Search

Surcharges are added to most purchases, but what are the rules behind these extra fees?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/steve-worthington-138">Steve Worthington</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/swinburne-university-of-technology-767">Swinburne University of Technology</a> You head to the register at the cafe to pay for your lunch, swipe your card and suddenly realise you’ve been hit with an extra small but unexpected charge. It might be listed on your receipt as a service or merchant fee, but either way it’s because you’ve used a credit or debit card. With the pandemic accelerating the use of cards instead of cash – <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/publications/bulletin/2023/jun/cash-use-and-attitudes-in-australia.html#:%7E:text=Cash%20payments,-The%20CPS%20suggests&text=In%20value%20terms%2C%20the%20cash,cent%20by%20value%20in%202022.">only 13% of Australians use cash</a>, dropping from 27% in the last five years – these extra charges have become mainstream. However, as was highlighted by National Australia Bank chief executive Andrew Irvine during a <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Joint/Corporations_and_Financial_Services/FinancialAbuse">parliamentary inquiry</a> into bank charges last week, they are often applied, in varying amounts, by businesses for reasons not always in line with their original purpose. Irvine slammed as <a href="https://www.afr.com/companies/financial-services/credit-card-surcharges-should-be-banned-or-regulated-nab-boss-says-20240830-p5k6jm">“outrageous”</a> a 10% surcharge he was forced to pay when he recently bought a cup of coffee at a Sydney cafe. “I don’t like the lack of transparency and lack of consistency,” he said. But most Australians are making these extra payments every day, without question. So how did this end up happening – and what can you do about it? <h2>Card surcharges in Australia</h2> At the start of this century, payments for goods and services were mainly made by cash, paper cheques, credit and debit cards. The first two of these options would eventually be deposited into a bank account by the merchant who ran the business. The latter two would be processed by the bank or financial institution which would charge the business a merchant service fee. For debit cards this might be a fixed fee. But for credit cards it would be proportionate with the value of the goods or services. The Reserve Bank of Australia became concerned the use of credit cards was greater than that of debit cards and <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/publications/consultations/201106-review-card-surcharging/background.html">introduced surcharging in January 2003</a>. The intention was to lower the cost to the merchant of accepting debit cards and change customer behaviour. This has been achieved, as both the volume and value of paying by debit cards now exceeds the volume and value of paying by credit cards. However, the reality in 2024 is that card surcharges have become commonplace, and in a wide variety of payment situations. <h2>It’s estimated to cost us billions</h2> It is difficult to calculate the total cost of surcharging to Australian consumers since they became legal more than 20 years ago, because the rates charged vary widely. But at last week’s inquiry, Labor MP Jerome Laxale suggested it added up to <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/money/banking/card-surcharges-are-costing-us-billions-but-can-they-be-avoided-20240830-p5k6o8.html">A$4 billion</a> in the last year. Surcharges can be imposed by small to medium enterprises such as your local cafe, doctor’s surgery, your energy supplier, or when you use a card to pay your council rates. As an example, my rates are payable by card, with a surcharge of 1.10% for Mastercard and Visa credit, and 0.55% for eftpos and Mastercard and Visa debit cards. <h2>When surcharges can be applied</h2> Many merchants charge the same rate for all their card payments and some fail to alert customers to the extra fee before accepting the payment at their terminal, which they are required to do. Indeed, even on a receipt for payment, the surcharge can be described by the merchant as a “handling” or “merchant” fee. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/consumers/pricing/card-surcharges">(ACCC)</a> regulates surcharging and demands the merchant prove a surcharge is justified. Furthermore, the ACCC says if there is no way for a consumer to pay without paying a surcharge – that is, they can’t pay by cash or cheque – then the business must include the surcharge in <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/business/pricing/price-displays#toc-display-of-surcharges">the displayed price</a>. <h2>Penalties for misuse</h2> The ACCC can take merchants to court to enforce these regulations and there have been some examples of this in recent history. In July 2021, <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/nine-entertainment-pays-penalties-for-alleged-excessive-payment-surcharges#:%7E:text=The%20ACCC%20alleged%20that%20these,Deputy%20Chair%20Mick%20Keogh%20said.">Nine Entertainment paid penalties totalling $159,840</a>, plus $450,000 redressing customers, for charging subscribers and advertisers excessive surcharges. The ACCC specifies that the surcharge must not be more than it costs the merchant to use that payment type. As guidance to the merchants, it also offers <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/consumers/pricing/card-surcharges">the average costs for different payment types</a>: eftpos less than 0.5%, Mastercard and Visa Debit 0.5%–1% and Mastercard and Visa credit 1%–1.5%. However, despite the ACCC setting guidelines for the amounts that can be charged, many surcharges are above this guidance and in some cases more than 2.0% for all cards. Some merchants do charge different surcharging rates, depending on the cards they accept, be it eftpos, Mastercard or Visa. In theory, the surcharge rate is meant to be determined by the merchant service fee, which is negotiated between the merchant and their bank. Larger merchants, such as the supermarkets, department stores and energy companies, can negotiate low rates (reportedly as low as one cent a transaction). But smaller merchants with less negotiating clout will have higher service fees. The arrival of new payment players, such as <a href="https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/software/square-vs-stripe/">Square and Stripe</a>, has offered businesses an alternative banker of card payments, which can then use surcharging as part of their merchant service fees. <h2>Surcharging overseas</h2> The <a href="https://europa.eu/youreurope/business/finance-funding/making-receiving-payments/electronic-cash-payments/index_en.htm">European Union</a> already has a long-standing ban on surcharging, while in the United States, surcharging is illegal in some states. Other countries, including the United Kingdom, have tried surcharging on card payments, only to abandon them as it was rorted by some merchants and became an unnecessary expense for consumers. <a href="https://bluenotes.anz.com/posts/2023/07/anz-news-surcharge-steve-worthington-australia#:%7E:text=In%202018%20the%20UK%20Treasury,their%20hard%2Dearned%20money%E2%80%9D.">A statement</a> released by the UK Treasury when it banned the practice in 2018 described surcharges as <blockquote> Hidden charges for paying with a debit or credit card, which will help millions of UK consumers to avoid rip-off fees when spending their hard earned money. </blockquote> <h2>What can you do about it?</h2> Before surcharging was allowed by the Reserve Bank in January 2003, acceptance by merchants of payments was just another cost of doing business. And it seems many consumers have just accepted surcharges as part of their transactions. There are ways to avoid them, the most obvious being to use cash. Using eftpos involves charges, but they are less than those imposed on credit and debit cards. The Reserve Bank is working on implementing a so-called <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/payments-and-infrastructure/debit-cards/least-cost-routing/#:%7E:text=What%20is%20least%2Dcost%20routing,'merchant%2Dchoice%20routing'.">“least-cost routing”</a> system that defaults to the lowest cost network when processing payments. Unfortunately, this is yet to be widely adopted by businesses.<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/237964/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/steve-worthington-138">Steve Worthington</a>, Adjunct Professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/swinburne-university-of-technology-767">Swinburne University of Technology</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/surcharges-are-added-to-most-purchases-but-what-are-the-rules-behind-these-extra-fees-237964">original article</a>. </div>

Money & Banking

6 extra items to pack when travelling by yourself

Travelling alone can be a life changing experience, but it also requires a few extra precautions. Pack these six things to keep yourself safe. 1. Doorstop A simple wedge of wood or plastic can give you priceless peace of mind in a hotel room. Even if you lock the door, people might be able to break the lock or use a cloned key. A doorstop quickly and easily wedges it shut so you can sleep easy. If you want to go one step further, you can get special doorstop alarms that will emit a loud siren if anyone tries to force the door. 2. Extra lock There are endless uses for an extra padlock or bike lock-style cable. You can double up on your hotel door, secure your train carriage or ship cabin, double lock your suitcase or chain it to something sturdy. Compact, sturdy locks are relatively cheap and easy to carry with you, and will deter most thieves or intruders looking for an easy mark. 3. First aid kit If you don’t have a travel buddy to send down to the chemist, a simple first aid kit can be a lifesaver. Keep it stocked with band aids, basic bandages, pain killers, antibiotics, antihistamines and gastro meds, along with anything else you think will be useful. If you are really unwell, you’ll obviously need to see a doctor, but having the first line of defence within easy reach is always smart. 4. Whistle or personal alarm If you will be walking through unfamiliar cities at night (or even in the day), a whistle or personal alarm can give you a feeling of security. If anyone unsavoury approaches you, a loud noise will startle them and generally scare them off. It also draws the attention of other people and makes them aware of your predicament. 5. Small torch Never underestimate the power of a little light to make you feel safe. It’s great for finding your way through dark streets, looking for your keys in your bag or seeing the lock on your hotel door. You can get small lights that attach to a keychain or wallet and give out a surprisingly bright light. People are less likely to approach you if they feel they will be seen. 6. Fake wedding ring This one is for the ladies – in some countries an unmarried woman is seen as an easy target. Buying a cheap, fake wedding ring can give you a simple cover. Men may be less likely to approach you and, if they do, you can simply say your husband is in the next shop or waiting for you back at the hotel. Image credits: Shutterstock

