!” another added.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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This woman went on 1000 dates to find her perfect match

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One woman has undergone a Herculean effort to find “The One”, and has managed to find them in a surprising way.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Anna Swoboda, originally from Poland but now living in Sydney, entered the online dating world when she was 22, after she was convinced she would find her one true love.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I have always believed in love. I am a romantic and a lover. I knew there was someone out there for me,” Anna <a rel="noopener" href="https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/online-dating-australia-tips-by-sydney-woman-anna-swoboda-who-met-1000-men-to-find-love-c-4851501" target="_blank">told</a> </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">7Life</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I had seen friends make compromises and settle down. I couldn’t do that. I vowed to settle UP. The circle of men I could meet through friends was small, so I felt the best way to find someone special, my needle in the haystack, was to get out and meet lots of men.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I kept looking.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The now-41-year-old ended up going on more than 1000 dates in her pursuit for love.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“There were years where I would go out on dates five times a week, and years where I wouldn’t date at all because I was in a relationship,” she said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I also consciously took a few years off dating.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As for discerning whether a first date would turn into more, she said she knew instantly.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I would know quickly if it was going to work or not. But I was always curious and genuinely interested in all my dates,” she explained.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I would feel men’s vulnerability and make sure that even if it wasn’t going to work, we should have a good time and both feel comfortable and valued. Men are much more vulnerable than they let on.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After 1000 dates, two serious relationships and nine failed relationships, Anna met her now-fiancé through a mutual matchmaking friend three years ago.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“He had just returned from living overseas, and she was convinced we would be great together, so she made the introduction. She was so right,” Anna recalled.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“My fiancé and I are very compatible and have the same mindset. This is what makes a huge difference.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Reflecting back on her dating history, Anna admitted that she wouldn’t have gone on many of the dates she went on.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Dating is not a numbers game,” she said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It’s about really understanding your requirements and compatibility. At the time I wasn’t clear about the ultimate vision for my life and my relationship.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I also wasn’t fully aware of my limiting beliefs in regards to dating and relationships.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Now a relationship coach, Anna has started her own matchmaking business, called <a rel="noopener" href="https://heartmatch.com.au/" target="_blank">HeartMatch</a>, to help others find love.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“There is someone out there for everyone,” she said.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Anna Swoboda</span></em></p>

Relationships

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Grant Denyer expresses fury as two busloads of Sydney vultures “raid” supermarkets in Bathurst

