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"Impossibly sad": P-plater jailed over fatal crash

A southwest Sydney community is reeling after Tyrell Edwards was sentenced for causing the deaths of five children in a fiery crash last year. Edwards, 20, was driving recklessly at speeds of 147km/h in the suburb of Buxton when he crashed into two trees and struck five teenagers. Lily Van De Putte, Gabby McLennan, Summer Williams, all aged 14, Tyrese Bechard, 15, and Antonio Desisto, 16, were all killed in the devastating incident. Appearing in Campbelltown District Court on his 20th birthday, Edwards sentenced to 12 years in prison, and will be eligible for parole in seven years, after pleading guilty to five counts of aggravated dangerous driving occasioning death at a speed more than 45km/h over the limit. The judge described the deaths of the five victims as “tragic and impossibly sad”. “The loss of these five young people diminishes us all,” he said. “Their deaths were completely avoidable and responsibility for them lies squarely at the feet of the offender.” Gasps were heard in the courtroom as the sentence was read, with families of the victims sharing their disappointment at the sentencing. Speaking outside court on Friday, family members of three of the teenagers hit out at the “unfair” sentence. Samantha McLennan said her heart “dropped” as she heard the ruling, while Exavan Desisto said he was “speechless”. “I knew the outcome wouldn’t be spectacular but to hear it was a big shock,” he said. “The justice system absolutely stinks.” John Van De Putte said he expected the sentence to be low, but felt it did not match the crime. “There’s five lives lost. Seven years in jail,” he said. “You’d get more if you killed someone with a baseball bat Mr Van De Putte had previously told the court there was “no excuse” for Edwards, a licensed driver, to have driven so recklessly and endangered the lives of his underage passengers. “No matter what you get, it will not bring back the five lives,” he told the 20-year-old. Image credits: Facebook

News

Australian cruise passenger dies during onshore expedition

P&O Cruises have confirmed an Australian passenger has died during an onshore expedition in Vanuatu. The cruise line made the announcement on Wednesday, saying the passenger passed away during a Pacific island stop at Mystery Island, one of the stops included on the Pacific Adventure journey. The passenger's cause of death has not been disclosed. “P&O Cruises Australia can confirm a guest of Pacific Adventure has tragically passed away while in port at Mystery Island, Vanuatu,” a P&O spokesperson told <a href="https://7news.com.au/news/world/po-australia-passenger-dies-ashore-vanuatus-mystery-island-during-pacific-adventure-journey-c-12028678" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7News</a>. “We extend our deepest condolences to their loved ones and are doing everything we can to support them during this difficult time." “As we are working with the relevant authorities and to protect the privacy of the family, it would be inappropriate to comment further." This incident is now the second time a cruise ship passenger has died on Mystery Island in a few months time, with an Australian Carnival Cruise Line passenger dying amid their nine-day South Pacific journey in May, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) confirmed. At the time of the incident, a passenger told 7News that the guest died while snorkelling. “Carnival Cruise Line is deeply saddened by the death of a guest on Mystery Island, following what appears to be a medical situation while swimming,” Carnival Cruise Line said. Image credits: P&O

Travel Trouble

Standing ovation for Pink's stirring tribute to Olivia

P!nk has received a standing ovation for her emotional tribute to Olivia Newton-John at the 50th annual American Music Awards. The singer, whose real name is Alecia Moore Hart, took to the stage in front of a monitor flashing images of the late singer and performed a rousing rendition of Hopelessly Devoted to You. The song was originally sung by Newton-John for the hit musical film Grease, and its accompanying soundtrack went on to reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and number seven on the Adult Contemporary chart. Melissa Etheridge first came on the the AMA stage to introduce P!nk, but before the pop star came to the stage, Etheridge shared a few sweet sentiments about Newton-John. "From the moment you were in the presence of Olivia Newton-John, you sensed her sweetness, you stood in awe of her welcoming beauty, and you basked in the feeling that she was connecting to you alone," she began. She went on to share how to hear her sing "was to feel the power of art to transform feelings, the feelings we all have of love and elation and disappointment into something sublime." P!nk then took to the stage for her emotional performance, with members of the audience singing along. By the end of the performance, the crowd erupted into a loud applause that quickly transformed into a standing ovation, that was led by Pink's husband Carey Hart, 47, and their two children, 11-year-old daughter Willow and five-year-old son Jameson. <iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dOmHZj8n71w" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> Image credits: Getty Images