Travel Tips

AusPost customer faces extra charge for using cash

As conversations continue about moving to a cashless society, an Australia Post customer was outraged after being slapped with a charge for using cash. Brisbane resident Gerrie Hoogland shared her outrage after hearing about the supposed cash charge through a friend, who claims they were charged $2.20 for wanting to use cash to pay a bill. Hoogland recounted the story on X, formerly known as Twitter, to share the story, while asking if anyone else had encountered anything similar. She wrote, “A friend of my husband’s went to pay a bill at the Post Office last week. He gave them $82.00 in cash and they said they would have to charge him $2.20 for using cash.” “He refused to pay it after telling them cash is legal tender, and then he left without paying the bill at all. Is anyone else hearing more of this?” A number of Aussies took to the comments to call out Australia Post for being “shady”, with some calling the fee a “scam” and a “disgrace”. However the outrage towards Australia Post may be misplaced. <a href="https://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/australia-post-customer-charged-220-for-using-cash---but-is-the-outrage-warranted-025519571.html">Yahoo Finance</a> has contacted the national postal service and understands the fee is set by individual billers, rather than Australia Post themselves. The fee relates to bills paid in person at an Australia Post outlet via Post Billpay and can apply to both cash and card transactions, and whether or not the fee is passed onto the customer will depend on the individual biller. In recent years, a number of billers charge an additional payment fee for bills paid in person, with some notable examples include telcos Telstra, Optus and Vodafone. Image credits: Shutterstock

Money & Banking

Obese woman sparks debate for not giving up extra seat for toddler

An obese woman has sparked debate online after refusing to give up the second seat she paid for to a fussy toddler. The 34-year-old booked the two seats for her cross-country flight to visit her family for Christmas because she was previously unable to comfortably fit in one seat. All was well until the young woman next to her demanded that she "squeeze into one seat" so her son could sit on the other. "I am obese," she admitted on the Reddit thread. "I'm actively working toward losing weight and I've made progress - but I booked an extra seat because I'm fat." She added that she insisted on keeping her seat because she paid for it, but the mum "made a big fuss over it, and she told the flight attendant I was stealing the seat from her son." "Then I showed her my boarding passes, proving that I paid for the extra seat. The flight attendant asked me if I could try to squeeze in, but I said no, that I wanted the extra seat I paid for." The woman claimed that the toddler was only 18 months old, so he didn't need his own seat and could've sat on his mum's lap for the duration of the flight. "I got dirty looks and passive-aggressive remarks from her for the entire flight and I do feel a little bad because the boy looked hard to control - but am I in the wrong?" she asked other social media users. Many shared their overwhelming support for the woman and slammed the mum and flight attendant for their "horrific" behaviour. "The mum is an a**hole for not buying a seat for her son and assuming someone else would give up a seat they paid for. Odds are she was hoping there'd be extra seats on the flight so she didn't have to pay and used the lap thing as a loophole," one commented. "What's even the point of the extra seat if the flight attendants are going to let entitled people bully others into giving it up?" another added. "People buy entire seats for high-end musical equipment. Not even people. Their lack of planning does not constitute an emergency on your part," a third wrote. However, there were a few others that said the woman was in the wrong for causing an inconvenience. "If you are so fat that you have to have more than one seat on an airplane then you are selfish," one said. "Flights overbook all the time especially during the holidays - how can you justify having two seats to yourself?" "How much room does a kid take up, seriously? Yeah the mum should've bought a seat but that doesn't mean you have to be selfish and cause two people discomfort," another commented. Image: Getty

Travel Trouble

Parents leave baby at airport counter after refusing to buy extra ticket

A couple were checking in for a flight from Ben Gurion International Airport to Brussels, Belgium on Tuesday when they made the decision to leave their baby behind. Upon their arrival at the airport check-in desk in Tel Aviv, Israel, it was revealed that the baby did not have a ticket. Rather than address the situation and ensure their child’s safe travel, the pair opted to proceed to security without their stroller and its young occupant. The airline they were flying with, Ryanair, state on their website that "infants can be included in a flight reservation during the online booking process." Following their process for booking with an infant, a message will pop-up to let travellers know there is a €25 charge (approximately $39) for each one-way flight the baby participates in from an adult’s lap. If the adults want the baby to travel in a seat of its own with the proper equipment, a seat must be paid for. The parents, apparently, had not made such arrangements for their baby. The matter was referred to officials, as confirmed by a Ryanair spokeswoman. "These passengers travelling from Tel Aviv to Brussels presented at check-in without a booking for their infant,” she told CNN, “they then proceeded to security leaving the infant behind at check-in. "The check-in agent at Ben Gurion Airport contacted Airport Security, who retrieved these passengers, and this is now a matter for local police." Reports of the situation were confirmed by the Israeli Airport Authority, who provided a statement to CNN and offered some more information into what went on. "A couple and an infant with Belgian passports arrived for a flight at Terminal 1 without a ticket for the baby,” it read. “The couple also arrived late for the flight, once the check-in for the flight was closed. The couple left the infant seat with the baby and ran toward the security checks at Terminal 1 in an attempt to reach the boarding gate for the flight." A video allegedly from the airport at the time, staff can be heard expressing their sadness for the child. Another woman exclaims, “she left him there, I swear!” Ryanair staff also voiced their shock over the incident, telling N12, “we’re never seen anything like it.” Despite reports that the parents were detained, an Israel Police spokesman told CNN that the matter appeared to have been resolved by the time law enforcement arrived on the scene, stating that "the baby was with the parents and there's no further investigation." Images: Getty