<p>TV presenter Grant Denyer has expressed his outrage after witnessing panic-buyers from Sydney travelling to regional cities “by the busload” to stock up on food and supplies.</p> <p><em>The Dancing With The Stars</em><span> </span>host claims to have seen a gang of coronavirus preppers “raiding” supermarkets in his hometown of Bathurst, 200km west of Sydney.</p> <p>The same group reportedly targeted two other central west NSW cities, Orange and Lithgow, before returning to Sydney.</p> <p>Taking to Instagram on Wednesday, Grant wrote: “This is crazy. We live in Bathurst and we had two busloads of people from Sydney storm the town and raid our three supermarkets. Which were already depleted.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B93Zanun9tM/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B93Zanun9tM/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">This is crazy. We live in Bathurst NSW and we had 2 bus loads of people from Sydney, storm the town and raid our 3 supermarkets. Which were already depleted. They also hit Orange and Lithgow. Geez guys, chill. If we’re patient, there’s plenty for everyone. We have enough food supplies in Australia. You don’t need to buy for 2 years, just a couple of weeks. Let’s get through this together, with patience, kindness and resilience</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/grantdenyer/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Grant Denyer</a> (@grantdenyer) on Mar 17, 2020 at 11:51pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“They also hit Orange and Lithgow. Geez guys, chill. If we’re patient, there’s plenty for everyone. We have enough food supplies in Australia.</p> <p>“You don’t need to buy for two years, just a couple of weeks. Let’s get through this together, with patience, kindness and resilience.”</p> <p>One woman on Twitter, who lives in a small town with a population of 1500 people about 100km from Melbourne, revealed that people in buses arrived on Tuesday.</p> <p>“Yesterday four tour buses arrived from Melbourne and 200 people descended on our supermarket and stripped the shelves of everything. Not. One. Foodstuff. Left,” she wrote.</p> <p>Riddells Creek Foodworks, between Melbourne and Bendigo, wrote on Facebook it would have “no other choice but to enforce very strict conditions for entry into our store.”</p> <p>“You will now be asked for ID proof that you live in the following areas – Riddells Creek, Clarkfield, Monegeetta, Bolinda, Romsey, Lancefield, Sunbury Riddell Road up to and including Settlement Road (from Riddells Creek End), Gisborne, New Gisborne, Cherokee,” it said.</p> <p>“We apologise for any inconvenience this will cause. Unfortunately, due to the current situation, we can only accommodate customers living in these areas.”</p> <p>Grant resides in Bathurst with his wife, Chezzi, and daughters, Scout and Sailor. He commutes to Melbourne on Sundays to film<span> </span><em>Dancing With The Stars</em>.</p> <p>The future of the show is looking uncertain after contestant  Christian Wilkins was tested for COVID-19 as a precaution following his father Richard’s diagnosis.</p> <p>Producers had already banned members of the public from the audience, meaning the dancers performed to an empty studio on March 15.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B9xQ9xhHH2V/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B9xQ9xhHH2V/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">Bye bye Melbourne. It was magnificent filming in the home of @dancingon10. I hope I get to return again next week. Although who really knows what’s going to happen. A little strange having no audience for the filming but it was still such an incredible show. Slightly eerie experience considering the seriousness of what we’re all witnessing around us. Although it was so nice to laugh, sing like kids and watch some bloody amazing entertainment to take our mind of things. Just for a bit. Big love to all our celebs and dancers for putting on such a mega show, but also the huge crew who make it look and sound so insane. They’re a special bunch. I really am very lucky to have this kind of opportunity and experience. Stay safe everyone 🙏🏻</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/grantdenyer/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Grant Denyer</a> (@grantdenyer) on Mar 15, 2020 at 3:53pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>While on his flight home last week, Grant wrote on Instagram: “Bye bye, Melbourne. It was magnificent filming in the home of @dancingon10. I hope I get to return again next week. Although who really knows what’s going to happen?”</p>

Travel Trouble

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Bathurst champ hits back at controversy as team radio audio is revealed