Music

Ancient insect calls for update to Jurassic Park soundtrack

For the past 150 years, the single known specimen of a species of katydid-like insect known as <a href="http://orthoptera.speciesfile.org/Common/basic/Taxa.aspx?TaxonNameID=1129138" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Prophalangopsis obscura</a> has sat quietly in the London Natural History Museum but now some scientists have worked out what it would have sounded like. A British/Austrian team, used some seriously fancy equipment and an understanding of the physics of insect acoustics to work out what this species would have sounded like when it sang for a mate, giving insight into the ancient insect soundscape of the Jurassic period. Katydids are grasshoppers and crickets. This holotype, or single known specimen, is one of only eight remaining species from the 90 or so which were abundant during the Jurassic period. The research team has shown the sounds produced by this particular insect would have been similar to, although distinguishable from, other related species around this period. <figure class="wp-block-audio"><audio src="../wp-content/uploads/2022/08/journal.pone_.0270498.s002.wav?x88132" controls="controls"></audio><figcaption>The reconstructed calling song of Prophalangopsis obscura. Credit: Woodrow et al. 2002/PLOS ONE, CC-BY 4.0</figcaption></figure> The chirp produced by P. obscura is a pure tone, emitted at around 4.7 kHz — well-within the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK10924/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">range of human hearing</a>. Aside from helping researchers understand what the insect world sounded like when dinosaurs roamed the Earth some 145 to 201 million years ago, the findings also suggest that early insects of this type were limited to frequencies below 20 kHz. <div class="newsletter-box"> </div> This is important because the other species of Prophalangopsis known today have evolved to be flightless, using their wings exclusively for sound production and attracting a mate. These evolved species have also developed ultrasonic sound production organs to assist in deterring ground-based predators. That P. obscura retained its ability to fly — even just short distances — and did not develop ultrasonic capabilities, suggests it followed a different evolutionary path to the other species still in existence today, giving extra insight into the evolution of this species and their relatives. But, how do you hear an insect that has been dead for 150 years? Like katydids and their relatives, P. obscura, produced sound by scraping one of its wings with a ‘file’ (or row of teeth). These vibrations would then by amplified by special structures within the insect’s wing and radiated out into the surrounding environment. Scientists at the University of Lincoln, the Natural History Museum, London, UK and Karl-Franzens-University, Graz, Austria used a technique called micro-scanning Laser-Doppler Vibrometry (LDV) to scan and then reconstruct the wings and sound-producing organs of the holotype. They then applied knowledge of close relatives of the species, they were then able to infer the “carrier frequency” (the central frequency at which the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jeb.13179" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">overall sound reaches its maximum energy</a>). Due to its low frequency and pure tone, the song P. obscura sang may have reverberated far and wide across the Jurassic landscape.  <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=201424&title=Ancient+insect+calls+for+update+to+Jurassic+Park+soundtrack" width="1" height="1" />  <div id="contributors"> <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/science/biology/ancient-insect-jurassic-sound/" 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/clare-kenyon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Clare Kenyon</a>. Clare Kenyon is a science writer for Cosmos. She is currently wrangling the death throes of her PhD in astrophysics, has a Masters in astronomy and another in education, and has classroom experience teaching high school science, maths and physics. Clare also has diplomas in music and criminology and a graduate certificate of leadership and learning. Image: Charlie Woodrow </div>

Family & Pets

Australia set to have “near normal” cruise season

As Australia and the rest of the world continue to live with Covid-19, it's hard to believe that the cruise industry is almost back to normal. P&O Cruises Australia announced that their latest addition, Pacific Encounter, has set sail from Singapore and is on its way to Sydney. This is “another step” toward a “near normal” for the cruise industry which pumps $5 billion into Australia every year. Pacific Encounter will have a “brief encounter” in Sydney before heading up to Brisbane. President of Carnival Australia and P&O Cruises Australia Marguerite Fitzgerald said Pacific Encounter’s arrival is the right way forward for cruising. “Knowing that we have a second P&O ship only weeks away reminds us all that cruising is making a return to normal scheduling,” she said. “It is hard to believe that as warmer weather returns, Australia is now on the way to having a near normal 2022-23 summer cruise season. “This is testament to our onboard and shoreside teams and to the many P&O passengers who were patiently waiting during the pause for the opportunity to cruise again.” “We can’t wait for Pacific Encounter to depart on her first guest cruise from Brisbane on August 20, a 7-night Barrier Reef Discovery Cruise. This itinerary will include Pacific Encounters' maiden call to Cairns helping to bring cruise tourism back to Far North Queensland.” Image: Supplied

Cruising

Final tuning for Pacific Explorer

Pacific Explorer is almost ready to set sail after almost two years of no cruises with one thing left to do. The ship’s five beautiful pianos have required some fine tuning from piano tuner Carol Johns after the keys were left abandoned during lockdown. The five pianos sat inside the ship without sounding a note and professional musician Carol knew it was her time to shine and tune them. “After nearly two and a half years, they’ve got themselves to under concert pitch so you have to lift them back up to get them in tune,” Carol said. “That happens with any piano but it’s exaggerated because of the time and being on a ship is a tough time for a piano. “It takes about two hours to tune a piano if you want to make it really beautiful because there are about 88 notes but there are more than 220 strings and they’ve all got to be tuned, some of them more than once.” Before cruises were banned from Australian shores, there were regular “ship calls” to ensure the pianos were always tuned. Image: Supplied

