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"Pure terror" after Jetstar passenger climbs out onto wing

A passenger onboard a Jetstar flight from Sydney to Melbourne has recalled the "commotion" when a man opened the emergency door just seconds after the plane landed. Audrey Varghese was on the flight that landed at Tullamarine airport on Thursday morning, and said the trouble began when the man became very agitated as soon as the plane touched down. “It’s assumed common knowledge that you stay in your seats until the seatbelt sign is turned off, but he got up as the plane was still moving," the 2GB producer told <a href="https://7news.com.au/news/jetstar-passenger-reveals-commotion-as-man-climbs-through-emergency-door-onto-wing-c-15792138" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7News</a>. “The cabin crew were sort of shocked at the fact that he would even do that.” When the plane eventually came to a stop, Varghese said the man charged to the emergency exit rows and forced passengers out of their seats to get to the emergency door. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-9OACGPBco/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-9OACGPBco/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by 7NEWS Sydney (@7newssyd)</a> </div> </blockquote> The man then managed to open the emergency exit door and climbed out onto the wing of the plane, causing terror among the rest of the passengers. “There was a bit of a commotion. It was hectic, everyone was screaming,” Varghese said. “It was just pure terror. People were so terrified of what could possibly have gone wrong.” Video capture of the incident shows the man standing on the wing before sliding down the emergency slide, only to be met with police as he reached the ground. The AFP said officers arrested a man for “alleged aggressive behaviour and breaching aircraft safety protocols” and charges were likely to be laid. The remaining passengers safely disembarked the aircraft but had to wait about 45 minutes for their luggage, as the emergency slide had blocked the cargo door. Varghese added that Jetstar were "really good" about the luggage delays, and said the cabin crew did a “great job” handling the situation. Image credits: 7News

Travel Trouble

"Words matter": Why Australia's threat level was just raised to "probable"

Anthony Albanese has announced that Australia's terror level has been raised in the wake of spy agency warnings. The Prime Minister announced the change from “possible to probable” on Monday morning at a press conference in Canberra with ASIO director-general Mike Burgess. “ASIO is raising the national terrorist and threat level from possible to probable," Mr Burgess said. “Our decision reflects that the security environment is degrading. A threat level of probable is reassessed as a greater than 50 per cent chance of attack planning in the next 12 months." “It does not mean that we have intelligence about the current attack planning or expectation of an imminent attack." The National Terrorism Threat Advisory System has a scale of five levels, beginning with Not Expected, Possible, Probable, before rising to Expected and Certain. Mr Burgess said the decision was not taken easily, as he explained, “Our decision is not a direct response to the tragic events in the Middle East. At this stage we do not believe any of the terrorist plots we have investigated in the last year have been inspired by Gaza." “Terrorist leaders offshore are not inspiring attacks onshore. This is why we did not raise the threat level in the immediate aftermath of 7 October.” Mr Albanese said the decision follows a cabinet meeting today and briefings by spy agencies. “My government’s first priority is the safety and security of Australians and this morning, I convened a national-security committee meeting to hear from the director-general," Mr Albanese said. “I want to reassure Australians that probable does not mean inevitable and it does not mean it is intelligence about an imminent threat or danger. But the advice that we have received is that more Australians are embracing a more diverse range of extreme ideologies and it is our responsibility to be vigilant. Mr Burgess said it did not mean there was any imminent threat of a terrorist attack in Australia, but said it was about being vigilant and prepared. “Australia’s security environment is more volatile and more unpredictable, you’ve heard me say many times of espionage and foreign interference, our principal security concerns,’’ he said. “While the threats to our way of life are elevated we are seeing an increase in extremism, more Australians are being radicalised and radicalised more quickly. More Australians are embracing a more diverse range of extreme ideologies and more Australians are willing to use violence to advance their cause." In response to a question from the media on the Greens, who recently accused the Labor Party of being implicit in genocide when it comes to the war in Palestine, the Prime Minister said some of the rhetoric was of concern. “Words matter and it is important that people engage in a way that is respectful, that people don’t make claims that they know are not right in order to try to secure some short-term political advantage,’’ he said. Concluding the press conference, Mr Burgess said it is up to every Australian to say vigilant and report any suspicious behaviour. He said, "This is a matter for everyone, community leaders, politicians, the media, watch your words, watch your actions. Be very careful about that because there is a direct correlation between inflamed language and inflamed tension and violence.” Image credits: LUKAS COCH/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Editorial

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"Pure terror": Samuel Johnson recalls infamous Logies moment with Molly Meldrum