Travel Trouble

Unpaid and unequal: women’s extra workload affects mental wellbeing

Women do the bulk of unpaid domestic work globally and the added burden has an impact on their mental health – but surprisingly there’s little independent empirical research about this. Now, there is data, which shows the double burden of paid and unpaid work results in increased depressive or psychological distress for women as unpaid labour increases. Researchers at the University of Melbourne reviewed the evidence for the gendered nature of unpaid work and consequences for mental health among employed adults, <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(22)00160-8/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">publishing</a> their results in Lancet Public Health. Public health researcher and lead author, Jen Ervin, says the research showed women were uniformly doing more unpaid work across every geographical and time setting. “What our review tells us is that, in addition to the economic penalty women experience carrying out most of the world’s unpaid labour load, there is a troubling mental health cost as well,” she says. While further research is needed, Ervin says the most widely acknowledged explanation for the impact on mental health is that the combined paid and unpaid workload triggers stress-related pathways. It also reduces time for activities known to be protective for mental health such as sleep, leisure and physical activity. The findings won’t come as a surprise to many, especially women, she says. Indeed. The study follows <a href="https://findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au/news/47524-yet-again--the-census-shows-women-are-doing-more-housework.-now-is-the-time-to-invest-in-interventions" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">census data</a> confirming (once again) that Australian women do more hours of unpaid housework than men. And <a href="https://cew.org.au/2022-cew-census-an-urgent-wakeup-call-ceo-gender-balance-100-years-away/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">another report</a> this week commissioned by Chief Executive Women indicating caring responsibilities in the pandemic held back progress on women’s workforce participation and leadership. For what seems like an intractable problem, what can be done to change things? Ervin says, “we believe that policies such as universal childcare and normalising flexible working arrangements and extended paternity leave for men can help in shifting the dial and driving greater gender equality in the division of unpaid labour and unpaid care. <div class="newsletter-box"> <div id="wpcf7-f6-p205326-o1" class="wpcf7" dir="ltr" lang="en-US" role="form"> <form class="wpcf7-form mailchimp-ext-0.5.62 spai-bg-prepared init" action="/health/womens-unpaid-work-and-mental-health/#wpcf7-f6-p205326-o1" method="post" novalidate="novalidate" data-status="init"> <input class="wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-text referer-page" name="referer-page" type="hidden" value="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/" data-value="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/" aria-invalid="false" /> </form> </div> </div> “Some of these measures will also aid and facilitate the harder task of shifting some of the outdated attitudes and beliefs around labour division.” It’s important to note many men are taking a more active role in childcare and housework. But men can be limited in doing so by factors such as inflexible workplace arrangements or social stigma, she says. The University of Melbourne research focussed on employed adults, the ‘double burden’ effect of combining paid work with unpaid work, and how this subsequently creates issues of overload and time poverty. It found substantial gender differences. Of the 14 studies reviewed for the article – totalling more than 66,800 participants worldwide – five examined unpaid labour (inclusive of care), nine examined housework time and, of these, four also examined childcare. Overall, in 11 of the 14 studies, women self-reported increased depressive or psychological distress symptoms with increasing unpaid labour demands. For men, only three out of a possible 12 studies reported any negative association. An aspect not captured in the current review, Ervin says, is the difference in the gendered allocation of household tasks. For example, men often do less-time-sensitive outdoor or maintenance tasks such as mowing the lawn or cleaning the gutters. These jobs aren’t as time-pressured as feeding a hungry child or driving them to an appointment. And while more difficult to measure, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13668803.2021.2002813?journalCode=ccwf20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">other research</a> shows women are also often carrying more of the mental load of household labour. Unfortunately, Australia is lagging behind many other countries when it comes to key gender equality indicators such as unpaid labour division, Ervin says. This week a <a href="https://cew.org.au/2022-cew-census-an-urgent-wakeup-call-ceo-gender-balance-100-years-away/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">report</a> commissioned by Chief Executive Women drew attention to the lack of progress made by Australia’s top companies in appointing women to leadership roles. The report, prepared by management consultants Bain & Company, says 73% of executive roles in ASX300 companies are held by men, and 85% of line management roles. The report says COVID-19 set back women’s workforce participation, as they took on the bulk of the increased caring responsibilities. This is consistent with <a href="https://findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au/news/47524-yet-again--the-census-shows-women-are-doing-more-housework.-now-is-the-time-to-invest-in-interventions" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">findings</a> from other University of Melbourne research showing the “catastrophic” impact of the pandemic on women’s lives, especially for mothers. Restrictions such as school closures and remote learning added to the domestic workload for everyone, but the gender gap remained. Women, more often than men, reduced their paid work to meet the increased demands. The Murdoch Children’s Research Institute also <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/mental-health-maternal-lockdown/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a> maternal wellbeing was profoundly impacted by the pandemic, finding a third of women experienced clinically significant mental health problems during Victoria’s second lockdown, with ongoing fatigue and parenting stress.  <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=205326&title=Unpaid+and+unequal%3A+women%26%238217%3Bs+extra+workload+affects+mental+wellbeing" width="1" height="1" />  <div id="contributors"> <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/womens-unpaid-work-and-mental-health/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/petra-stock" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Petra Stock</a>. Petra Stock has a degree in environmental engineering and a Masters in Journalism from University of Melbourne. She has previously worked as a climate and energy analyst. Image: Getty Images </div>

Mind

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial at 40 – a deep meditation on loneliness, and Spielberg’s most exhilarating film

40 years ago this month saw the release of Steven Spielberg’s <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083866/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial</a> – a film about a stranded alien, the boy called Elliott who discovers it and a bond of friendship that remains as magical and heartbreaking as it did back in 1982. We think of Spielberg movies today as thrilling roller-coaster rides, full of sharks, dinosaurs and swashbuckling archaeologists. Yet for me, E.T. remains Spielberg’s most exhilarating work: a deep meditation on loneliness, friendship and growing up in small-town America. Aided by John Williams’s Oscar-winning score and Henry Thomas and Drew Barrymore’s touching performances, E.T. feels both of its time and for all time. As Spielberg <a href="https://www.contactmusic.com/pages/et2x21x03x02" target="_blank" rel="noopener">once said</a>: I think that E.T. is for the people we are, the people we have been and the people we want to be again. <h2>A child in need of a friend</h2> After the breathless trio of Jaws (1975), Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) and Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), Spielberg wanted to make a more intimate film about his isolated childhood in suburban Arizona <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/steven-spielberg-et-divorce-parents-anniversary-b2063879.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">as he came to terms</a> with the divorce of his parents. At the same time, he had commissioned a script about a suburban family terrorised by a group of aliens with one befriending the family’s son. The DNA of both stories would make their way into this film. Like Spielberg, Elliott is a loner. He’s not playing sport, or going out with girls or getting into trouble. He is introverted and thoughtful. And in need of company. One of Spielberg’s great underrated talents is his direction of children. Many of his films feature young children at their centre – think The BFG (2016), A.I. (2001) and War Horse (2011). In E.T., Henry Thomas and Drew Barrymore as brother and sister Elliott and Gertie bring credibility and pathos to their roles, fitting seamlessly into the southern Californian ‘burb culture recreated so fondly by the director. Spielberg’s grasp of childlike wonder is everywhere: notice how he shoots from the children’s eye level and shows adults only from the waist down. For the first time in his career, Spielberg rejected storyboards and <a href="https://ascmag.com/articles/spielberg-et-the-extraterrestrial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shot scenes chronologically</a>, allowing Thomas and Barrymore time and space to improvise. The domestic and school scenes (hiding E.T. from the mother, tempting it into the house with Reese’s Pieces, freeing frogs destined for dissection) all feel more real because of this. <h2>And what of our alien?</h2> Before E.T., Hollywood saw aliens as hostile critters intent on planetary carnage. The recent extra-terrestrials in Alien (1979) and The Thing (1982) had caused havoc and trauma. E.T. is different: partly modelled on the facial features of Albert Einstein, it is inquisitive, thoughtful, funny. In the delightful Halloween scene, Elliott throws a white sheet over it as a disguise, and E.T. suddenly spots a child dressed up as Yoda, excitedly repeating “Home! Home!”. From this moment, Hollywood realised the marketing potential of “cute aliens”; whether Ewoks, Grogu or Toy Story’s “Little Green Men”. It is small wonder that Variety <a href="https://variety.com/1982/film/reviews/e-t-the-extra-terrestrial-1200425287/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">praised</a> E.T. as the “best Disney film Disney never made”. The alien plays another role too: it fills the void of the absent father. Paternal lack and the strains it places on families is a familiar trope in Spielberg’s films, from Jurassic Park (1993) to Catch Me If You Can (2002) to Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989). All we know is that Elliott’s father is “in Mexico, with Sally”: left behind is a stressed mother and bickering siblings. Some contend that E.T. is a <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/4239568?seq=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">modern-day fairy tale</a> or <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1982/08/15/movies/l-film-mailbag-is-et-a-religious-parable-073792.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a Christian parable</a>. For others, it is an illustration of “<a href="https://edoc.hu-berlin.de/bitstream/handle/18452/23096/9783631837801%20%E2%80%93%20Echoes%20of%20Reaganism%20in%20Hollywood%20Blockbuster%20Movies%20from%20the%201980s%20to%20the%202010s.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reaganite entertainment</a>”, upholding the sanctity of the nuclear family but distrustful of bureaucratic interference and governmental surveillance. <h2>Spielberg at his best</h2> E.T. earned US$800 million at the box office. Adjusted for inflation, four decades on, that is still the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_highest-grossing_films_in_the_United_States_and_Canada#Adjusted_for_ticket-price_inflation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fourth highest grossing</a> movie ever. For some naysayers, its success was further evidence of the special effects-laden, high-concept spectacle film that was beginning to reign in mainstream film culture. But I think E.T. is much more than that: it is a movie with a heart. The special effects are minimal. What counts is the story, and the boy and his friend. Spielberg’s films are to this day <a href="https://www.indiewire.com/2011/12/critics-notebook-putting-steven-spielberg-on-trial-50244/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">criticised</a> as mawkish and overly sentimental, deliberately engineered to cynically manipulate our emotions. Not so in E.T.: the pleasure is genuine and the tears are earned. E.T. became a pop culture phenomenon. The shot of Elliott and E.T. on a bike, flying across the moon, remains an iconic image. “Phone home” has become part of our lexicon. Its message of peaceful coexistence between creatures from different worlds today seems more appropriate than ever. Aliens stranded on earth are a staple of contemporary cinema, from Under the Skin (2013) to The Iron Giant (1999). And Netflix’s current global hit Stranger Things contains a treasure trove of E.T.’s visual references. Spielberg may have made bigger, louder films, and more historically profound ones, but E.T. endures as his best. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/e-t-the-extra-terrestrial-at-40-a-deep-meditation-on-loneliness-and-spielbergs-most-exhilarating-film-183985" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Movies