Cruising

Pacific Explorer receives TONNES of food

Cruise ship Pacific Explorer has received tonnes of food as they prepare for their return to the seas on May 31. After a two-year ban due to Covid, cruises are gearing for massive return to the seas which will also see an eye-watering $5 billion pumped into the economy and will help more than 18,000 people get a job. Pacific Explorer received more than 220 pallets with 7.3 tonnes of meat, 9.6 tonnes of fruit and vegetables, 6.6 tonnes of seafood and 30,000 shelled eggs on Friday. P&O Cruises Australia celebrity chef Luke Mangan commended the quality of the foods which worked as a perfect opportunity for farmers. “As a chef and restaurant owner and operator including a number of signature outlets on P&O Cruises Australia ships, I know that the quality of Australian produce is the key to success,” he said. “So, it is fantastic to see that the return of cruising also means the return of opportunity for our farmers and other producers including winemakers and craft beer makers. “Many have done it tough over the past two years and it is good to know that the benefits will only increase as cruising ramps up.” Marguerite Fitzgerald, President of Carnival Australia and P&O Cruises Australia, echoed Chef Mangan’s comments saying this was just one of many big deliveries. “Today’s big delivery of produce to Pacific Explorer is where cruising and economic opportunity meet. It is also strong confirmation of the multiplier effect of cruise tourism and the diversity of the ‘cruising ecosystem’.” NSW Minister for Transport and Veterans David Elliott described the tonnes of food as the “tip of the iceberg” in helping stimulate the economy. “The cruise industry is an economic powerhouse because its impacts are felt from the farm gate, through our freight and supply chains all the way to our tourism destinations – it generates jobs far beyond the ship, boosts regional economies and supports farming communities.” Pacific Explorer is due to set sail from Sydney on May 31 on its first commercial cruise since the cruise ban in Australia was lifted. Guests will enjoy a four-night itinerary with a call to Brisbane on June 2 where Pacific Explorer will become the first cruise ship to berth at the Brisbane International Cruise Terminal. Image: Supplied

Cruising

P-plate speedster loses licence an hour after passing driving test

A P-plater has been caught driving at a whopping 193 km/h and lost his licence just one hour after passing his driving test. The 18-year-old Sydney man was pulled over by police from Burwood Highway Patrol in Moombooldool, about 50km east of Griffith, after he was clocked speeding in an old Toyota Hilux. The officers - also from Sydney - were en-route to Griffith to start a traffic enforcement campaign in the area and shared their encounter on social media. “After stopping the vehicle and speaking to the driver (officers) discovered the driver had only (an) hour earlier passed his driving test,” the post on NSW Police’s Traffic and Highway Patrol Command page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TrafficServicesNSWPF/posts/5245654198832851" target="_blank" rel="noopener">read</a>. Police revealed the driver’s teenage sibling was also in the car and that the driver received a hefty punishment, including a penalty notice for speeding by more than 45 km/h and not displaying his newly-received P plates. “His licence was suspended on the spot for a minimum of six months, which will be extended due to the excessive loss of demerit points,” the post read. Highway patrol officers based in rural areas who spoke to <a href="https://www.drive.com.au/news/p-plate-driver-busted-at-193km-h-moments-after-getting-licence-also-a-toyota-hilux-can-do-193km-h/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Drive</a> said they were surprised by how many city motorists get caught at high speeds. “People don’t realise (the highway patrol) are everywhere across the state,” one officer told the publication. “A lot of people think they can floor it in remote areas, but the dangers are significant, with wildlife, livestock and trees by the side of the road. “It’s also easier to detect speeds because there is usually only one road in or out of a regional centre. If you speed, you will get caught because we’re out there.” Image: Traffic and Highway Patrol Command - NSW Police Force (Facebook)

Legal

What needs to be done before cruises arrive

The return of cruises is high on most people’s bucket lists (or relaxing lists) as they head back to Australia’s shores in May. After a two-year ban on all cruises due to Covid, the government lifted the ban and all ships are set to sail! The industry pumps an eye-watering $5 billion and will help more than 18,000 get a job. But before they set sail, there are quite a few things that need to be sorted. Rehiring staff and shopping Graeme Blackman of Inter-Marine said workers who were laid off due to the pandemic should look forward to being rehired. His tools which were used to ensure everything was working need to also be checked due to being idle for two years. The Inter-Marine lost almost 90 per cent of its $7 million turnover during the ban. "It'll be a slow, progressive start but we're so glad we could last this long." Steven Biviano, from Sydney Select Fresh Providores, is required to ensure the ship is stocked with all ingredients on offer for the delicious meals. Before the pandemic hit, Steven was delivering 40-semi trailers of fruit and vegetables to cruise ships. Then his team of 30 was cut to just three people which he said will now change. "(I'll be) getting a team re-established, speaking to growers, agents," he told Nine News. Jeremy Goodman, Supply Chain Director for P&O Cruises Australia, will then ensure all products needed are on board. The first cruise will require: 4,500 dozen eggs, 15 tonnes of fresh vegetables and 6.5 tonnes of poultry. "When Pacific Explorer resumes cruising on May 31, more than 300 pallets of products of various kinds will be delivered," he said. "Each pallet weighs around 500k kilograms so that is around 50 tonnes of fresh produce." Cooking up dishes The delicious meals that will be prepped and cooked with the products will be created by P&O Cruises Australia Corporate Executive Chef Uwe Stiefel. Chef Uwe has been practicing new dishes in his Sydney restaurant and said it will be interesting to see what people enjoy after almost two years of takeaway food. Entertainment P&O Cruises Australia's Head of Entertainment Brett Annable and Corporate Entertainment Director, Zoltina-J Medwik Dale have been busy recruiting entertainers to welcome aboard passengers. "We are about to welcome our first production show cast into rehearsals for their debut at the end of May and we are putting the finishing touches to our brand-new production show, 'Musicology', which is launching later this year on Pacific Encounter and Pacific Adventure," Brett said. Covid-19 rules Cruising is set to be different thanks to covid with new protocols put in place to ensure the safety of all staff and customers. All passengers must be fully vaccinated before jumping on a cruise, with Covid tests to be mandatory before departing as well as another test done while on board. Cruise lines will have their own rules when it comes to wearing masks but will most likely have the rule in place where social distancing isn’t possible. Staff will however be required to wear masks except for outside on the deck and will be trained with Covid protocols. The delicious buffets are still on offer but will be served by staff from behind screens to help stop the spread of the disease. All mealtimes will also be staggered for passengers to ensure social distancing is in place First cruise to leave P&O’s Pacific Explorer will be the first cruise ship to start its journey leaving from Sydney on May 31 for a relaxing four night voyage to Brisbane. Image: Shutterstock