Samuel Johnson has opened up on his long-running feud with Molly Meldrum, which began at the 2017 Logies. Johnson appeared on 2Day FM’s Hughsey, Ed & Erin on Wednesday to reveal the brutal fallout of the infamous moment when Meldrum stormed the state during Johnson's acceptance speech and took over the microphone, giving a rambling and at times explicit speech of his own. The win, for playing Meldrum in the two-part miniseries about his life titled Molly, came at a time when the actor had become a tireless fundraiser for cancer research after starting the Love Your Sister charity in 2012 with his sister Connie, who had been diagnosed with multiple cancers throughout her life. However, instead of being able to use his speech to raise awareness for the charity, Meldrum instead stole the actor’s thunder and was left facing a wave of criticism over his bizarre antics. Speaking on Wednesday, Johnson said that incident was “pure terror” and a night he’s still not forgotten about. “I told him it was my moment not his! I was looking down at the front table. It was all the people from The Project and they all had their jaws on the floor,” he said. “It was 8 minutes of pure terror.” Johnson, who previously claimed Meldrum’s antics at the ceremony cost the charity he had planned to plug over $1 million dollars, went to reveal the fallout of the incident, confessing that he’s not seen Meldrum since all the drama went down that infamous evening. “I don’t hold grudges, I just can’t walk into the future with him,” he continued, suggesting that more has gone down behind the scenes than fans know about. “There’s a lot that he’s done that I don’t say. But it’s not that I hold a grudge, it’s that I’ve moved on.” Johnson appeared on the same radio show last year when he spoke about the feud, when Hughesy urged him to let go of his grudge against the Aussie TV legend. “You said you would never speak to Molly again … I hate grudge holding and that’s bad for you,” Hughes bluntly told Johnson last year. “I agree with you, I totally agree with you, but when I’ve specifically asked you not do something, and it’s a once in a lifetime moment, a moment I’ll never get back … He has breached my trust in that moment and I’m sorry, I’m not going to do the Molly sequel. I don’t think I should,” Johnson argued. Image credits: Nine Network / 2Day FM

Why is the Sydney church stabbing an act of terrorism, but the Bondi tragedy isn’t?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/greg-barton-10990">Greg Barton</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a> Just days after the deadly <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-14/several-killed-in-mass-stabbing-at-westfield-bondi-junction/103705354">Westfield Bondi attacks</a>, a <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-16/albanese-says-there-is-no-place-for-violence-in-our-community/10372830">second knife attack</a> in Sydney has generated widespread shock and grief. This time, a 16-year-old entered an Assyrian church and rushed forward to stab the popular bishop presiding over a service, together with a priest who rushed to his defence. The shocking events were captured on the church’s video stream, and the news quickly reached thousands of members of Sydney’s large Assyrian community. While both priests were injured, thankfully the knife blows were not fatal. Parishioners immobilised the attacker, and police and paramedics swarmed the church. Police moved quickly to identify the assailant and analyse his apparent motivation before announcing they were treating the attack as a <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-68823240">terrorist incident</a> early this morning. Public knife attacks are rare in Australia, and for Sydney to experience two in quick succession has rightfully alarmed many and, understandably, led to comparisons between the two. A lot of the discussion is around why the Bondi Junction shopping mall attack in which six were killed wasn’t considered terrorism, but this shocking, but non-lethal, attack was. So what do we know about the church attack, and what important distinctions can be made between it and the awful events at Bondi? <h2>What happened at the church?</h2> Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel has developed a large following, not just in Australia but in the Assyrian diaspora <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-16/who-is-bishop-mar-mari-emmanuel-wakeley-church-attack/103728808">around the world</a>, with his live-streamed sermons. Shortly after seven o'clock on Monday night, the video feed of the Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Sydney’s outer west went dead, but not before it captured the shocking attack and parishioners rushing forward to help. Almost immediately, crowds gathered outside the church. We don’t yet know the motivations of the people who turned up, but it can be assumed they were there because they either saw or heard of what had happened and rushed over out of concern. Tragically, at some point the dynamics of the fast-swelling crowd took a dark turn. Instead of letting the large police and ambulance presence continue to handle the situation, some emotional onlookers turned on the authorities. Multiple police officers and paramedics were injured and vehicles were heavily damaged. It’s likely the fact the attack was captured on video, and therefore able to be shared and watched over and over again, added to the combustibility of an already volatile situation. It would appear the attack was deliberately planned to provoke an angry response. But what exactly happened in the crowd is the subject of one police investigation. <h2>Why is it considered a terrorist act?</h2> The other investigation is an anti-terrorism one. This is because while the teenager acted alone, it’s very likely they had received encouragement and backing from others. <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/unabomber">The Unabomber</a> is one of the very few documented cases of someone committing violence for ideological reasons truly in isolation. This lone actor attack in Sydney is reminiscent of the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-03/nsw-police-headquarters-gunman-was-radicalised-youth/6825028">2015 murder</a> of police accountant Curtis Cheng. He was shot dead by a 15-year-old who had been radicalised by supporters of Islamic State. It later came out <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-14/curtis-cheng-murder-surveillance-man-guilty-of-terror-plan/10900982">in court</a> the attack had been planned by three other people, who also supplied him with the gun. Police were quick to pronounce the knife attack on Monday to be an act of terrorism. Having identified the attacker, they would have been studying his social connections and examining his digital footprint. The police assessment would have also given attention to the particulars of the church targeted. <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Assyrian">Assyrians</a> (people from northwest Iraq, northeast Syria and southeast Turkey) are almost exclusively Christian, belonging to one of the oldest churches in existence, living in precisely that part of the world in which the Islamic State established its brutal caliphate. It’s telling that before the caliphate was established, Assyrians made up just 3% of the Iraqi population. But in the wake of Islamic State sweeping across northern Syria and Iraq, Assyrians soon made up <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/assyrian-australians-plead-for-second-special-refugee-settlement-deal/x7ej8ix2y">40%</a> of Iraqi refugees. The trauma of those years is <a href="https://theconversation.com/diversity-and-religious-pluralism-are-disappearing-amid-iraqs-crisis-29832">recent history</a>, fresh in the minds of many. The recent Islamic State claim of responsibility for the <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/27/europe/missing-people-russia-moscow-concert-hall-attack-intl/index.html">recent deadly attacks in Moscow</a>, is a reminder the group remains a live and growing threat. For these reasons police will be looking for any evidence Islamic State might have played a role in inspiring this attack. <h2>Terrorism or not terrorism?</h2> Events at the church have been under a bigger spotlight given the events of the days preceding it. Despite <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/apr/15/false-claims-started-spreading-about-the-bondi-junction-stabbing-attack-as-soon-as-it-happened">early misinformation</a>, police said thathey believe the Bondi killer, Joel Cauchi, was not motivated by a larger political cause – that is, a terrorist motivation. Instead, they say he lashed out violently because of anger control issues related to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/apr/14/joel-cauchi-who-was-the-queensland-man-who-carried-out-the-bondi-junction-mass-stabbing">mental ill-health</a>. But of the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/apr/14/bondi-junction-mass-stabbing-attack-who-are-the-six-victims">six people</a> he killed, five were women. Women also make up the majority of those injured. The one man who lost his life, security guard Faraz Tahir, a Muslim refugee from Pakistan, was attacked because he bravely <a href="https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/04/16/friend-of-bondi-security-guard-says-his-last-moments-were-brave/">rushed towards</a> danger in an attempt to try to stop Cauchi. NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said Cauchi <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-15/westfield-bondi-attack-stabbing-investigation/103706698">deliberately targeted women</a>. So if someone is targeting a specific group of people, isn’t that terrorism? Why does it matter if they were killing based on gender or religion? Is misogyny not terrorism? Put simply, the defining characteristic of terrorism is perpetuating violence in the name of a higher, broader cause. Terrorists have a belief in a collective goal, and see themselves as being backed by people who share that belief. Misogyny can be an element of their motivation and justification of hatred, but it’s part of a larger political project. Basically, it boils down to whether these violent actors think they’re part of a political or religious movement that’s going to <a href="https://theconversation.com/social-inclusion-is-important-in-aotearoa-new-zealand-but-so-is-speaking-honestly-about-terrorism-167429">change the system</a>, or whether they are simply angry men projecting loathing and driven by personal demons. The two, of course, are <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/not-since-the-lindt-siege-has-sydney-known-grief-like-this-20240414-p5fjnl.html">not mutually exclusive</a>. This is not to undermine the damage that angry men can, and do, inflict. Domestic violence is a bigger threat to Australians than terrorism. Calling something a terrorist act doesn’t make it more or less serious than anything else, rather the categorisation is to provide conceptual clarity for the sake of the ensuing investigation. Events at Westfield Bondi Junction and the Assyrian Christ The Good Shepherd Church are both awful, but while they share some similarities, they are different sorts of crimes with different drivers and enablers. As police investigations continue, we’ll come to better understand the nature of both.<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/227997/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/greg-barton-10990">Greg Barton</a>, Chair in Global Islamic Politics, Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a> Image credit: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-is-the-sydney-church-stabbing-an-act-of-terrorism-but-the-bondi-tragedy-isnt-227997">original article</a>. </div>