<p>Bathurst winner Scott McLaughlin isn’t worried about being stripped of his title despite an investigation into his team’s alleged go-slow tactics during an intense race.</p> <p>Officials are further investigating Supercars driver Fabian Coulthard’s “disgraceful” Bathurst 1000 safety car tactics after charging his ford outfit with breaching team order regulations.</p> <p>Coulthard was initially hit with a drive-through penalty after he slowed down and held up the field behind his teammate McLaughlin, who went on to win the Bathurst 1000.</p> <p>However, Coulthard now faces a fine or loss of championship points as officials are investigating whether his actions influenced the outcome of the race after following team orders to slow down.</p> <p>“I didn’t know anything about it until the press conference after the race,” McLaughlin said to <em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/sport/motorsport/champ-hits-back-at-bathurst-controversy-as-team-radio-audio-revealed/news-story/322d50327a4570f2fe0c613e5a3be01d" target="_blank">news.com.au</a></em>.</p> <p>“We did our bit. We had a fast car, we won the race, so we’ll just get on with it, it’ll sort itself out.</p> <p>“It certainly wasn’t intentional from our point of view, Fabian was just doing something he needed to do, but I just pushed on.</p> <p>“We had a great car all day and unfortunately for him (Coulthard) there is a bit of conjecture there, but he drove a great race and I feel bad for him, that’s for sure.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> <p dir="ltr">It was the controversial talking point of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bathurst1000?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bathurst1000</a> 🗣 Hear what was said on the Team Radio in Car #12 and Car #97 <a href="https://t.co/QQACup5rcR">pic.twitter.com/QQACup5rcR</a></p> — FOX MOTORSPORT (@Fox_Motorsport) <a href="https://twitter.com/Fox_Motorsport/status/1183578366076538880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">14 October 2019</a></blockquote> <p>Critics weren’t happy when a then third placed Coulthard backed up the field as top two Jamie Whincup and McLaughlin fuelled up during the safety car period with 26 of the race’s 161 laps left.</p> <p>Coulthard’s slow pace under the yellow flag, where drivers are not allowed to overtake, extended the gap between Shane Van Gisbergen and the leading duo from one to 47 seconds.</p> <p>McLaughlhin went onto beat Van Gisbergen by 0.68 seconds.</p> <p>Holden legend Mark Skaife told<span> </span><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/motor-sport/v8-supercars/bathurst-1000-2019-all-the-raceday-updates-and-news/live-coverage/763455ab65ce094b8a24ee497a06b98e" target="_blank">The Daily Telegraph</a></em><span> </span>the Ford man had nothing to worry about. “I have no doubt that Scott is the winner,” Skaife said.</p> <p>“Scott was the fastest all week. He qualified fastest in the wet, broke a record in the shootout and won a last-lap duel with Shane.”</p> <p>However, Coulthard has vowed to clear his name as he feels like a “scapegoat”. He said to<span> </span><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://au.motorsport.com/v8supercars/news/coulthard-bathurst-controversy-safety-car/4557381/" target="_blank">Motorsport.com</a>:<br /></em></p> <p>“I’m getting absolutely smashed for something I was told to do.</p> <p>“I need to clear my name. It’s not my style. I don’t race like that, I’m a clean racer.</p> <p>“To see what I’m reading, I’m getting pretty shafted for it. I’m the scapegoat.”</p> <p>Runner-up Van Gisbergen wasn’t happy about being held up by the safety car either.</p> <p>“We got held up in the safety car by someone, it made it tough (to win),” said the Holden star.</p> <p>“(But) that car (Coulthard) has been the sacrificial lamb all year (for DJR Team Penske).”</p>

Domestic Travel

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“Disgraceful”: Bathurst tactics under review as McLaughlin claims controversial win

<p>Officials are set to re-open an investigation into Supercars driver Fabian Coulthard’s “disgraceful” behaviour during a late safety car period at the Bathurst 1000.</p> <p>Coulthard is allegedly being looked into after he decided to slow down dramatically and hold up the field behind his Ford teammate Scott McLaughlin, who went to claim his maiden Great Race on Sunday.</p> <p>He was hit with a drive-through penalty during the race as he breached safety car procedures, but officials are now taking a look at the incident for the second time to see if it influenced the outcome of the 161-lap race.</p> <p>Coming third-place at the time, Coulthard slowed down and backed up the rest of the field as top two Jamie Whincup and McLaughlin raced to their garage for a pit stop to get much-needed fuel during the safety car period with 26 laps left.</p> <p>His slow pace ensured he avoided double stacking or being forced to wait behind his teammate McLaughlin in the pits.</p> <p>The team radio showed van Gisbergen was furious about Coulthard’s scheme. “Fabian is going stupidly slow,” he said.</p> <p>“Fabian should get a penalty for that, going stupidly slow. That was shocking.”</p> <p>McLaughlin later went on to claim his first Bathurst title by beating Gisbergen by 0.68 seconds.</p> <p>Supercars legend Larry Perkins said Coulthard’s actions were “disgraceful” on Sunday night.</p>

News

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5 things you need to see at the Bathurst Heritage Trades Trail