Cruising

P&O Cruises celebrates diversity

As cruises make their way back to Australia, P&O Cruises is celebrating with a weekend at sea for members of the LGBTQIA+ community, their friends, family and supporters. The ship will set sail on November 4 from Sydney and is a three-night event to allow Aussies from all walks of life to celebrate diversity and inclusion. The celebrations won’t stop there though, with a Pride Cruise departing from Melbourne on December 9, as well as another three cruises in 2023. P&O Cruises Australia’s Partnership Manager Chris Rich said the cruise line was excited to return to service and offer guests its first dedicated Pride sailing. “Guests on the Pride cruise will be able to celebrate the themes of love, compassion, respect and understanding through lectures, educational and spiritual events, same sex marriages and renewal of vows,” he said. “The cruise will welcome everyone who is a member or supporter of the LGBTQIA+ community – as well as the unique blend of love and laughter that makes the LGBTQIA+ spectrum so special.” LGBTQIA+ community organisations such as Bobby Goldsmith Foundation, Harbour City Bears and Queer Screen have helped P&O Cruises make this possible. The cruise line has gone a step further to include some of “the best names in the Australian entertainment business” to make the three nights memorable. Some names dropped by the cruise include international superstar Hans the German, Simon Dunn - the first openly gay male to represent any country in the sport of bobsled – P&O Cruises Queensland Rugby League ambassador Meg Ward and ex-Rabbitohs rugby star Ian Roberts. Image: P&O Cruises

Cruising

Hanging out for a cruise? You’re not alone

It feels like a lifetime ago when we were actually able to book cruises for a relaxing getaway. Thanks to Covid, that all stopped about two years ago to help stop the spread of the infectious disease. And let's not forget about the Ruby Princess fiasco…but we won’t go there. The ban on foreign cruises in and around Australian waters was extended until April 17, and cruise ship owners are hoping they can hit the waters once again. Marguerite Fitzgerald, the newly appointed President of Carnival Australia and P&O Cruises Australia believes a return to the seas is on the horizon. “Once the ban is lifted, we expect there will be a lot of excitement and demand, and we want to be ready for that,” she told <a href="https://cruisepassenger.com.au/news/well-be-back-better-than-ever-new-carnival-boss-vows-a-party-to-celebrate-the-return-of-ships/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cruise Passenger</a>. She predicts the cruise ban will be lifted by the middle of the year and is preparing a complete makeover of the ships following a grueling two-year break. “We are cancelled through to the end of May. It takes a while to ramp ships back up, when you think about having to bring crew over and suppliers have a lead time to be ready to supply the ships. “So a middle of the year return, assuming we continue to make good progress, that's what we are aiming for.” Watch this sea (space). Image: Carnival Australia

Cruising

The most trusted cruise operators in Australia

Image: Getty Most trusted cruise operator: Royal Caribbean According to our data, people love Royal Caribbean for many different reasons. “They have high standards and offer very personal service,” said one respondent. “A hardworking cruise line that ensures your holiday is a relaxing and memorable one,” replied another. Royal Caribbean is bringing world-class, technologically-advanced ships to local waters, with amazing ‘Only On Royal’ activities, such as the North Star observation capsule, sky-diving simulators and bumper cars. With ships sailing from both Sydney and Brisbane from summer 2022-2023, guests have even more choice with departure points. Royal Caribbean has also assembled a taskforce of the world’s leading medical and scientific experts – the Healthy Sail Panel – to help establish measures to keep guests healthy and safe, including upgraded air filtration systems and upgraded onboard medical facilities and medical care. Highly commended cruise operator: Cunard Cunard passengers can travel in luxury on any number of voyages on Cunard’s three magnificent ships: the flagship ocean liner Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria, and Queen Elizabeth, with guests able to experience a world of freedom and possibility, from learning fencing or tango, listening to an astronaut, or simply relaxing with a cocktail in one of the beautiful atriums. “I think Cunard offer premium quality cruises which makes me think of them as offering a higher quality experience than other operators,” said one happy guest. Highly commended cruise operator: P&O Cruises P&O’s local heritage coupled with an inherent understanding of how Aussies like to cruise is infused into everything it delivers, with the cruise line taking pride in leveraging local Australian talent and entertainment, locally sourced food and beverages, top Aussie chefs and unique live shows. In 2021, P&O Cruises is welcoming two grand class ships, Pacific Adventure® and Pacific Encounter, both with a huge range of signature and new features. Enhanced health measures and protocols, improved impacts on the natural environment, as well as a refresh of onboard experiences including personalised digital applications, all await returning and new guests. “Wonderful experience. Everything that was promised was delivered,” enthused a previous guest. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/travel/cruising/the-most-trusted-cruise-operators-in-australia">Readers Digest</a>.