Bride charges extra for uninvited guests - but there's a catch

A bride has shared on a popular Reddit forum that she charged one of her wedding guests for bringing two uninvited children to the reception. "It was a small wedding at a small venue that has a strict capacity due to fire codes," the bride explained the reasoning as to why the guest list was strictly kept to invitees only. "One of my guests showed up with her two children, who were not invited, not in the RSVP, and obviously not in the seating chart." "She came in, decided to seat them at her table, taking away the spots of my other guests who were actually invited," the bride continued. "A small commotion broke out when she refused to give those seats back, and the venue manager noticed and said that we'd be charged a fine for exceeding capacity, as stated in the contract." The bride says when she got the bill for the reception, which included the costs of the uninvited children, she sent it to the guest and asked that she pay. "She claimed that it is not her fault, and that I should have factored in unforeseen charges when budgeting for my wedding," the bride said of the guest's response. "And she couldn't find a babysitter, so she had no choice, and that I should be grateful she took the effort to attend my wedding anyway." Reddit users quickly sided with the bride, but there were some responses that had added nuances. "Your ex-friend is [the asshole]. Drop her like a hot potato," one user declared. "She definitely had a choice – she could have stayed home with her two kids. There shouldn't be unforeseen charges at a wedding, especially not ones involving people that were NOT invited. One user, however, said the bride had some responsibility for how the situation played out. "You should have kicked her out when she showed up with [plus two]," they wrote. "You let one guest take two other guests' seats. When a 'commotion' started, you should have booted her and the kids." Image: Getty

Relationships

Are you ready for a bit of extra pocket money?

Millions of Aussies will receive a bit of extra pocket money to help combat the rising cost of living. With the cost of petrol now sitting at $2.40 a litre, and fruit and vegetables having soared in price - Aussies are really struggling. As of March 21, singles under the age, disability support and carer payments scheme will receive an extra $20.10 a fortnight, adding up to $987.60. Couples under the same payments will receive an extra $30.20 a fortnight, adding up to $1,488.00. Senior Australians will also be able to access part of their pension earlier on as the asset test limit increases. For a single homeowner, it has increased by $6,750 to $599,750 and for a couple it has gone up by $10,000 to $901,500. Single Jobseeker recipients will receive a $13.20 jump in their pay up to $629.50, while those under Parenting Payment Singles scheme will get an extra $18.20 to $874.10. Help for renters will also be increased to $145.80 for singles a fortnight and $193.62 for families. Social Services Minister Anne Ruston described the 2.1 per cent increase to pension payments as the largest since 2013. “It gives us a higher weighting to fuel and transport costs in recognition of their significance to pensioners, which helps ensure the rate of the age pension maintains senior Australians’ purchasing power in the economy,” she said. Labor Leader Anthony Albanese however slammed the Federal Government for being out of touch and claiming the increase would help. “This government is so out of touch that they’re prepared to spin out there saying how well pensioners are going to be off,” he said. “When they get to the supermarket to buy products they find that everything‘s gone up. “The rise in the pension will not keep up with the costs of living. Pensioners are doing it really tough at the moment.” Image: Shutterstock

Money & Banking

Why dogs often need extra magnesium

It’s well-known that dogs need all the vitamins and minerals we do and one of the key nutrients is magnesium because a lack of it can cause all sorts of symptoms in dogs - in fact every time your pet moves a muscle, experiences a heartbeat or has a thought, magnesium is needed to help them achieve this. It’s little wonder many of our pets are deficient in magnesium because they share the same deficiencies as their human masters. Magnesium is very very depleted in the foods we eat these days, especially when processed. We live in a fast-food world of packets and tins, where you can bet that this type of food provides little or no magnesium benefit. <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="/nothing.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/4ebccce85d434292a659825f62146daa" />Even fresh produce can be lower in magnesium than it should be simply because the soils have become depleted of magnesium. You only have to add to this the fact that we humans and our animals lose more magnesium when we’re under stress and you can see why magnesium deficiency is very common. Many vets are aware of the importance of magnesium: <a href="https://www.shailenjasani.com/about-me/">Shailen Jasani</a> is a veterinary surgeon specialising in Emergency and Critical Care in the UK. He says magnesium can be used as a medication with an escalating role in critical care medicine, and: “Magnesium plays a pivotal role in cellular energy production and cell-specific functions in every organ of the body.” <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="/nothing.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/85906281a5614ccabe340ad9dba28740" /><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844389/dog-magnesium-7-um.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/85906281a5614ccabe340ad9dba28740" /> Some symptoms of magnesium deficiency in dogs are: <ul> <li>Muscle weakness or trembling</li> <li>Hyperactive or improperly triggered reflexes</li> <li>Difficulty walking</li> <li>Muscle pain</li> <li>Heart arrhythmia</li> <li>Lethargy or abnormal behaviour</li> <li>Constant scratching or itching</li> <li>Difficulty sleeping</li> </ul> Causes of magnesium deficiency in dogs: <ul> <li>Excessive stress, trauma or injury</li> <li>Chemical and toxic exposures</li> <li>Malnutrition</li> <li>Diabetes</li> <li>Kidney damage</li> <li>Treatment with diuretics</li> <li>Digestion problems and disease inhibiting absorption of nutrients</li> </ul> <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="/nothing.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/c55421473c194494a9d4b17c12776f85" />More serious symptoms of heart arrhythmia: If you feel your dog is showing signs of magnesium deficiency, this should be checked out quickly to avoid serious problems. Take your dog to the vet and they’ll listen to your dog’s heart. If any abnormality is detected they’ll probably order an ECG. An ECG is a medical device which displays the patterns of your dog’s heartbeat on a screen using terminals taped to your dog’s chest. This is a simple machine and most vets have one. The classic signs of low magnesium are prolonged PR intervals, widened QRS complexes, depressed ST segments and peaked T-waves. Lower magnesium levels are also associated with hyperactivity, anxiety and agitation. You can tell if this applies to your dog if it’s hard for your dog to relax and calm down. Other minerals are also affected by magnesium deficiency in dogs Sure, there are other electrolyte minerals required by both humans and dogs. We need sodium, potassium and calcium as well, but these are all dependent to some degree on the action of the magnesium because magnesium underpins and leverages their effect. The main electrolyte team in addition to magnesium – sodium, potassium and calcium – is necessary for some very important functions, including muscle movement, proper heart function and nervous system signalling. For example, if you or your dog have plenty of magnesium, your body doesn’t need quite as much calcium to get the calcium jobs done because magnesium organises and controls calcium’s use in the body. It turns out magnesium is the ‘Master Mineral’ electrolyte regulator in the electrical system. If it drops too low, calcium can cause a lot of havoc as free calcium depositing where it shouldn’t, or over-stimulating muscle cells. Therefore, as magnesium drops lower, it can lead to the other three minerals losing effect. Studies have shown potassium suffers when magnesium is too low, as we can lose too much potassium due to membrane ‘leakiness’ when magnesium is deficient. If you lose too much potassium from inside the cell it can cause heart attacks. The potential knock-on effects are muscle weakness and tremors, as well as heart arrhythmias. As these issues escalate, they can become fatal. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.40454995054404px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844390/dog-magnesium-6-um.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/c55421473c194494a9d4b17c12776f85" /><img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="/nothing.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/9af68fa91aa74ea2b77b8d6ace500442" /> What does all of this mean for your dog? People who own racing dogs have seen how much magnesium helps. They often apply magnesium oil to the legs of their dogs so they can recover better from their events. Without the extra magnesium the dogs develop intense and involuntary muscle tremors and spasms. This is also a helpful strategy for all athletes who undertake extreme sports and gruelling training. If your dog is behaving strangely and seems to be in pain or having trouble walking, take your pet to a vet straight away so they can check exactly what’s happening. Sometimes it might be a toxin from a tick or snake bite which is causing these issues, because these types of toxins block the electrical system. Magnesium deficiency is something which tends to grow over time. You’ll be able to notice symptoms creeping in slowly, and escalating if left untreated. If you’re worried about your dog’s health because he/she is behaving strangely with symptoms like sensitivity to stress or noises, anxiety, muscle weakness and changes to gait, or skin issues with constant scratching not due to fleas, then your vet will likely order a blood electrolyte test. This measures the amount of minerals such as magnesium, potassium, calcium and sodium in your pet’s blood, in addition to some other common electrolytes. So, once you’ve done this you’ll be able to see what your dog is low in. Treatment of magnesium deficiency in dogs If you’re feeding your dog with a variety of fresh food, but suspect magnesium deficiency (perhaps due to stress or exertion), then you can test this by applying magnesium as a magnesium spray, lotion or cream on the underbelly or legs – wherever you can get it past the fur to the skin. Avoid application of the cream to broken skin as it may sting, but rather apply to surrounding area. Apply regularly every day until the inflammation subsides. You can also add food grade magnesium chloride flakes to your dog’s drinking water every day. You can make these changes and then check to see if the symptoms they’ve been showing tend to ease. Or you can use a transdermal magnesium cream and find a way to rub this on your dog’s skin. Dogs usually love a massage so just rub in one or two teaspoons of <a href="https://www.elektramagnesium.com.au/shop/magnesium-pet-cream-50g-jar/">Magnesium Cream for Dogs</a> (Pet Cream). If your dog has developed magnesium deficiency, it’s best to keep applying the cream regularly, as well as adding the <a href="https://www.elektramagnesium.com.au/shop/magnesium-flakes/">Magnesium Chloride Flakes</a> to their drinking water, to prevent the magnesium deficiency symptoms from coming back. Images: Shutterstock