<p>The third annual<span> </span><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="http://www.bathurstregion.com.au/bathurstheritagetradestrail" target="_blank">Bathurst Heritage Trades Trail</a><span> </span>will be back bigger than ever this weekend with 100 artisans coming together to pay homage to the trades and traditions that have helped shape the region from the 18<sup>th</sup>-19<sup>th</sup> May.</p> <p>Artisans will showcase rare trades and crafts including blacksmithing, whip cracking, glass artistry, embroidery, carpentry, cigar box guitar making, violin making and more, across four of Bathurst’s most historic venues.</p> <p>Here are five things you can’t miss at the Bathurst Heritage Trail this weekend:</p> <ol> <li><strong>Rediscover craftsmanship: </strong>step back in time to find out about the trades of 200 years ago from carpentry, lacemaking, musical instrument building, blacksmithing and more.</li> <li><strong>Get hands-on at a workshop:</strong><span> </span>have you ever wanted to learn how to upholster your own furniture, or try your hand at vintage printmaking techniques? There is a selection of great workshops available all weekend.</li> <li><strong>Sip on a local wine: </strong>at one of the wine appreciation sessions held by local award-winning winemaker, Mark Renzaglia.</li> <li><strong>Snack on a yummy local treat: </strong>try a yummy scone from the Country Women’s Association, a hearty locally made soup, or grab a coffee from Bathurst locals, Long Point Coffee.</li> <li><strong>Explore Bathurst: </strong>Australia’s oldest inland settlement is also home to the Australian Fossil &amp; Mineral Museum, Chifley Home and Abercrombie House, or simply take a stroll through the historic Town Square while listening to the<span> </span><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/bathurst-step-beyond/id1436831330?mt=8" target="_blank">Bathurst audio tour</a> narrated by Grant Denyer.</li> </ol> <p class="p1"><em>Written by Alison Godfrey.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.mydiscoveries.com.au/stories/bathurst-regional-trades-trail/">MyDiscoveries</a>.</em></p>

Domestic Travel

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This driving habit may soon land you a $1000 fine

<p>Queensland drivers who are caught peeking at their phone screen behind the wheel may soon be hit with a hefty fine.</p> <p>As part of its effort to curb road deaths, the Queensland government plans to introduce a $1,000 on-the-spot fine for motorists who use mobile phones while driving – more than double the current penalty of $400.</p> <p>Those caught offending for the second time may also have their licences revoked.</p> <p>Queensland Transport Minister Mark Bailey said the move is necessary to discourage distracted driving. “I think increasing the value of the fine to $1,000 for distracted driving and similar offences will deter this dangerous behaviour,” said Bailey.</p> <p>“People are literally killing themselves and killing others because they can’t keep their hands off their phone.”</p> <p>The government said it had been reviewing penalties for driving offences after 40 people died on Queensland roads in the past two months. Bailey said 38 people were killed and 1,224 hospitalised by distracted drivers in the state in 2017.</p> <p>According to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/drivers-to-be-hit-with-1000-on-the-spot-fines-for-using-a-mobile-phone-while-behind-the-wheel-queensland-news/140fd9d3-9934-4727-8241-5e0dfbc04ff0" target="_blank"><em>9News</em></a>, the new laws are likely to be introduced by the end of the year.</p> <p>Should the rule be established, the fine will be the highest in Australia. The same offence currently attracts a fine of $534 in South Australia, $484 in Victoria, $470 in the ACT, $337 in NSW, $250 in the NT, $400 in Western Australia and $326 in Tasmania.</p>

Legal

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The 1000-year-old coins that could help rewrite Aussie history