Cruising

P&O Cruises Australia Cancels More Sailings Until April 2022

Image: Cruise Passenger P&O Cruises Australia has cancelled further cruises until mid-April 2022. The extension of the government’s cruise ban in Australia marks two years since the line has sailed Down Under. Cruises departing from March 3 till April 16, 2022 from Sydney and Brisbane will be cancelled and this also marks the 23rd cruise cancellation announcement since the pandemic. President of P&O Cruises Australia Sture Myrmell said that during this entire period guests had displayed incredible patience and loyalty to P&O and cruising. “However, as we approach the two-year mark in our rolling pause in operations, it is understandable that our guests will be very disappointed and frustrated that there is still no agreed restart plan for cruising in Australia,” Mr Myrmell said. “Federal and state governments are yet to outline their requirements for restart despite the nation’s high vaccination rate, the cruise industry’s comprehensive health protocols, vaccination policies for guests and crew and the successful resumption of cruising in other international markets. “Our loyal guests, travel agents and many suppliers whose businesses depend on cruising along with thousands of jobs are simply looking for certainty so that they can plan for the future. Reaching this two-year anniversary is discouraging for so many of them.” Late last week, the Federal Government extended Australia’s cruise ban by another two months. “After an absence of two years, it will take us several months and significant cost to manage the complex logistics necessary to return a ship to service before sailing back to Australian waters,” Mr Myrmell said. “This includes engaging our crew and re-training them to meet new operating protocols when they are known as well as re-stocking the ship with local fresh produce and refreshing onboard guest service operations that have also been on-hold for such a long time. “It is a big task and we need to understand the operating environment before we begin the process of returning. To date, no government authority, federal or state, has provided feedback on the industry’s proposed operational guidelines to enable an informed decision on bringing our ships back to Australia.”

Cruising

P-plater who killed blind man and his guide dog jailed

A P-plater who caused the death of a man and his guide dog in 2019 has been sentenced to jail. 24-year-old Billy-Jo Salter was sentenced to three years and nine months’ jail after pleading guilty to dangerous driving causing death and destruction of evidence. Salter was 21-years-old when he caused the death of 62-year-old Raymond Meadows and his guide dog Gerry while he was driving on the Calder Highway at Wedderburn in northwestern Victoria on June 2, 2019. The court heard that it was dark but Mr Meadows was wearing a high-vis vest and a backpack with flashing lights as he and his dog walked along the road’s shoulder, heading to the gym. Gerry died almost immediately after being hit by Salter’s car, while Mr Meadows died en route to the hospital. Salter stopped at the scene and was not found to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Salter removed the memory card from his dashcam at the scene, and later had his friend destroy it. For several months following the crash, he told police that Mr Meadows and his dog had been walking on the road, but analysis of the scene proved they had been on the shoulder. Investigations also revealed that Salter had not applied the brakes or stirred the car in the five seconds before the crash, using cruise control to travel at 94km/h. Judge Rosemary Carlin said Salter's actions were indicative of "a total abdication" of his responsibility as a driver. "To drive for five seconds at that speed in the dark without exerting any control at all over your car and without keeping a proper lookout for whatever reason is highly irresponsible and risky behaviour," she said. The judge also said his lies about what had happened and destruction of the dashcam footage had deprived Mr Meadows’ family of closure. She described the destruction of the footage as “serious, planned offending” and said, "you have refused to tell the truth about what happened and you destroyed the only evidence.” The court heard that Salter had suffered an abusive childhood, was experiencing health problems, and lived with Autism Spectrum Disorder. He was sentenced to a non-parole period of two years and three months. Image: 9 News