Caring

Christchurch attack victims' families reflect on tragedy five years on

It's been five years since 51 men, women and children, were murdered in a terror attack when a white supremacist opened fire at Al Noor and Linwood mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. Now, the victims' families have reflected on the tragic day, and commemorated their loved ones on the five-year anniversary of the attacks. Dr Maysoon Salama, who lost her son Atta Elayyan, 33, relives the grief of losing her son every day. “The pain is still fresh,” she told 7NEWS. Five years on, the good memories she shared with her son still play back in her mind. “Atta was an amazing son,” she said. “He’s touched the lives of so many people.” Despite the tragedy, Dr Salama remains strong and finds herself healing through her granddaughter Aya. “I feel like I see her father when I see her,” she said. “It’s a really hard journey ... but she has always been my focus.” Aya was two when she lost her father, and Dr Salama was faced with the heartbreaking task of helping her granddaughter adjust to a life without her father. “When I look her in the eyes and she will ask, ‘Where is my dad?’, what am I going to tell her?” she recalled thinking. “How are we going to tell her when she’s so attached to her daddy? She loved him so much.” Dr Salama's husband, Mohammad Alayan, was among the dozens of people hospitalised following the attack, with doctors at the time saying he was “lucky to survive”. “He had been shot twice. One in his head and it affected his vision and one in his shoulder and she said it was just a few millimetres away from his heart,” Maysoon said. The couple run a Muslim childcare centre An-Nur, and have worked together to help children navigate New Zealand's darkest days. She recalled the sinking feeling when she first heard of the attacks while at work, and how her husband's first instinct was to tell her to protect herself and everyone at the childcare centre. “I got a call from my husband and he told me he was in hospital and that I have a big responsibility to protect the children and the teachers and lock down, close the doors because he was afraid the shooter would also come to our place because we are a Muslim childcare centre,” she said. “More families who were distressed started coming to pick up their children, and some of them even had blood on their shirts, some of them witnessed the thing. “It was really an awful situation.” Not long after, she learned that her own son had also been injured, but at the time had no idea of the reality of it all. Aya Al-Umari lost her brother, Hussein, on the fateful day. “It happened so suddenly, I had no time to grieve,” she said. Hussein spent the last moments of his life protecting other people, and even though Aya misses his hugs more than anything, she takes comfort in knowing that her brother's legacy will live on. “He had the opportunity to escape, but he didn’t,” she said. “He was running towards the terrorist. “It really goes to show, especially in his last moments, he was always a giver.” Both Aya and Dr Salama both take comfort in the belief that their loved ones died as as a Shahid – a true martyr who died in the name of their faith in Islam. Dr Salama hopes that the findings from last year’s coronial inquest, expected to be handed down this year, will provide a sense of closure to the victims' families. She also hopes that people will use the fifth anniversary of the shootings to reflect on the work that is yet to be done and call for more action in fighting Islamophobia and extremism. “We can fight Islamophobia by challenging the biases and educating ourselves also and intervening against discrimination. “See something, say something.” Canterbury's Muslim community will also gather today to honour the victims with a commemoration service at Masjid Annur in the evening, according to <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/511744/muslims-mark-5th-anniversary-of-christchurch-mosque-terror-attacks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RNZ</a>. Brenton Tarrant, who was behind the terror attacks, was sentenced to life in jail without parole – the first person in New Zealand's history to receive the sentence because his actions were deemed "so wicked". Images: 7News