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">James Cook declaring that Australia was “terra nullius” in 1770 might not have been the right move at the time as a new copper coin could rewrite Australian history. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In an interview with </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Guardian</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">, archaeologist Mike Hermes revealed he found an ancient coin on a beach in the Wessel Islands which he believes to be from Kilwa.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Kilwa is more than 10,000 kilometres away and is now known as Tanzania. The coin dates from before the 15</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">th</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> century.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The Portuguese were in Timor in 1514, 1515 — to think they didn’t go three more days east with the monsoon wind is ludicrous,” he said to </span><a href="https://www.news.com.au/technology/science/archaeology/1000yearold-coins-found-in-northern-territory-may-rewrite-australian-history/news-story/65af0dc01d5046af142dbff3919065a6"><span style="font-weight: 400;">news.com.au</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We’ve weighed and measured it, and it’s pretty much a dead ringer for a Kilwa coin.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“And if it is, well, that could change everything.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Tests on the coin’s origins currently remain inconclusive, but Hermes hasn’t given up. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Wessel Islands are an uninhabited group of islands off the north coast of Australia and became a strategic position to protect the mainland in World War II.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In 1944, five coins were found by an Australian soldier called Maurie Isenberg. He didn’t know what they were at the time and pocketed them in a tin. Isenberg rediscovered the coins in 1979 and sent them off to a museum to be examined where it was found that the coins were 1,000 years old.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The discovery of the coins raises more questions than answers about colonisation.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If James Cook wasn’t the first person to discover Australia, who was?</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">How did 1,000-year-old coins end up on a remote beach on an island off the northern coast of Australia?</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Did explorers from distant shores explore Australia before 1770?</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The discovery of the coins was forgotten about until anthropologist Ian McIntosh got the ball rolling again in 2013 when he led an expedition to Wessel Islands. Unfortunately, the journey failed to find any more coins. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite the coins not having any monetary value, for archaeologists such as McIntosh, they are priceless.</span></p>

Money & Banking

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5 things you need to see at the Bathurst Heritage Trades Trail

<p>The third annual <a href="http://www.bathurstregion.com.au/bathurstheritagetradestrail">Bathurst Heritage Trades Trail</a> will be back bigger than ever this weekend with 100 artisans coming together to pay homage to the trades and traditions that have helped shape the region from the 18th-19th May.</p> <p>Artisans will showcase rare trades and crafts including blacksmithing, whip cracking, glass artistry, embroidery, carpentry, cigar box guitar making, violin making and more, across four of Bathurst’s most historic venues.</p> <p>Here are five things you can’t miss at the Bathurst Heritage Trail this weekend:</p> <ol> <li><strong>Rediscover craftsmanship:</strong>step back in time to find out about the trades of 200 years ago from carpentry, lacemaking, musical instrument building, blacksmithing and more.</li> <li><strong>Get hands-on at a workshop:</strong>have you ever wanted to learn how to upholster your own furniture, or try your hand at vintage printmaking techniques? There is a selection of great workshops available all weekend.</li> <li><strong>Sip on a local wine:</strong>at one of the wine appreciation sessions held by local award-winning winemaker, Mark Renzaglia.</li> <li><strong>Snack on a yummy local treat:</strong>try a yummy scone from the Country Women’s Association, a hearty locally made soup, or grab a coffee from Bathurst locals, Long Point Coffee.</li> <li><strong>Explore Bathurst:</strong>Australia’s oldest inland settlement is also home to the Australian Fossil &amp; Mineral Museum, Chifley Home and Abercrombie House, or simply take a stroll through the historic Town Square while listening to the <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/bathurst-step-beyond/id1436831330?mt=8">Bathurst audio tour</a> narrated by Grant Denyer.</li> </ol> <p>Tickets can be purchased here:<a href="http://www.bathurstregion.com.au/bathurstheritagetradestrail">www.bathurstregion.com.au/bathurstheritagetradestrail</a>.</p> <p><em>Written by Alison Godfrey. Republished with permission of </em><a href="https://www.mydiscoveries.com.au/stories/bathurst-regional-trades-trail/"><em>MyDiscoveries</em></a><em>. </em></p>

Travel Tips

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$1000 travel mistake you could be making