Legal

5 minutes with author P J McKay

In 5 minutes with the Author, OverSixty asks book writers about their literary habits and preferences. Next in the series is <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.pjmckayauthor.com/" target="_blank">P J McKay</a>, a novelist and mum-of-three based in Auckland. After training and working as a food scientist, McKay began writing while undertaking her Masters in Creative Writing at the University of Auckland. During her studies, McKay was inspired by her travels through former Yugoslavia to pen her debut novel, The Telling Time. After winning the 2020 First Pages Prize, McKay’s novel is now available. OverSixty sat down with McKay to chat about representing New Zealand’s Croatian community, her current reads, and the role cooking played in her novel. O60: What book(s) are you reading right now? My current book on the go is Betty by Tiffany McDaniel — insights into the Cherokee Indian culture are an added bonus and despite the tough themes I’m enjoying cheering this resilient young woman on. And I have just finished two novels: Crazy Love by Rosetta Allan — A love story with a twist. A triumph of love conquering adversity. A no-holes barred insight in the realities of supporting our mentally unwell. This is Rosetta’s third novel. She manages to inject humour into what’s a tough subject to tackle and never allows the story to wallow. And for something much lighter, Take me Home by Karly Lane — transports the reader from Australia to Scotland. A feel-good story with a dash of romance. O60: Does your training in food science influence your writing in any way? Great question! There are a few food descriptions peppered through The Telling Time. My love of cooking (and consuming food!) has most definitely influenced this. Some reviewers have noted it as a bonus to be transported by these descriptions. Any reference to food is of course relevant to the era and/or the setting but given the aroma, taste or even just the sight of food transports us to different settings it can be a useful and fun tool to employ: think Greece and Mediterranean dishes, or traditional Australasian sweet treats — lamingtons for example — or food which is typical in Croatia, such as črostule, njoki, špek or the local wine on Korčula, Pošip. As an author I invite the reader to use all their senses when imagining my characters in scene. If I get their taste buds watering then that’s a bonus. O60: How did you start writing historical fiction? It’s the genre which I enjoy most as a reader and my background roles in research were also very helpful. The nugget for this novel came from my own experience when backpacking in the late 1980s tied in with my interest in the immigrant experience and for The Telling Time, the Croatian diaspora. I also wanted the novel to encompass the mother/daughter relationship, hence the dual timeline that includes the late 1950s and 1989. It’s scary to think that these two eras now count as historical! When researching for a novel like this it means going back even further in time. The Telling Time references events from the early 20th Century, WWIII, and the events that followed afterward, particularly in the former Yugoslavia. I love that historical fiction often gifts the reader information they didn’t previously know. This for me is the joy of historical fiction writing; finding those facts to thread through the fiction to ensure the ‘world of the novel’ is credible. O60: The Telling Time was inspired by your travels and the connections you made with the local Croatian community. How did it feel to represent this community with your novel? I feel privileged to have been privy to stories from the Croatian community and delighted to shine some light on what makes this group unique, but also what unites their stories with other immigrant groups. It is always tricky finding the balance when representing a community that is not your own lived experience. For me, it was important to observe and listen at the local Dalmatian club when attending club nights and events. There were excellent resources to draw on at the club — their cultural museum and language tutor who checked my use of Croatian words/phrases in the novel — and having the novel reviewed by Dr Nina Nola from the University of Auckland’s English department was another essential step. Nina’s mother immigrated to New Zealand from Hvar in the 1950s. This is a novel, and therefore a work of fiction, but staying true to the culture and customs is an essential component and the feedback from readers of Croatian heritage suggests I have succeeded in getting the balance and details right. Of course, when Croatian publishers Znanje d.o. bought the translation rights for the novel earlier this year (to be published there in June 2022) this was a further seal of approval. I felt both proud and delighted that I would soon be able to gift copies of the translated novel to the club. O60: What book or books do you think are underrated? That’s a curly question! The Lost Lights of St Kilda by Elisabeth Gifford is a gentle historic novel, published last year which I thoroughly enjoyed but don’t hear a lot about now. And I’ll put in a plug for fellow New Zealand author, Rosetta Allan, mentioned above. Along with Crazy Love, her two other novels, Purgatory and The Unreliable People, are both fabulous reads that deserve more air-time!! O60: How do you deal with writer’s block? I found the best solution was to chat more. By this I mean nutting out a problem with trusted friends or asking a question which then often provided a lead, or new tangent to explore. There was one dire moment of writer’s block when I was desperate to get my character, Gabrijela, out of the house. I asked Mum for ideas about social events in the 1950s and she told me how popular a day at the races was along with a personal story about backing an outside runner called Red Glare. Bingo! Guess where Gabrijela was now off to! Critique was also a valuable tool, especially during my Masters in Creative Writing year at Auckland University. It challenges you to think harder and strive to improve, to iron out the creases waiting to trip the reader out of their suspended disbelief. O60: Which author, dead or alive, would you most like to have dinner with? Has to be Janine Cummins, who wrote American Dirt. Images: Supplied

Books

Cruise industry left out as international boarders reopen

Image: Getty International boarders have come down, with the travel ban and the exemption requirement to go overseas finally ditched on November 1st. Aussies desperate to go on holidays are already selling out flights to Europe, America and Asia. Despite flights being back on track, cruise companies are still unable to restart their Australian tours. However, there will be nothing stopping Aussies flying to places Miami, Florida and Nadi, Fiji, and enjoying a cruise overseas before flying home – making the Australian cruise ruling more farcical. The cruise industry was brought to a standstill early last year when the coronavirus pandemic hit Australia, with one of Australia’s first Covid outbreaks came from a cruise ship, when the Ruby Princess docked in Sydney last March. More than 900 infections and at least 28 deaths were eventually linked to the outbreak. The outbreak triggered a biosecurity ban on all foreign flagged vessels, with the cruise ban in place until December 17th. Despite hints from NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet, who has acknowledged the irony of Aussies being able to cruise overseas but not at home, the industry will still take months to restart. Speaking to news.com.au, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) managing director Australasia Joel Katz blasted the “ridiculous” and “disappointing” double standard. “We need the federal and state governments to come to the party,” Mr Katz said. “Just in the last couple of days, we’ve had a number of travel agents reach out to us with comments from a number of avid cruise passengers, asking us what the rules are about cruising overseas. “They’re planning to fly overseas to cruise because they can’t cruise at home and that’s really disappointing for the thousands of Aussies who rely on the cruise industry locally for their livelihoods.” Mr Katz said the cruise industry had been asking the Government “for a long time” to forge a way forward together. Despite some promising words from senior federal ministers and a number of premiers, Mr Katz said it was “time to convert words into action”. The Australian cruise industry has submitted robust Covid protocols that have already been tried and tested on more than three million passengers overseas, since cruising restarted in Europe and the US. Despite that, Mr Katz said the industry was still waiting on formal responses in Australia from the Government and health authorities. Even if those formal responses and approvals came tomorrow, the cruise industry is not one that can get things up and running quickly. “There are long lead times to get ships up and running. It’s very difficult for cruise companies to know when to push the start button with no certainty,” Mr Katz said. “The crew needs to be recruited and vaccinated, then they have to be flown out to wherever the ship is, go through a quarantine process, get trained on whatever new protocols are needed. “And, most of the ships are in the northern hemisphere, so they need to make their way down. All that needs to happen before they can even start the process of taking customers again.” Mr Katz predicted a restart of Australia’s cruise industry in January (in 10-12 weeks’ time), a prediction he quickly revised when P&O announced it had been forced to again push its first cruises to February. P&O Cruises Australia President Sture Myrmell said the voluntary pause had been extended due to the lack of a clear pathway towards restarting the industry. “We are naturally disappointed for our guests and our many suppliers to have to extend the pause in operations by a further month,” Mr Myrmell said this morning. “With society rapidly reopening including social gatherings and travel just weeks away, there is a vital need for a pathway for the staged resumption of domestic cruising. “Our guests have made it clear they want to cruise again, and we look forward to welcoming them on board as soon as possible supported by comprehensive protocols based on the world’s best public health practice and standards.”