Family & Pets

Sylvia Jeffreys returns to Today Extra

Sylvia Jeffreys has made a triumphant return to co-hosting Today Extra. After spending time away on maternity leave, Sylvia was welcomed back on Monday morning by Today host, and her brother in law, Karl Stefanovic. "Today is a big day on Today Extra - Sylvia Jeffreys is back everyone". Sylvia said she felt elated to be back at work alongside her co-host David Campbell. "I've had a long shower and a hot coffee so it's basically my birthday," she said, before joking she was "free as a bird". "I'm feeling very good and all the better for seeing all your beautiful faces in real life this morning. "And I'm never going home again. It's too nice wearing make-up." <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/COo_6guL1CZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/COo_6guL1CZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Sylvia Jeffreys (@sylviajeffreys)</a> </div> </blockquote> Sylvia went on maternity leave in March, as she and her husband Pete Stefanovic welcome their second child in April. Henry George became the newest member of the family, alongside big brother Oscar who was born in February 2020. Sylvia shared the news of Henry's birth to her 260,000 Instagram followers, just days after celebrating her four year wedding anniversary with Pete. The two journalists got married in a stunning outdoor ceremony held at the exclusive Ooralba Estate New South Wales’ picturesque Kangaroo Valley in 2017. Image credit: Getty Images

"Holy guacamole!!": Today Extra host tries avocado hack that REALLY works

<div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> A DIY avocado hack that's gone viral on TikTok really works, according to Today Extra co-host Belinda Russell. The hack shows a really fast and smooth way to remove an avocado seed. "Holy guacamole!! Saw this hack a few months ago and I finally got to "avo-go" to see if it works. 🥑🤯" she captioned the video. "I saw this on TikTok about a month ago, and I haven't tried it out yet, so let's give this a go," the 43-year-old says in the beginning of the video as she picks up half of an avocado with a seed in it. <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/reel/CRghPGODpg0/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CRghPGODpg0/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Belinda Russell (@belinda.russell)</a> </div> </blockquote> According to Russell, instead of using a knife, you put your index finger and middle finger in a V-like shape under the seed while cupping the back of the avocado with your thumb. Once you apply pressure to the seed, it should "pop" out. Many were impressed that the hack actually worked and appreciated the how-to video (which broke down the "pop" of the seed in slow motion). "Oh my, where have you been all my life. I'd have 10 fingers otherwise", one commenter joked. </div>

Food & Wine

Coronavirus supplement: your guide to the Australian payments that will go to the extra million on welfare