Caring

9/11 victim’s remains identified nearly 23 years after terror attack

Almost 23 years on from the deadly attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York, a victim’s remains have been identified. John Ballantine Niven, 44, was an executive at Aon Risk Services, an insurance firm on the 105th floor of Tower Two of the Trade Centre complex in September 2001. Niven is the 1,650th victim identified from the deadliest act of terrorism on American soil, when hijackers crashed planes into the Twin Towers, killing 2,753 people on September 11th. At the time of his death, he left behind a wife and an 18-month-old son, with his body remaining unidentified until now. “While the pain from the enormous losses on September 11th never leaves us, the possibility of new identifications can offer solace to the families of victims,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement. “I’m grateful for the ongoing work from the Office of Chief Medical Examiner that honours the memory of John Ballantine Niven and all those we lost.” In recent years, the medical examiner’s office has been utilising modern advanced DNA technology to identify victims through their remains. “We will forever remember our heroes who perished on 9/11 and we appreciate the continuous efforts of forensic experts to help identify victims,” Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino said in a separate statement. “We’re hopeful that this amazing advance in technology helps bring peace to Niven’s family and allows him to eternally rest in peace.” Roughly 40 percent of victims of the World Trade Centre attack have yet to have their remains identified, as few full bodies were recovered when the towers collapsed. Image credits: Getty Images / legacy.com

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3 ways to prepare for bushfire season if you have asthma or another lung condition