<p>Aussie travellers are being hit with hidden fees on travel cards that in some cases, are costing more than the trip itself.</p> <p>Financial comparison website <strong><a href="https://mozo.com.au/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Mozo.com.au</span></a> </strong>has revealed which travel money cards could see travellers fork out more than $1000 in bank fees.</p> <p>The company’s banking experts researched 314 travel money products from 89 providers and found that prepaid travel cards often offer the best value for money, rather than credit and debit cards.</p> <p>Mozo’s director Kirsty Lamont warned travellers to be cautious of annual fees that may be charged on travel cards.</p> <p>“A travel credit card can be very appealing when planning a trip overseas, especially when you’re able to nab complimentary travel insurance and rack up a few frequent flyer points,” Ms Lamont told <a href="https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-advice/money/the-1000-travel-mistake/news-story/ac3c2b451b7ae66d0fc1d29a87151c31" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">news.com.au</span></strong></a>.</p> <p>“That said, don’t succumb to slick marketing — some travel credit cards have annual fees that could cover a return trip to tropical Fiji.”</p> <p>Another hidden cost that travellers get hit with is foreign exchange conversion costs, along with overseas transaction and ATM fees.</p> <p>“Travellers should always look out for the annual fee as this is where you can get really slugged, and it pays to always keep an eye on the foreign exchange margin on overseas transactions, which can range from 0 per cent to 5 per cent on a debit card and 0 per cent to 3.65 per cent on a credit card,” Ms Lamont said.</p> <p>“Overseas transaction fees and ATM fees can also leave a major dent in your pocket. If you’re booking everything from flights to accommodation to evening meals on your travel credit card, those charges can really add up. A travel credit card with a spend of $10,000 can incur charges ranging from $0 to $1089 which is quite the margin.”</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="497" height="275" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7819779/1_497x275.jpg" alt="1 (171)"/></p> <p>Heightening the problem for travellers is that some companies will purposefully confuse customers when explaining the costs involved.</p> <p>Last year, consultant and writer James Cridland posted the complaint letter he sent to Commonwealth Bank after a disappointing experience using its travel card.</p> <p>He demanded a refund as he was charged $87 more in fees than if he’d just used his CBA debit card.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Got a <a href="https://twitter.com/CommBank?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CommBank</a> Travel Money Card? It’s a complete ripoff. This complaint letter explains why; and got me a refund of over $100. <a href="https://t.co/WNIo0ogXVw">pic.twitter.com/WNIo0ogXVw</a></p> — James Cridland (@JamesCridland) <a href="https://twitter.com/JamesCridland/status/902710497274765312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 30, 2017</a></blockquote> <p>James explained in the letter that he was interested in the Travel Money Card so he could avoid the international transaction fee.</p> <p>Despite being promised a “cost effective way to access your money overseas”, Cridland was hit with foreign exchange rate conversion costs which made him spend more than he would’ve done with his debit card.</p> <p><strong>Which card should you use?</strong></p> <p>According to Mozo, travellers should use credit cards if they want to make large purchases overseas, rack up reward points or take advantage of free travel insurance. However, the downsides of credit cards overseas include cash advance fees when using ATMs to withdraw money, annual fees and negative exchange rate fluctuations.</p> <p>Mozo said prepaid travel cards are good for those who want to lock in an exchange rate before leaving for the trip. But the downside of a prepaid travel card is that the currencies of smaller countries may not be supported and any leftover funds need to be converted to AUD when you come back home.</p> <p>Mozo found that debit cards have small or no ATM withdrawal or currency conversions fees as funds are converted into the local currency when you use it. However, customers are also subject to negative fluctuations in exchange rates.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">Mozo selected HSBC as the Travel Money Bank of the Year and Bankwest took the title of Travel Credit Provider of the Year. </p>

Travel Tips

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Inside Grant Denyer's sprawling 27-acre country estate