Cruising

That’s c**p”: Kelli Underwood butts heads with Waleed Aly

AFL commentator Kelli Underwood and The Project host Waleed Aly have had a clash while discussing whether Saturday’s night time Grand Final was a success. In a historic first, the AFL’s premier event was held at night at the Gabba in Brisbane as Richmond beat Geelong by 31 points under lights. While television ratings soared compared to last year, footy fans unanimously agreed that the Grand Final should remain a daytime spectacle. Appearing on ABC’s Offsiders, Aly didn’t hold back when asked about his thoughts on the later time slot. “I hated it, I hated it,” Aly said. “I think it’s the kind of thing you like when you don’t actually care about the game that is happening. “It’s the kind of thing you gravitate towards when you want it to be an event, not a game. And that is exactly what it felt like.” But Offsiders host Underwood immediately hit back at Aly. “That’s c**p … look at these beautiful pictures. I loved it. I think it makes it more of an event … it has more spark,” Underwood said. “I thought it was absolutely fantastic. This reminded me of the Sydney Olympics, and then you get the night and it elevates to some sort of Super Bowl level, which is not just a game, but you get an event.” But cricket journalist Gideon Haigh agreed with Aly, calling the Grand Final “total c**p”. Haigh particularly disliked the pre-match entertainment, headlined by Australian indie bands DMA’S and Cub Sport. “The pre-match entertainment! Those awful bloody dirges,” Haigh moaned. Veteran AFL reporter Caroline Wilson was also not a fan of the time change, saying: “Clearly the game was one for the ages, but the night Grand Finals should not be played going forward. “Waleed’s nailed it. It’s a game, not an event, how many traditions are we going to lose under this administration … how many traditions will be get rid of? “I couldn’t cop it if we lose the day of the grand final, I just think that is something unique to our game, and we sell out if we change it.” Cricket journalist Adam Collins tweeted: “We don’t need it to be dark for the Grand Final to be the best event going. Also, the music after goals has to go — adds nothing, detracts from the natural sound a massive crowd makes when they’re invested in every moment. Never again.” Meanwhile, Channel 9 sports presenter Tony Jones backflipped on his previous assertions, saying the Grand Final should remain an afternoon event in the future. “I’ve always been an advocate for the night Grand Final. Based on what I saw last night, now I know it wasn’t the MCG, but I’m saying let’s stick to the day Grand Final,” Jones said on Channel 9’s AFL Sunday Footy Show. “To me, it didn’t have the Grand Final feel holus-bolus. Now again, that’s Gabba versus MCG, but it was too long to wait through the game for this marquee match. “I worry about the state of some people in Melbourne once the game actually rolls around. To me, it just didn’t grab me in the Grand Final sense. Jones also said the pre-match entertainment “bombed”, saying the bands should not have performed so many dreary cover songs. “Who are these people? I know that I’m 57, I get that. I know they’re very popular in the music scene at festivals and indie groups and that sort of stuff,” Jones said. “But if you’re going to wheel them out, at least do something uplifting. Give us something uplifting. Give us something uplifting, not that. “To me, that didn’t get you in the mood for a Grand Final.” Essendon great Matthew Lloyd agreed. “I think it made me realise just how special day Grand Finals are,” he said. “I don’t think there was anything that happened last night that makes me want to take the game away from being a day Grand Final.”

“Yelling for help”: Passengers reveal heroic actions of P&O cruise ship as they spend 10 hours rescuing migrants