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kazi-mizanur-rahman-1057615">Kazi Mizanur Rahman</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joe-duncan-1472949">Joe Duncan</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jo-longman-1221029">Jo Longman</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> Australia’s bushfire season is officially <a href="https://www.nsw.gov.au/media-releases/fire-season-commences">under way</a> during an <a href="https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/resources/what-the-return-of-el-nino-means/">El Niño</a>. And after three wet years, and the <a href="https://www.afac.com.au/auxiliary/publications/newsletter/article/seasonal-bushfire-outlook-spring-2023#:%7E:text=For%20spring%202023%2C%20increased%20risk,bushfire%20this%20season%20are%20widespread">plant growth</a> that comes with it, there’s fuel to burn. With the prospect of <a href="https://theconversation.com/its-official-australia-is-set-for-a-hot-dry-el-nino-heres-what-that-means-for-our-flammable-continent-209126">catastrophic bushfire</a> comes smoke. This not only affects people in bushfire regions, but those <a href="https://theconversation.com/bushfire-smoke-is-everywhere-in-our-cities-heres-exactly-what-you-are-inhaling-129772">in cities and towns</a> far away, as smoke travels. People with a <a href="https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/10.1164/rccm.202012-4471LE">lung condition</a> are among those especially affected. <h2>What’s so dangerous about bushfire smoke?</h2> Bushfire smoke <a href="https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/environment/air/Pages/common-air-pollutants.aspx">pollutes the air</a> we breathe by increasing the concentration of particulate matter (or PM). Once inhaled, <a href="https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/environment/air/Pages/particulate-matter.aspx">small particles</a> (especially with a diameter of 2.5 micrometres or less, known as PM2.5) can get deep into the lungs and into the bloodstream. Concentration of gases in the air – such as <a href="https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/environment/air/Pages/ozone.aspx">ozone</a>, <a href="https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/environment/air/Pages/nitrogen-dioxide.aspx">nitrogen dioxide</a> and <a href="https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/environment/air/Pages/sulphur-dioxide.aspx">sulfur dioxide</a> – also increase, to pollute the air. All these cause the airway to <a href="https://www.alfredhealth.org.au/news/the-effects-of-bushfire-smoke-explained/">narrow and spasm</a>, making it hard to breathe. This can be even worse for people with existing asthma or other respiratory conditions whose airways are already inflamed. Emergency department visits and hospital admissions for asthma-related symptoms <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935119305742?dgcid=author">rise</a> <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33601224/">after exposure</a> to bushfire smoke. Smoke from the bushfires in summer 2019/20 <a href="https://www.mja.com.au/system/files/issues/213_06/mja250545.pdf">resulted in</a> an estimated 400 deaths or more from any cause, more than 1,300 emergency department visits for asthma symptoms, and more than 2,000 hospital admissions for respiratory issues. Even if symptoms are not serious enough to warrant emergency medical attention, exposure to bushfire smoke <a href="https://www.qld.gov.au/health/staying-healthy/environmental/after-a-disaster/bushfires/bushfire-smoke-and-your-health#:%7E:text=Signs%20of%20smoke%20irritation%20include,throat%2C%20runny%20nose%20and%20coughing">can lead to</a> cough, nasal congestion, wheezing and asthma flares. If you have <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-causes-asthma-what-we-know-dont-know-and-suspect-96409">asthma</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease-25539">chronic obstructive pulmonary disease</a>, <a href="https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/bronchiectasis#:%7E:text=Bronchiectasis%20is%20a%20condition%20that,These%20tubes%20are%20called%20airways.">bronchiectasis</a> or another lung condition, or you care for someone who has, here’s what you can do to prepare for the season ahead. <h2>1. Avoid smoke</h2> Monitor your local air quality by downloading one or both of these apps: <ul> <li> <a href="https://asthma.org.au/what-we-do/current-projects/airsmart/">AirSmart</a> from Asthma Australia has live air-quality information to help you plan and act </li> <li> <a href="https://airrater.org/">AirRater</a>, developed by Australian scientists, can be another useful app to monitor your environment, track your symptoms and help manage your health. </li> </ul> During times of poor air quality and smoke stay indoors and avoid smoke exposure. Close windows and doors, and if you have one, use an air conditioner to recirculate the air. Avoid unnecessary <a href="https://28bysamwood.com/blog/fitness/should-you-exercise-if-its-smoky-outside/">physical activity</a> which makes us breathe more to deliver more oxygen to the body, but also means we inhale more polluted air. Consider temporarily moving to a safer residence. Well-fitting N95/P2 masks can reduce your exposure to fine smoke particles if you must travel. However they can make it more difficult to breathe if you are unwell. In that case, you may find a mask with a valve <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-protect-yourself-against-bushfire-smoke-this-summer-154720">more comfortable</a>. <h2>2. Have an action plan</h2> Taking your regular preventer medication ensures your lung health is optimised before the danger period. Ensure you have a <a href="https://www.nationalasthma.org.au/health-professionals/asthma-action-plans">written action plan</a>. This provides you with clear instructions on how to take early actions to prevent symptoms deteriorating or to reduce the severity of flare-ups. Review this plan with your GP, share it with a family member, pin it to the fridge. Make sure you have emergency medication available, know when to call for help, and what medication to take while you wait. You may consider storing an emergency “reliever puffer” in your home or with a neighbour. <h2>3. Have the right equipment</h2> High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters <a href="https://www.phrp.com.au/issues/online-early/residential-indoor-air-quality-and-hepa-cleaner-use/">can reduce</a> smoke exposure inside the home during a fire event by 30-74%. These filters remove particulate matter from the air. A spacer, which is a small chamber to contain inhaled medication, can help you take emergency medication if you are breathing quickly. You may want to have one to hand.<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/214065/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kazi-mizanur-rahman-1057615">Kazi Mizanur Rahman</a>, Associate Professor of Healthcare Innovations, Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joe-duncan-1472949">Joe Duncan</a>, Clinical Associate Lecturer, Northern Clinical School and Lecturer, Internal Medicine. Rural Clinical School (Northern Rivers), <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jo-longman-1221029">Jo Longman</a>, Senior Research Fellow, The University Centre for Rural Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/3-ways-to-prepare-for-bushfire-season-if-you-have-asthma-or-another-lung-condition-214065">original article</a>.

Body

Fast-moving bushfire threatens Australia Zoo

Australia is no stranger to bushfires, and once again, the country finds itself in the throes of a dangerous blaze. Evacuation warnings have been issued as a bushfire inches dangerously close to the boundary of the beloved Australia Zoo, operated by the Irwin family. The zoo, famous for its conservation efforts and charismatic wildlife, spans an impressive 283 hectares and holds a special place in the hearts of many. The blaze, described as a "large, fast-moving fire", had triggered initial evacuations on Saturday night. However, by 10:30pm, locals were allowed to return home as firefighting efforts temporarily contained the blaze. But the respite was short-lived. The situation escalated, and on Sunday, evacuation orders were issued once more. Firefighters have been working tirelessly to control the blaze, but the threat remains. The fire, as of 5pm on Sunday, was at the "watch and act" level and was steadily advancing toward Hardwood Rd. Residents in the vicinity, specifically those between Steve Irwin Way, Graham Drive, Fraser Rd, and Hardwood Rd, have been urged to be prepared to leave at a moment's notice. The Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) emphasised that residents should not expect firefighters to arrive at their doors, as resources are stretched thin. The bushfire near Australia Zoo is not an isolated incident; it is part of a larger crisis that has seen multiple fires raging across Queensland. More than 20,000 hectares of land and 41 homes have been lost near Tara on the Western Downs. Exhausted residents in Landsborough, on the Sunshine Coast, had to evacuate for the second time in as many days as conditions worsened. These repeated evacuations underscore the volatile and unpredictable nature of bushfires. Firefighters are racing against time as they brace for worsening conditions this week, with scorching temperatures forecast. Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Inspector Ross Stacey has warned that Tuesday does not look promising, and they are aware that fires can start rapidly under certain conditions. The local crews have been working non-stop, with reinforcements arriving from interstate and across Queensland. The need for vigilance and preparedness is paramount. The fires have already taken a heavy toll, with more than 70 structures, including 41 homes and 25 sheds, lost over the past week. The tireless efforts of over 70 firefighters and two water bombing helicopters were needed to prevent the blaze from engulfing homes on the outskirts of Landsborough. The fire, which broke out in the forestry outside the town, threatened the iconic Australia Zoo, coming within less than a kilometre of the cherished institution. Authorities remain in close contact with the zoo's staff to keep them informed and ensure the safety of the animals. A fire ban is currently in place for several regions, underlining the heightened fire risk. Image: Australia Zoo / QFES