On Sunday, the government announced a <a href="https://treasury.gov.au/coronavirus">second</a> coronavirus economic package. In addition to further one-off payments, the package includes some of the most significant changes to social security payments Australia has ever seen, even if only on a temporary basis. The <a href="https://twitter.com/AlboMP/status/1242242080400793600">amendments</a> passed by parliament on Monday night expand them further. The package effectively doubles rates of JobSeeker Payment for most people without children. The maximum rate for a single recipient without dependants is currently A$565.70 per fortnight. Lone parents and those over 60 who have been on benefit for nine months or more currently get more, while members of couples each get somewhat less. For the six months from April 27 the government will boost it by A$550 per fortnight through a special time-limited <a href="https://treasury.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-03/Fact_sheet-Income_Support_for_Individuals.pdf">Coronavirus Supplement</a>. Importantly, the extra $550 will go to all current recipients, including those who get less than $565.70 because they have assets or are in part-time work. It will also go to both existing and new recipients of the Youth Allowance JobSeeker Payment, Parenting Payment, Farm Household Allowance and Special Benefit. Thanks to Monday night’s <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/federal-parliament-passes-coronavirus-economic-stimulus-package-20200323-p54d73.html">amendments</a>, it will now also go to <a href="https://www.anneruston.com.au/supporting_students_through_the_effects_of_coronavirus">full-time students receiving Abstudy, Austudy and Youth Allowance for Students</a>. There are also <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/coronavirus-stranded-visa-hold%20ers-thrown-welfare-lifeline-and-extended-stay/news-story/5697ef9768c61255afa9330adcb10994">reports</a> that special payments (and the Coronavirus Supplement) will be made available to temporary visa holders who lose their jobs or suffer significant financial hardship because of the coronavirus. In addition, the government will no longer need legislation to make further changes to settings, giving the Social Services minister unprecedented powers. This will give the government the ability to respond flexibly as circumstances change. One million now, an extra million soon Roughly 1.3 million existing recipients will receive the supplement, including the 200,000 or so students added on Monday. To them will be added as many as <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Hansard/Hansard_Display?bid=chamber/hansardr/bead2837-76c9-4ce9-952b-eafe8e2d614f/&sid=0045">one million more</a>, who are not currently receiving the JobSeeker or any other payment. Among them will be permanent employees who are stood down or lose their jobs, sole traders, the self-employed, casual workers and contract workers who find themselves meeting the benefit income tests as a result of the coronavirus. Included are people required to care for people who are affected by the coronavirus. Accelerated processing The assets test for JobSeeker Payment, Youth Allowance Jobseeker and Parenting Payment will be waived for the duration of the Coronavirus Supplement. In addition, the normal one week waiting period will be waived, as will the liquid assets test waiting period (which can be up to 13 weeks). People already in this waiting period will be given immediate access to payments. It is also important that the Coronavirus Supplement will be paid automatically. Current recipients will receive the full $550 on top of their regular payment without asking for it. Services Australia is putting on an extra 5,000 staff to deal with the inflow of new claimants and <a href="https://treasury.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-03/Fact_sheet-Income_Support_for_Individuals.pdf">accelerating claim process</a>. Australia moves up the ranks These changes will significantly boost the adequacy of working age social security payments in Australia – at least temporarily. This chart shows where Australia sat in 2019 compared to other members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development on replacement rates – the percentage of previous after-tax earnings that an unemployment payment provided to a single unemployed worker who had previously been on two-thirds of the average wage. Australia is coloured red, and is at the bottom of the pack. A <a href="https://insidestory.org.au/social-protection-and-the-viral-recession/">number of countries</a> have boosted their payments, at least temporarily, in response to the coronavirus. The chart below shows where Australia and New Zealand and France sit now, compared to the 2019 replacement rates of other countries. Australia is again coloured red, but has climbed toward the middle of the pack. The charts show that Australia’ short-term earnings replacement rate climbs from 38% to 68%, because the base rate nearly doubles while rent assistance stays the same. Replacement rates will be lower for higher income workers who lose their jobs and higher for part-time workers and casuals. It is worth noting that other countries are adopting approaches that differ in where support is being targeted. Denmark, for example, is providing a direct wage supplement to employers of 75% of wages up to a ceiling, on the condition that they do not lay off workers. This is actually less than the current replacement rate of 84% in Denmark, but if it is successful it would effectively mean that Danish workers would continue to receive their normal salary (a 100% “replacement rate”). It remains to be seen whether that strategy works. Improvements on delivery The government has indicated that the stimulus package is “scalable”, meaning that it is possible to increase the amounts even further and to extend their duration. And the government has already fixed some gaps in its initial plan relating to students and newly arrived residents and temporary visa holders. Permanent residents will be eligible for assistance immediately and not subject to current waiting periods - which can be up to four years. Without extending benefits to temporary visa holders we would have had what academics <a href="https://insidestory.org.au/of-visas-and-viruses/">Henry Sherrell and Peter Mares</a> warned would be hundreds of thousands of people who are suddenly unemployed, without access to welfare, and without a method to return to their country of citizenship. The provisions of the special benefit that will be available to temporary visa holders <a href="https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/individuals/services/centrelink/special-benefit/who-can-get-it#a1">define</a> severe financial hardship as earning less than the highest special benefit fortnightly payment, being unable to improve that financial position and having limited savings. There is another group whose status should be clarified urgently - that is people who have applied for permanent residence and are still in that application process. There is a case for treating them as if they had already become permanent residents rather than temporary workers. The ‘benefit cliff’ remains A remaining downside with potentially big unintended consequences is the legislated proposal doesn’t yet adjust the spouse income test, excluding many couples where one earner loses their job and leading to a perverse and undesirable “benefit cliff”. If the recipient’s spouse is working and not receiving a Jobseeker or equivalent payment, then the JobSeeker payment will be reduced by <a href="https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/individuals/topics/income-test-jobseeker-payment-partner-allowance-and-widow-allowance/29411">60 cents for every dollar the partner earns over $994 per fortnight</a>. This means that the recipient can receive some JobSeekers Payment – and hence the full $550 per fortnight Coronavirus supplement - until the working partner’s income reaches $1,844 per fortnight. At that point they face the <a href="https://theconversation.com/getting-poorer-while-working-harder-the-cliff-effect-113422">“benefit cliff”</a>. If the working partner has an income of $1840 per fortnight, the recipient gets the full supplement of $550 per fortnight, but if the worker has an income of $1850 a fortnight, the recipient gets nothing. The same cliff faces single people, as well. But this partner income threshold of $1850 per fortnight ($925/week) is right in the middle of the Australian income distribution. We calculate that, among two-earner couples aged 25-54, of the primary earners who lose their job, about half will get the Coronavirus Supplement, while of the secondary earners, only somewhere between a quarter and a third will get it. (These are rough estimates based on Bureau of Statistics income survey estimates of the personal income distributions). Given that in most couples the secondary earner is female, the different treatment has the potential to discriminate against women. One way to eliminate the cliff would be to integrate the Coronavirus Supplement more properly into the income support system, so that people with spouse income above these cutoffs would continue to receive a reduced payment. The government has asked for power to fix this issue via regulation, but has not yet announced how it will address it. The scale of the challenge An extra <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Hansard/Hansard_Display?bid=chamber/hansardr/bead2837-76c9-4ce9-952b-eafe8e2d614f/&sid=0045">one million</a> recipients (the treasurer’s estimate) would mean that the share of the working age population receiving income support climbed from 14.2% to 18.7%, an increase of 4.5 percentage points, which is bigger than the 3.5 and 3.8 percentage point increases during Australia’s two previous post-war recessions in the early 1980s and early 1990s. In both of these earlier recessions, the unemployment rate shot up from under 7% to near 10% or higher within a year. The current increase will take place in the next six months, rather than over a full year. Not all the effect will directly be in the unemployment rate. Some will be in the non-participation rate as people decide to neither work nor look for work. The best measure to watch to track the labour market will be the reduction in hours worked. International experience also suggests that it will be substantial. <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-20/canada-sees-500-000-employment-insurance-applications-this-week">Service Canada</a> is reported to have received more than 500,000 applications for Employment Insurance in the past week, 20 times the number recorded in the same week a year ago and equivalent to about 2.5% of the labour force. Similar trends have appeared in the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/grogonomics/2020/mar/24/when-it-comes-to-unemployment-in-australia-definitions-have-been-broken">United States</a>. In Australia, we are already seeing the payment system struggling under <a href="https://twitter.com/ServicesGovAU/status/1242225599835516929?s=20">the load of new applications</a>. Ultimately, the key goal of our economic response to the coronavirus must be to share the economic costs. The government has made an excellent start in the package announced on Sunday and extended on Monday. But we have to be prepared to ramp it up and expand support so that everyone living in Australia is adequately supported and the burden of the crisis is shared fairly. Written by Peter Whiteford and Bruce Bradbury. Republished with <a href="https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-supplement-your-guide-to-the-australian-payments-that-will-go-to-the-extra-million-on-welfare-134358">The Conversation.</a>

Retirement Life

Why the extra cost of ‘buy now, pay later’ is still enticing

Zip Co’s “buy now, pay later” service is fast becoming a ubiquitous payment option in Australia. Retailers from Bunnings and Best & Less to Target and Tigerair offer it. All up, the company now boasts 10,000 retail partners and more than <a href="http://zipmoneylimited.com.au/files/Credit_and_financial_services_targeted_at_Australians_at_risk_of_financial_hardship_Public%20Final.pdf">850,000 customers</a>. It’s part of the phenomenal upsurge of “buy now pay later” services. In the past three years, according to Australia’s corporate watchdog, the number of Australians using such services has jumped from 400,000 to 2 million. Their rising popularity has to do with technology making electronic payments easier and more secure, more online shopping, increasing distrust of banks and younger people shying away <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com.au/afterpay-success-fintech-secrets-millennials-2018-10">from credit card use</a>. But the way a service like Zip operates has consumer advocates worried. Zip says it <a href="https://help.zip.co/en/articles/20-will-you-run-a-credit-check-as-part-of-my-application">may do a credit check</a> before approving an application, but its business model means it can avoid the responsible lending requirements of the <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00053">National Consumer Credit Protection Act</a>. The potential it will entice those with low income and bad credit has attracted the scrutiny of the <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Economics/Creditfinancialservices">Senate inquiry into credit and financial services</a>. So let’s look at how Zip’s business model works, and why it is proving so popular. <h2>How Zip works</h2> Zip has two slightly different products: one offering credit more than $A1,000 is called Zip Money; the other offering credit up to $A1,000 is called Zip Pay. Let’s focus on Zip Pay as the company’s most popular and profitable service. Zip Pay is particularly convenient in that you can access credit at the point of purchase with minimum hassle and little delay. Its automated application process is quick. It says it may perform a credit check but there is no explicit income verification procedure. Zip Pay promotes itself as “interest-free”. It instead charges a flat fee of $6 a month on whatever is owed, and an additional $5 if the minimum monthly payment of $40 is not made on time. It also charges a 4% upfront fee to the retailer; that is, it pays the retailer A$960, then collects $1,000 from the customer. <h2>Implicit costs</h2> Despite the “interest-free” boast, Zip Pay’s $6 monthly fixed fee is in fact a quasi-interest charge, equivalent to paying 7.4% interest annually on a $1,000 debt. Because you still pay $6 even if you owe less than $1,000, the fee structure is also highly regressive. The less you owe, the greater the effective interest rate you pay. For example, if you owe $500, the $6 fee translates to a 15% annualised interest rate. If you owe $100, it equals an annual interest rate of more than 100%. <hr /> <iframe id="TsbIB" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/TsbIB/1/" height="400px" width="100%" style="border: none;" frameborder="0"></iframe> <hr /> This fact could encourage you to take advantage of the full $1,000 of credit, on the basis it doesn’t cost you any more in monthly charges. That might, of course, be Zip’s plan, because the more you owe the longer it may take you to pay the debt off. But if you feel confident you will have more money in the future than you have now, this easy credit option could be a highly attractive means to “manage” the disconnect between the things you want and when you can afford these. <h2>Theories and consequences</h2> If that’s the case, you fit the common profile, with <a href="https://download.asic.gov.au/media/4957540/rep600-published-07-dec-2018.pdf">90% of “buy now pay later” credit consumers</a> feeling the debt “helps” them better manage their finances. What makes individuals regard debt as manageable is of great interest to entrepreneurs and economists alike. It was Milton Friedman, winner of the 1976 Nobel Prize for economics, who first hypothesised that an individual’s spending habits were based not only on current income but also on anticipated future income. This idea, from his 1957 book <a href="https://www.nber.org/books/frie57-1">A Theory of the Consumption Function</a>, has become known as as the “permanent income hypothesis”. Typically those who are younger and well-educated have greater expectation that their income will increase over time, and will therefore be more inclined to borrow money to fund current consumption. This explains why almost a quarter of Zip customers are under the age of 24, and more than 60% are under 36. It also helps explain why items bought using Zip are mostly non-essential. By drilling down into the data behind the figures in Zip’s <a href="https://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20180928/pdf/43yrz8lys9lzvk.pdf">2018 annual report</a>, we know customers are using Zip to pay for fashion items, clothes and restaurant meals, rather than to pay energy bills or buy medicine. <hr /> <iframe id="1Wadd" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/1Wadd/3/" height="400px" width="100%" style="border: none;" frameborder="0"></iframe> <hr /> Easy access to credit also encourages individuals to take on more <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/2077863?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents">debt</a>. Not surprisingly, research by the <a href="https://download.asic.gov.au/media/4957540/rep600-published-07-dec-2018.pdf">Australian Securities and Investments Commission</a> shows the majority of “buy now pay later” users admit easy credit has led them to spend more money, with one in six reporting some negative impact as a result. These impacts include becoming overdrawn, borrowing money from family or friends, or using another loan provider to cover their debts. For savvy consumers confident they can manage their finances, willing to pay that quasi-interest rate to fund their immediate consumption desires, Zip’s service may make sense. But don’t get carried away by wishful thinking and overconfidence. Without financial discipline and proper budgeting, it’s an easy path to over-commitment and financial hardship. Written by Saurav Dutta, Head of School at the School of Accounting, Curtin University; Harjinder Singh, Senior lecturer, Curtin University, and Nigar Sultana, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Business and Law, Curtin University. Republished with permission of <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/how-zip-pay-works-and-why-the-extra-cost-of-buy-now-pay-later-is-still-enticing-110429" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.