British passengers on board a P&O cruise liner have explained how the ship helped to rescue more than 20 migrants who were on an inflatable dinghy off the Spanish coast. Around 3,000 passengers were enjoying the stunning views of the Mediterranean as the ship sailed from Cadiz to Barcelona when they heard whistling, yelling and shouts for help coming from the water. Passengers rushed to the ship’s balcony where they spotted an overcrowded dinghy, which was struggling to stay afloat. The cruise ship quickly came to a halt as they spent an hour trying to find the inflatable raft. A lifeboat was then sent to pick up the passengers, most of whom were men in their late teens. This heroic action took ten hours, as the cruise liner had to turn around to rescue those in the dinghy. One passenger, who did not want to give her name, said to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7503963/British-passengers-P-O-cruise-tell-giant-ship-rescued-20-migrants-Spanish-coast.html" target="_blank">The Daily Mail</a>: “Once the migrants were on board we had to go back on ourselves to Almeria, which took up a lot of time. “The attitude of the passengers was quite mixed. Many were angry that we had been delayed and had to rescue these migrants. It was actually quite shocking what some people were saying.” The passenger added: “It's not what you expect to happen on a Mediterranean cruise, but these people were just floating in the middle of the sea and were clearly in distress. We couldn't just leave them.” Dorothy Hallet, 73, told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7503963/British-passengers-P-O-cruise-tell-giant-ship-rescued-20-migrants-Spanish-coast.html" target="_blank">MailOnline</a>: 'It was certainly quite an interesting experience. “On rushing towards the balcony, it was clear to see that in the water was an inflatable and overloaded dinghy. “The officers on the bridge were aware of the situation but it takes some considerable time to stop a large ship and then circle it around to find the small craft again. “The captain did an excellent job of manoeuvring the vessel.” After the migrants were brought on board the ship, an endeavour that took two hours, they were searched by the ship’s security staff. The captain then apologised for the delay, explaining that it was caused by “migrants in distress”. Once the passengers reached Almeria, the migrants were taken off the ship by the Spanish coastguard and were handed over to local police. Passengers also revealed that upon leaving the Azura, the migrants thanked them and the ship's officials for helping to save their lives. Mrs Hallet, from Hampshire, who was on the cruise with her husband, added: “It's been a great humanitarian operation by P&O and they should be applauded for that. What happens next to those people will be down to the authorities. “No matter what people think regarding those who make the often foolhardy and hazardous journeys from North Africa towards the countries of southern Europe, when faced with the possibility of rescuing drowning people we are bound by the instincts of humanity to save them.'”

Cruising

Share your car with an L-plater? You could be slapped with a $161 fine

Drivers have been warned that they can be fined whilst making a simple mistake while driving and teaching a learner driver, or sharing a car with a P-plate driver. A Facebook post by Victoria Police asked social media users to vote on whether or not they thought that fully licensed drivers could be fined for displaying L or P plates. If you share a car with a learner or P-plate driver, you know how easy it is to forget to take off the plates before driving. <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fvictoriapolice%2Fposts%2F2781842688554516&width=500" width="500" height="478" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe> With more than 18,000 votes, the poll overwhelmingly thought that yes, you can be fined. However, it wasn’t until the Victoria Police confirmed if they were right. “Under the Road Safety Drivers Regulations, you will receive a $161 fine for displaying L or P-plates when not required,” Victoria Police wrote. Not only will accidentally leaving P-plates on land you a fine, you will also be hit with three demerit points. Many were quick to voice their annoyance. “Geez a simple and easy thing to forget to take off. Victoria police you look for anything these days to fine people,” one commenter said. “Stupid rule. Who does it hurt? It only warns other drivers to be weary of you,” another wrote. Another argued that drivers should be warned and not fined. “When you’re teaching your teenagers to drive, it can be easy to forget about the one on the rear of the car. Should be a warning not a fine,” they wrote. One person pointed out that the law was more than 20 years old and that road users should be aware of it. “This law has been around for more than 20 years, don’t get your knickers in a knot because now they are advertising that they will enforce it,” one commenter said.

Legal

Anthony Albanese bites back at critic: “Thanks for the advice mate”

The new Labor leader may just be days into the job but he has already gotten a new influential leader offside. Anthony Albanese may be well on his way to repeating a deadly mistake former Labor leader Bill Shorten made by choosing not to support the controversial mining project Adani. However, he has proven he will not go down without his tongue firmly in his cheek after biting back at the former Queensland premier Campbell Newman. Albanese’s fence-sitting stance on Adani has caused grumblings in Queensland, which showed a huge swing against the Labor party in the Federal election. Mr Newman took to Twitter to voice his disapproval with Mr Albanese’s stance. “Memo to @AlboMP,” Newman wrote. “If you are visiting Qld today and you can't bring yourself to totally & unequivocally back our coal industry and support @AdaniAustralia then you & the ALP have not listened.” Mr Albanese swiftly responded, thanking the former premier for his advice – but not without a cutting few words afterwards. ““Thanks for the advice mate but you went from 78 seats to 42 in one term, including losing your own seat and @QLDLabor went from 7 into Govt #JustSaying,” he tweeted. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> Thanks for the advice mate but you went from 78 seats to 42 in one term including losing your own seat and <a href="https://twitter.com/QLDLabor?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@QLDLabor</a> went from 7 into Govt <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JustSaying?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JustSaying</a> — Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlboMP/status/1133369496540930048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 28, 2019</a></blockquote> The cutting comment by Albanese received over 4000 likes on Twitter, with many mixed replies from the public. “Bom bom! Take that Newman,” one comment read. Another read: “This response is not what I would expect of someone looking to hold the position of Prime Minister,” which received a reply saying: “Sounds like a win to me.” “Well said Albo, I’ve been trying to tell him the same thing for awhile now, he just won’t get it or go away, the bloke is a pest and is now just taking cheap shots, don’t put up with his garbage that’s for sure,” a user commented. The Labor leader made his way to Queensland this week in hopes to repair damage down in the past by his own party and win back voters who went another way during the Federal election. In the past, Mr Albanese has voiced his disdain for anti-Adani activists who toured parts of Australia during the election campaign. “The truth is that that was incredibly provocative and did nothing to advance, in my view, a genuine debate about climate change,” he said. “On climate change, the science is in. We need to act. But to reduce it to a debate about a single mine is in my view very unproductive, it does nothing to advance the debate. “Good policy is about jobs, as well as about clean energy, as well as about making sure that we take the community with us.”

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