News

AFL star’s wedding evacuated over emergency

West Coast Eagles veteran Andrew Gaff's wedding celebrations took an unexpected turn on a sunny Sunday as an encroaching bushfire threatened the joyous occasion. The unexpected incident unfolded in the picturesque setting of Bold Park in City Beach, Perth, creating an alarming backdrop to what was meant to be a memorable day. According to 7Sport, the flames that ignited in Bold Park posed a severe threat to lives and homes in the surrounding area, prompting the swift intervention of emergency services. This meant that Gaff's wedding reception had to be evacuated promptly, disrupting the festivities and leaving guests in shock. Among the guests in attendance were Gaff's Eagles teammates, including Elliot Yeo and Jack Darling, as well as premiership-winning hero Scott Lycett. The abrupt evacuation was a stark reminder of the unpredictable nature of Australian bushfires. "We were just at a wedding, and the police came and said we've got to leave; there is a fire over the hill," recounted one startled guest. Another guest added, "We were dancing... I was busting a move," before they were rushed out of the venue by police. The bushfire outbreak triggered a "watch and act" warning for parts of City Beach, Floreat and Mount Claremont, underlining the gravity of the situation. Amid the chaos, the father of Gaff's new bride, Emma Van Woerden, was seen carrying the wedding cake away from the Quarry Amphitheatre, a symbol of the disrupted celebration. The cause of the fire was attributed to squatters, and it took the efforts of as many as 50 firefighters to bring the blaze under control. Thankfully, there were no reported threats to lives or homes after the situation was contained. Gaff is not the only footy star who has chose to either get engaged or tie the knot during the post-season. Carlton hero <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/all-the-footy-stars-are-getting-married" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jack Silvagni, for example, wed Grace Phillips</a> in an intimate ceremony attended by family and friends. His teammates Patrick Cripps, Jack Martin and Sam Docherty were among the guests. In the world of rugby, NRL star Reuben Cotter married his new wife, Mackenzie Falco, the day after representing Australia against Samoa. Cotter's dedication to his country led him to cancel his own bachelor party, choosing to participate in the Pacific Championship instead. Images: Nine News / Instagram