Retirement Income

“Bit of extra protein!”: Sonia Kruger makes gross cooking confession

Sonia Kruger, co-host of Today Extra, confessed on Thursday that she gives her baking a secret kick. During a debate about whether it’s okay to drink expired milk, Kruger revealed that she used flour last week despite finding evidence that it was once a nest for beetles. She chuckled: “You know when you see a few little cobwebs on it and you think, ‘Oh, its got weevils’? But I still used it!” Kruger justified her choice by saying that after further inspecting the flour, she found that the insects had moved on. However, co-host Richard Wilkins remarked that she had just revealed that she couldn’t’ stomach off dairy but was more than happy to use flour that had evidence of beetles living in it. “Oh, so you're OK with weevils!” said Richard Wilkins, to which Sonia jokingly replied: 'It's got extra protein!' <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> Do you drink expired milk if it passes the 'smell test'? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/9Today?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#9Today</a> <a href="https://t.co/Iuww8WY2x9">pic.twitter.com/Iuww8WY2x9</a> — The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheTodayShow/status/1171942487461519360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 12, 2019</a></blockquote> The mother who started the debate admitted that she gave her children full cream milk that was two days past its use-by date. She insists it’s “perfectly fine”. Her opinion divided milk lovers, with some saying they rigorously follow the use-by date whereas others admitted they just see whether or not the milk pasts the “sniff test”.

Food & Wine

“Be extra vigilant”: One in four retirees losing $1,000 to credit card scams

People aged 65 and over have been urged to take precautions when banking online after a survey revealed that over one in four retirees have lost more than $1,000 to credit card frauds. A <a href="https://www.comparethemarket.com.au/">survey of 1,500 Australian credit card holders</a> by price comparison website comparethemarket.com.au found that 27 per cent of those aged 65 and above have lost a significant amount to scams. Baby boomers or those aged between 55 and 64 were the second most affected age group, with 22 per cent reporting upwards of $1,000 lost to skimming. Only 20 per cent of consumers aged 25-34 and 11 per cent of under 25s reported to facing the same issue. The poll also found that almost a third (32 per cent) of the retirees have tried to avoid using their card when shopping online. According to the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC), Aussies have lost a reported total of $3 million to online shopping scams so far this year. Money expert at comparethemarket.com.au Rod Attrill said older Australians are especially vulnerable to these types of cons due to difficulties in keeping up with the ever changing technology. “Especially for scammers online, this particular demographic are also perceived as having more accumulated wealth which makes them an attractive target when grabbing card details,” said Attrill. “This is why it’s vital for any consumer, old and young alike, to be extra vigilant anytime they use their credit card for online purchases or even when withdrawing money at an ATM. “If you suspect your financial details were stolen, you should alert your bank immediately for a better chance at recovering your money.”

Retirement Income

“You might need tissues for this”: David Campbell and Sonia Kruger break down in tears on Today Extra

They’re usually sporting bright smiles when hosting Nine’s Today Extra. But David Campbell and Sonia Kruger were reduced to tears after a heart wrenching segment on Tuesday morning’s episode. The pair were discussing the news of a young girl named Lola who received a heart transplant after the grieving mother of a deceased toddler had chosen to donate her son’s organs. “A little bit of a warning. You might need tissues for this next story,” said Sonia. The 53-year-old couldn’t help feeling emotional after she discovered that the mother, named Brooke, had tragically lost her two-year-old son Cash last year after a swimming pool accident. <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FUMNChildrens%2Fvideos%2F2350814818327373%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe> “Little Cash’s heart wound up being transplanted in then five-month-old Lola who had a disease which can lead to heart failure,” she said. Then, just as David was about to say something, he became so overwhelmed with grief that he was unable to finish his sentence. “This week Brooke met Lola for the first time and got a chance to listen to her son’s … heart … again,” said the father-of-three. After footage aired of the beautiful moment, the camera showed David and Sonia once again looking visibly upset. “Oh, boy,” said David as he wiped his tears away. “We’ll be right back,” said Sonia as she comforted her co-host. The 46-year-old has three kids of his own whom he shares with his wife Lisa Hewitt, nine-year-old son Leo, and four-year-old twins, Billy and Betty. Sonia and her husband Craig McPherson have a three-year-old daughter Maggie.

Caring

"She still has it!" Sonia Kruger flaunts her incredible legs in denim shorts on Today Extra

Sonia Kruger has channelled her inner cowgirl and opted for a pair of Daisy Duke-style shorts for a segment on Today Extra. The 54-year-old chose a double denim number with a button up shirt, cream cowboy boots and a matching hat. Photographed alongside co-host David Campbell, who was also rocking a double denim ensemble, the special snap was shared on the Today show Instagram page. “Howdy folks! DC and Son are dressed to the nines in their Canadian tuxedos for the great TODAY ‘Git Up’ Challenge!” read the caption. <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/B0UPtp9pXZv/" 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> <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/B0UPtp9pXZv/" target="_blank">Howdy folks! DC and Son are dressed to the nines in their Canadian tuxedos for the great TODAY ‘Git Up’ Challenge! 🤠 #9Today</a> <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/thetodayshow/" target="_blank"> thetodayshow</a> (@thetodayshow) on Jul 24, 2019 at 3:30pm PDT </div> </blockquote> Fans were shocked to see Sonia looking as svelte as ever, as they questioned “How fit is Sonia?” whilst admiring her outfit and incredible figure. The Voice host made sure she looked the part as she proved her dancing chops by kicking up her heels and getting involved in some line dancing with David. “Sonia still has the moves,” wrote one person. The TV personality credits her physique to regular gym sessions and her personal trainer. She also claims that having a positive outlook on life makes her retain her youth. “It’s that devil-may-care attitude that makes everyone look younger,” she told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.newidea.com.au/" target="_blank">New Idea</a> in 2010.