<p>He might be one of the busiest men in showbiz but Grant Denyer has found his own sanctuary in the regional NSW town of Bathurst.</p> <p>“It’s a good town,” Denyer said. “I restore and replenish out there and that sort of gives me the energy to do all the other stuff I do.</p> <p>“I am a reasonably private person when I am not on television so it has worked well for us,” he said. “Bathurst is really great, everyone there has been really welcoming and lovely, it’s a place I truly enjoy.”</p> <p>While he can blend in with the other netball dads when at home in country NSW, professionally, Denyer is set to appear as a guest presenter on <em>The Living Room</em> on Network Ten on top of his regular role on Family Feud and new breakfast radio gig on Sydney’s 2Day FM.</p> <p>To say the 40-year-old is a frequent traveller is an understatement.</p> <p>“When I get home I make the transition into full dad mode which is good, that’s how I want it to be,” he said.</p> <p>Wife Cheryl “Chezzi” Denyer is an accomplished television producer (who worked on the road with Denyer for Sunrise during his stint as weather presenter) and now runs her own series on YouTube called Mummy Time TV and its associated website.</p> <p>“It’s going exceptionally well, it’s been really well received,” Denyer said. “She’s putting together stuff that’s really funny but also very real and relatable.”</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="499" height="280" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7816128/1a_499x280.jpg" alt="1a (2)"/></p> <p>The pair have two young daughters, Sailor and Scout. Denyer will show off parts of the family property during his appearance on Network Ten’s <em>The Living Room</em> on Friday. Host Amanda Keller joins Denyer for the country sojourn (dressed up in her tongue-in-cheek neck kerchief).</p> <p>“It’s a little hobby farm, if you like, we’ve got about 27 acres,” Denyer said. “We’ve just got a lot of space around us, it's a nice little view”.</p> <p>He said the house itself “is not a big home by any stretch”.</p> <p>“But it’s just a beautiful little country, homely, warm, loving little environment. We’re really proud of our little home,” Denyer said.</p> <p>“We’re thinking about whether we expand the house and build a giant games room, you know cathedral ceiling/master lounge room if you like … that’s something that takes advantage of our sweeping views,” Denyer said. “We’re playing with that idea.”</p> <p>Denyer might have mastered the art of the “tree change” but his zany side has also emerged on his farm: he has a beloved herd of Scottish highland cattle (or “hairy coos”, as they’re affectionately known), sheep, chickens and a pet dog called ‘Princess Popping Popcorn’.</p> <p>“The girls named her, it’s not an easy one to yell out,” said Denyer.</p> <p>It is not just Cheryl Denyer’s strong family links to Bathurst which brought them back to the regional city. Mount Panorama is also hallowed ground to Grant Denyer because of his passion for motor racing.</p> <p>As any high-profile television presenter would attest, it is hard to find an “off” switch with the viewing public but Denyer said he had found a good balance in the regional city, which has a population of about 42,000 people.</p> <p>“You like your downtime to be ‘off’ and removed from the television world, because it’s not normal or natural, so yeah, you do cherish that downtime and that’s why Bathurst has been the perfect place for me over the last couple of years,” Denyer said.</p> <p>“It never really worries me if someone wants to come up for a chat, it’s no big deal,” Denyer said. “But Bathurst is really good, you can go shopping in the supermarket and people will say hi but they will also leave you be, so it feels lovely, it feels normal, it feels like home”.</p> <p>Scroll through the gallery above to get a sneak peek into Grant Denyer’s sprawling country property.</p> <p><em>Grant Denyer appears on </em>The Living Room<em>, Friday at 7.30 pm on Network Ten.</em></p> <p><em>Written by Christine Sams. Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.domain.com.au" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Domain.com.au</strong></span></a>. Image credit: Network Ten. </em></p>

Accommodation

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How I’m spending less than $1,000 on groceries this year