Relationships

Fire authorities are better prepared for this summer. The question now is – are you?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/graham-dwyer-908955">Graham Dwyer</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/swinburne-university-of-technology-767">Swinburne University of Technology</a> Last year, campers had to evacuate <a href="https://www.thegreynomads.com.au/caves-2/">because of floods</a>. This year, they’re evacuating because of fire. Over Victoria’s long weekend, campers and residents in Gippsland had to <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-10-01/gippsland-fires-burn-briagolong-loch-sport-erica/102922014">flee fast-moving fires</a>, driven by high winds. The megafires of the 2019–2020 Black Summer came off the back of an earlier El Niño climate cycle. Now, after three years of rain and floods, El Niño is arriving on Australian shores again. With it comes fire weather – hot, dry and windy. The question is – <a href="https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/comment/topic/2023/09/30/climate-change-and-the-fire-season-ahead#mtr">are we ready?</a> Last week, emergency management minister Murray Watt moved to reassure an anxious country. “Australia is much better prepared for this season than we were heading into Black Summer,” he said, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-24/australia-better-prepared-for-bushfire-threat-than-black-summer/102895018">speaking after</a> a national summit on disaster preparedness. Yes, authorities are better prepared. But by and large, we as individuals are not. Far too often, Australians think it’s the job of the authorities to be ready, which breeds a false sense of security. <h2>This fire season may pack a punch</h2> The Black Summer bushfires of the 2019–20 summer were a stark reminder of how fire prone Australia is. But they were more than that – they <a href="https://theconversation.com/australias-black-summer-of-fire-was-not-normal-and-we-can-prove-it-172506">were not normal</a>. Around 20% of all of our forests went up in flame. 2019 was the <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/article/2019-2019-was-australias-hottest-and-driest-year-on-record/#:%7E:text=Last%20year%20was%20Australia's%20hottest,are%20the%20worst%20on%20record.">hottest and driest</a> year on record for Australia. But 2023 <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/sep/01/australia-records-warmest-winter-caused-by-global-heating-and-sunny-conditions">may break that record</a>, as climate records topple around the world and extreme weather events multiply. This year is likely to be the hottest on record globally, and next year the record <a href="https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/resources/what-the-return-of-el-nino-means/#:%7E:text=Looking%20ahead%20%E2%80%93%20with%20El%20Ni%C3%B1o,above%20the%20pre%2Dindustrial%20average">may well fall again</a>. Sustained rain from three successive La Niña years has driven widespread vegetation growth across Australia’s 125 million hectares of forest, bush and grasslands. Over the coming weeks, many areas could dry out quickly and become tinder for bushfires. <h2>Climate cycles do give us time to prepare</h2> Australia’s wet-dry climate cycles have one benefit – during wet years, fire authorities get a reprieve. That lets governments, emergency services and the community <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-22/bushfire-royal-commission-revisited-after-el-nino-weather/102880144">coordinate, plan and prepare</a> for bushfire seasons ahead. That’s why Minister Watt can accurately claim Australia is better prepared. The capacity and capability of our emergency services to predict the spread of fires and issue timely warnings to communities is better than it has ever been. In planning and preparedness for natural hazards such as bushfires and floods, we have seen <a href="https://nema.gov.au/about-us/media-centre/Preparedness-Summit-250923">better integration</a> between government, emergency services, civil and private sector organisations. Planned burning is still a challenge. It’s tough to find the right weather conditions to burn off fuel loads at low intensity, without risking the blaze spreading or threatening property. But these burns are done much more <a href="https://knowledge.aidr.org.au/resources/ajem-october-2020-searching-for-objectivity-in-burning/">strategically these days</a>. Rather than simply aim to hit a target of hectares burned, authorities are now focused on burning fuel in areas where it could endanger lives and damage critical infrastructure during bushfire season. These advances give us good reason for confidence. But not for complacency. Every bushfire is unique. And our fires are, by and large, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-27225-4">getting worse</a>. It would be an error to think our investment in <a href="https://reporter.anu.edu.au/all-stories/fighting-fires-from-space-how-satellites-and-other-tech-could-prevent-catastrophic-bushfires">smoke-detecting algorithms and satellite monitoring</a> and the development of the new <a href="https://afdrs.com.au/">Australian Fire Danger Rating System</a> will spare Australia from the loss of life, property and environmental destruction observed during the Black Summer fires. Why? Decades of bushfires have shown even the best preparation can be found wanting on days of severe bushfire danger when firestorms can develop quickly and behave unpredictably. <h2>For Australia to be ready, you need to be ready</h2> While megafires happen – and draw the most headlines – most bushfires are local rather than national events. That means we must prepare at a local level. If you’re faced with a bushfire threat, you have only <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1467-8500.12592">two options</a>. You can stay and defend your property – as long as you are physically and mentally prepared, have adequate firefighting resources, and your property is prepared and defensible. Or you can leave early, which means making a judgement call about the best time to go in a calm manner. That doesn’t mean panic – if there is time, it can be possible to do things like clear fuels from around the home and dampen the surrounds to give your house a better chance of surviving undefended. Which should you choose? It depends, in part, on where you live and your personal circumstances. Remember too that most Australians will never experience a bushfire firsthand. Every community has a different risk profile and people and communities vary considerably in their levels of preparedness and planning. If a fire does start and head towards your house, you could be taken entirely by surprise if you have no bushfire plan. To be clear, this is arguably the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-prepare-your-home-for-a-bushfire-and-when-to-leave-50962#:%7E:text=Under%20Catastrophic%20fire%20conditions%20all,of%20bushfires%20and%20their%20unpredictability.">largest gap</a> in Australia’s fire preparedness. <h2>Planning is easy – if done ahead</h2> The question of whether Australia is ready for the fire season should be reframed. The better question is: are Australians ready? The good news is, it’s easier than you think to make a fire plan. As a household, it might take just 10 minutes. Your state or territory government has a website showing you how: <ul> <li><a href="https://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/plan-prepare/before-and-during-a-fire/your-bushfire-plan">Victoria</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/resources/bush-fire-survival-plan">New South Wales</a></li> <li><a href="https://bushfire-survival-plan.qfes.qld.gov.au/">Queensland</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.cfs.sa.gov.au/plan-prepare/before-a-fire-be-prepared/make-a-plan/5-minute-bushfire-plan/">South Australia</a></li> <li><a href="https://mybushfireplan.wa.gov.au/">Western Australia</a></li> <li><a href="https://esa.act.gov.au/cbr-be-emergency-ready/bushfires/bushfire-ready">Australian Capital Territory</a></li> <li><a href="https://securent.nt.gov.au/prepare-for-an-emergency/fires/bushfires/survival-plans">Northern Territory</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.fire.tas.gov.au/Show?pageId=colbushfirePrepareActSurvive&fbclid=IwAR1mRkwm89K_SlAnUXUm0LYwAQ7Hc8moJ7c9AoNgkmdPVDxxIPx7WMLJzvk">Tasmania</a></li> </ul> Why plan ahead? Because it is vastly better to have a clear plan at your fingertips rather than frantically trying to figure out where your loved ones are, whether it’s too late to leave and whether you could realistically fight the fire – when the fire is on your doorstep. Faced by the reality of fire, many of us can freeze. What firefighters <a href="https://theconversation.com/i-can-still-picture-the-faces-black-saturday-firefighters-want-you-to-listen-to-them-not-call-them-heroes-128632">want us to learn</a> is that the critical decisions and actions which save lives and property in a bushfire are taken by us and our communities, not by politicians or agencies. John Schauble contributed significantly to this article. He has worked extensively in bushfire policy and research at state level and has volunteered for over 40 years as a firefighter.<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/214577/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/graham-dwyer-908955">Graham Dwyer</a>, Course Director, Centre for Social Impact, Swinburne University of Technology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/swinburne-university-of-technology-767">Swinburne University of Technology</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/fire-authorities-are-better-prepared-for-this-summer-the-question-now-is-are-you-214577">original article</a>.