Body

Good news for pensioners: You could be set to receive an extra $3,875

If the federal government goes ahead with changes to asset testing, pensioners could be thousands of dollars better off. The federal government has been facing pressure from seniors’ groups and the opposition due to high rates for the pension. These deeming rates can be as high as 3.25 per cent, but the rate is highly dependent on an individual’s circumstances and the rates were last set in 2015. However, due to the Reserve Bank of Australia cutting the official cash rate five times to a new low of one per cent, this change is set to be benefiting seniors and their bottom line. Social Services Minister Anne Ruston said that the government is close to making a decision on lowering the deeming rate, according to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/pension-rates-pensioners-could-get-up-to-3875-boost-from-proposed-asset-test-changes-national-news/7c46840e-2146-4a26-bd18-61a4490b8176" target="_blank">9News</a>. "(I) have sought some pretty detailed advice which I'm considering and I'm consulting with my other cabinet colleagues," she told ABC radio today. "We will be making our decision imminently." While 75 per cent of pensioners aren’t impacted by this issue, the minister has acknowledged that the remaining 25 per cent that are impacted are impacted heavily by this decision. "There are about 627,000 people affected by this," she told the ABC. "Pensioners are really angry about this. They are furious and they've got every right to feel that way." At the moment, for single pensioners, the first $51,800 of financial assets are impacted by a rate of 1.75 per cent and then anything over that is impacted to earn 3.25 per cent. For couples, of which at least one receives a pension, the first 86,200 of combined financial assets has a deeming rate of 1.75 per cent and anything over $86,200 is deemed to earn 3.25 per cent.

Retirement Income

Dental tourism: Things to consider before going that extra mile for your smile

Australians spend up to <a href="https://www.racgp.org.au/afp/2015/januaryfebruary/medical-tourism/">A$300 million</a> each year on health-care costs abroad. As part of this phenomenon, each year <a href="https://www.choice.com.au/health-and-body/hospitals-and-medical-procedures/medical-treatments/articles/cosmetic-surgery-holidays">around 15,000 of us</a> are travelling overseas for cosmetic surgery tourism, including dental procedures. We don’t have firm numbers on exactly how much Australians spend on dental procedures. But we know for sure dental implants, crowns and bridges (prosthetic devices implanted to cover a damaged tooth or missing teeth), endodontics (such as root canal treatments) and other cosmetic dental procedures are becoming highly desirable. There has never been more pressure to have a straight, bright and white set of teeth. The rise of dental tourism Health-care tourism refers to people travelling overseas to undergo a medical or dental procedure. People travel for a range of dental procedures including having implants, crowns and bridges fitted, or for dentures, root canal treatment, fillings, veneers and teeth whitening. In Australia, <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/dental-oral-health/oral-health-and-dental-care-in-australia-2015/contents/cost-of-dental-care">three in ten people</a> have avoided visiting a dentist due to cost, while <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/dental-oral-health/oral-health-and-dental-care-in-australia-2015/contents/cost-of-dental-care">one in five</a> were unable to afford treatment recommended by a dentist. Dental care in Australia is <a href="https://chf.org.au/sites/default/files/health-voices-may12_web.pdf">not subsidised</a> for the majority of Australians, and <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports-statistics/health-conditions-disability-deaths/dental-oral-health/overview">about half</a> don’t have any private dental insurance, which makes the allure of dental tourism clear. Some companies offer all-inclusive packages for sun, sea and smiles, meaning you can receive dental care as part of your holiday. Dental treatment abroad including flights and luxury hotel accommodation is often still cheaper than some dental treatments at home. For Australians, the most popular destinations are countries in Southeast Asia such as Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. Patients who travel tend to be ordinary people with modest incomes. And, like medical tourism, a substantial part of overseas dental travel involves diaspora patients returning to their home country for more familiar (and cheaper) care. What are the risks? Dentistry, whether provided at home or abroad, is never risk-free. You might pay top dollar to see the best provider and still have something go wrong. The <a href="https://www.ada.org.au/Your-Dental-Health/Younger-Adults-18-30/Dental-Tourism">Australian Dental Association</a> advocates for patients to reconsider mixing holidays abroad with their oral health care. The association says the standards of dentistry overseas aren’t as good as in Australia and there could be issues with cleanliness and infection risk. While there are no strong population-based studies that prove overseas dental treatment leads to poor outcomes, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1834-7819.2010.01267.x">case studies</a> do exist. These have shown lack of accountability and regulation are the main issues with dental tourism, particularly when complications arise. Education, training and practice philosophies of overseas-trained dentists might be different to those of Australian-trained dentists. Dental education systems in a few major tourist destinations in Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent are facing several challenges in terms of rapid privatisation, quality and regulation. On the other side on the coin, Australia has also had <a href="https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/health-problems/up-to-10000-sydney-dental-patients-are-being-urged-to-get-blood-tests-for-hiv-hepatitis/news-story/9195b8da90deda723ac9093f2b66360e">reported cases</a> of poor infection control practices. Things to consider Whether you choose to have dental treatment overseas or in Australia, here are some things to consider: Have you had enough time to think about your treatment? If you have a plane to catch and a tight schedule, you need to be wary about being pressured into committing to treatments before you feel ready. Holidays come and go but the effects of dental treatment stick around for a lot longer. Have you been able to ask questions? Most dentists are really good at telling patients about treatments and different options. If you don’t feel you can ask questions, or that you are getting answers that satisfy your needs, you should be able to have a second opinion. Don’t be afraid to ask for one. What happens if things don’t work out? Dentistry is as much of an art as it is a science. No matter how skilled your dentist, sometimes things don’t go to plan or are more complex than first thought. It usually isn’t too much of a problem to put things right, but if you need to see a dentist again, is this going to be difficult? From dental tourism to transnational dental care In this era of globalisation, overseas travel for dental care seems unavoidable. On a positive note, increased international flows of patients are likely to stimulate debate and develop solutions to enable more effective and cheaper access to dental care in Australia. Host countries that benefit from dental tourism and have modified their clinical facilities for an international clientele may be encouraged to offer similar levels of quality care to local patients. Professional and patient regulation and other mechanisms (such as insurance) that are preserved for national interests will need to widen to include the concerns of overseas health-care travellers. Regional cooperation across countries where dental tourism occurs will need to be actively pursued. This includes streamlined support for understanding dental tourism such as the inflows and outflows of patients, types of treatments, care providers and after care. Better data on dental tourism are vital for tracing and explaining this phenomenon.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/102910/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Written by Madhan Balasubramanian, NHMRC Sidney Sax Research Fellow, University of Sydney and Alexander Holden, Lecturer in Dental Ethics, Law and Professionalism, University of Sydney. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/dental-tourism-things-to-consider-before-going-that-extra-mile-for-your-smile-102910">The Conversation</a>.

International Travel

Our Partners

Over 60

News

Shop

Catalogues

Contests

Entertainment

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Property

Games

Information

Keep up to date

Search

Surcharges are added to most purchases, but what are the rules behind these extra fees?

6 extra items to pack when travelling by yourself

AusPost customer faces extra charge for using cash

Obese woman sparks debate for not giving up extra seat for toddler

Parents leave baby at airport counter after refusing to buy extra ticket

Unpaid and unequal: women’s extra workload affects mental wellbeing

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial at 40 – a deep meditation on loneliness, and Spielberg’s most exhilarating film

Bride charges extra for uninvited guests - but there's a catch

Are you ready for a bit of extra pocket money?

Why dogs often need extra magnesium

Sylvia Jeffreys returns to Today Extra

"Holy guacamole!!": Today Extra host tries avocado hack that REALLY works

Coronavirus supplement: your guide to the Australian payments that will go to the extra million on welfare

Why the extra cost of ‘buy now, pay later’ is still enticing

“Bit of extra protein!”: Sonia Kruger makes gross cooking confession

“Be extra vigilant”: One in four retirees losing $1,000 to credit card scams

“You might need tissues for this”: David Campbell and Sonia Kruger break down in tears on Today Extra

"She still has it!" Sonia Kruger flaunts her incredible legs in denim shorts on Today Extra

Good news for pensioners: You could be set to receive an extra $3,875

Dental tourism: Things to consider before going that extra mile for your smile

Our Partners