<p><em><strong>Lyn Webster is a dairy farmer from New Zealand who has made a vow to spend less than $1,000 on groceries this year. Here’s how she’s going to do it.</strong></em></p> <p>I am back in the shed refreshed from an idyllic week relaxing with family at Kai Iwi Lakes near Dargaville and thinking about goals for 2018.</p> <p>My friend included me in a planned overseas trip to Las Vegas in October but my gut feeling was to decline.</p> <p>I felt bad as it sounded fun and I did not want to be rude but the more I think about environmental impact the less inclined I am to go out of New Zealand on a plane ever again.</p> <p>It's weird because overseas travel plans seem to be on everyone's agenda or bucket list these days with weekends in Rarotonga, African safaris and Mediterranean cruises more available and affordable than ever before.</p> <p>Travel and tourism is trendy with good deals and cheap rates heavily advertised.</p> <p>As a dairy farmer I am acutely aware that everything we do has an effect on the environment.</p> <p>Milking cows, driving a car, eating food – we humans are constantly consuming resources and some are constantly criticising the actions of others while remaining seemingly blind to their own impact.</p> <p>If the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is vital to the future of life itself, then why is air travel for fun ignored as arguably one of the worst contributors worldwide of carbon dioxide and global warming?</p> <p>Cheap fares are surely a travesty in this instance. Yet I have not heard one conversation about it, which is in stark contrast to the environmental impact of my main activity, dairy farming, which is slated in the media ad nauseam.</p> <p>At least what I do produces something useful - food, which is more than could be said for a frivolous boozy break in Las Vegas.</p> <p>And so I have already told my friend the Las Vegas trip is not for me, I will stay home and milk my cows and I felt a little bit upset saying it but I know it was the right decision for me.</p> <p>I am not going to go to Las Vegas just because I can.</p> <p>In my opinion, there needs to be a huge change in our collective mind set, globally, as to what activities are acceptable and which are not. Lowering our sights and learning to enjoy life closer to home and appreciating what's on our own doorsteps could be a start.</p> <p>I doubt my opinion will be a popular one with cheap fares and technology making the world seem a smaller more accessible place and people hankering for the perceived glamour of globetrotting.</p> <p>Nonetheless it's not for me to tell others what to do but I can govern my own decisions which leads me to my big plan for 2018. As well as staying home and milking my cows I am aiming to spend less than $1000 on groceries this year. Why on earth would I do that?</p> <p>Last year to promote my book about sustainable grocery shopping, <em>Pig Tits and Parsley Sauce</em> I did a 'stay out of the supermarket challenge' which lasted for 57 days.</p> <p>I really only stopped because I had visitors coming for Christmas.</p> <p>This challenge involved me using the resources I have - raw milk, home kill meat and free range eggs to live, rather than running off to the supermarket as is most people's habit.</p> <p>To achieve it I made bread, butter, cheese and yoghurt as well as pastry, pizza bases etc. I even learnt to mill my own flour which was really easy and fun to do.</p> <p>I document my progress on my Facebook page, which has nearly 6000 followers. You are <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.facebook.com/www.pigtitsandparsleysauce.co.nz/?ref=bookmarks" target="_blank">welcome to join</a></strong></span>.</p> <p>What are your thoughts? Thing you could try this challenge?</p> <p><em>Written by Lyn Webster. First appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>. </em></p>

Money & Banking

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$1000 flights from Australia to Europe

<p>Singapore-based airline Scoot will offer flights from Australia to Europe for $1000.</p> <p>The airline has recently purchased a new fleet of eight 787-8 Dreamliners which will be used to carry passengers across the hemispheres.</p> <p>The new planes are ultra-light, feature a carbon-fibre body and have fuel-efficient wings. The planes will also have a new engine that will significantly cut operating costs, allowing passengers to have reduced prices.</p> <p>The cheap flight, however, will not include in the price food and entertainment as it is focusing on a ‘no-frills’ approach.</p> <p>Passengers have the option to add food and entertainment at an extra price.</p> <p class="content-bodyparagraph">“At the end of the day, we think most customers still can accept and enjoy our product in spite of these differences,” Scoot CEO Lee Lik Hsin said.</p> <p>Scoot will break into the market by offering return tickets to Athens, Greece from select Australian cities for $1000.</p> <p>These Scoot flights start in June 2017. </p>

International Travel

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