Travel Trouble

New bushfire map reveals areas of greater risk to homes

Australia is rapidly transitioning to drier conditions after a three-year spell of wet weather. And with this shift comes a significantly heightened risk of spring bushfires, potentially leading to an earlier onset of the fire danger period across the eastern coast of the country. The offical <a href="https://www.afac.com.au/auxiliary/publications/newsletter/article/seasonal-bushfire-outlook-spring-2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bushfire outlook for spring 2023</a>, released by the country's fire chiefs, underscores the increased vulnerability of substantial areas in the Northern Territory, Queensland, New South Wales, and to a lesser extent, Victoria and South Australia. The prevailing concern revolves around the emergence of fast-spreading grassfires, fuelled by the remarkable growth spurred by three years of relatively moist La Niña conditions. Another alarming aspect is the potential threat to bushland that remained untouched by the devastating Black Summer fires in 2019 and 2020. Rob Rogers, Commissioner of the NSW Rural Fire Service, has conceded that the approaching fire season will be a challenging one. He anticipates an above-average fire threat for the spring season from the Queensland border down to areas south of Sydney, including the Blue Mountains. Some regions within the state are covered in dense, one-metre-tall grass that is ripe for ignition. Rogers also emphasised in a press conference that “There’s also a strip along the coast both in the north and in the far south coast in Bega — areas that didn’t burn in 2019-2020. All of those areas we’re quite concerned about... While it’s correct that we’re not as dry as we were in 2019-2020, some areas in the north and the south, on the coastal areas, are already staring to experience drought conditions.” These same conditions are echoed in Queensland, where the fire risk extends from the NSW border northwards towards Cairns and across the western regions. The Northern Territory and southern areas of Darwin have also not been spared from the elevated threat due to the vigorous growth of invasive gamba grass, fuelled by years of abundant rainfall. Greg Leach, Commissioner of Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, cautions that the state is grappling with high fuel loads amplified by below-average rainfall over the past six months. He stresses the importance of developing a comprehensive bushfire plan. In the Northern Territory, authorities express confidence in the protective buffer created by early-season controlled burns in regions south of Darwin and north of Katherine. However, Deputy Chief Commissioner Stephen Sewell bluntly advises against relying solely on rural or remote assistance, emphasising the need for every individual in the territory to have a survival strategy. Victorians are bracing for a warmer and drier spring than usual, heightening the risk of fires and possibly prompting an earlier commencement of the danger period. Gippsland and the Mallee region face particular concern due to their rapid desiccation. The Bureau of Meteorology predicts drier and warmer conditions nationwide in spring, with a possibility of unusual warmth in most areas and exceptionally dry conditions in parts of southern and eastern Australia. Naomi Benger from the bureau warns that these conditions could rapidly parch vegetation, potentially escalating fire dangers in a short span. Despite the country not being as parched as it was prior to the devastating Black Summer fires, authorities stress that we don't need those exact conditions for a genuine and imminent danger to exist. The resounding call to all of Australia is to get ready. “We need the community to do their part and make sure they plan for their survival, knowing whether they are going to stay and defend, or whether they are going to leave. And if they are going to leave, where are they going to go? Make sure all members of your family understand that,” Rogers concluded. Image: AFAC

Home & Garden

Kochie breaks silence on Lindt Café siege terror

David ‘Kochie’ Koch spared no emotion as he spoke for the first time about how he was tracked down and whisked to safety by police on the day of the Lindt Café siege. The veteran TV presenter reflected on the crippling ordeal during an interview with M’s Rush Hour with Leisel Jones, Liam and Dobbo, which was secured by news.com.au. “I’ve never talked about it,” Koch revealed when asked about the devastating events of December 15, 2014. “It had a massive impact on both Nat (Natalie Barr) and I. “The bloke involved in that (Man Haron Monis) was on our security watch list because he’d tried to get to me a few times,” Koch told the Triple M hosts. Six years before the siege, Monis had approached Koch and other Sunrise presenters as they chatted with fans outside the Martin Place studios. Monis was unhappy with a segment that had aired on the show and he allegedly accused the hosts of being “terrorists” before he was taken away by security. On the morning of the siege, Koch left the Channel 7 studios after Sunrise was over and went to a gym three blocks away. He was working out with a friend when the news of the hostage situation first broke. “I remember I got a call … (saying) ‘can I come to (the gym’s) reception,’” Koch shared. On the other end of the phone was the police, who were concerned that the TV presenter could be one of Monis’ targets. According to Koch, the police told him, “We’re coming to pick you up, take you home, you stay there until we tell you.’” Koch said the events that unfolded “had a massive impact” on him and led him to take his security much more seriously. “I have a car that I haven’t driven since because the police said it’s too distinctive,” he said. During the interview, Rush Hour co-host and Olympic gold medallist Leisel Jones revealed she was very closely caught up in the terror attack, which claimed the lives of café manager Tori Johnson and lawyer Katrina Dawson. “I was actually supposed to be in the Lindt Cafe,” Jones, who was working at the nearby Westpac building at time, shared. “(But) I didn’t want hot chocolate, I chose coffee.” Image credit: Getty / Instagram

"Sheer terror": Pensioner slapped with five-figure government fine

Pensioner Rosemary Gay opened up about the “sheer terror” she faced upon receiving a letter from the government demanding she pay back the $65,000 Robodebt bill they claimed she had been overpaid. Rosemary’s nightmare began on September 19, 2016, when the letter arrived, an event that Rosemary confesses “turned my life upside down and created an enormous emotional and mental strain on me." The letter detailed that she was required to pay the total of $64,999.17 in overpaid welfare benefits. Centrelink claimed this was because her declared amounts did not reflect what she actually earned during the period of July 9, 2010, to 6 October, 2016. “It turned my life upside down,” Rosemary told the Robodebt Royal Commission on Monday, “I’ve never earned that much money, how could I owe that much money? And the fact I was to come up with it within a matter of three or four weeks, it was sheer terror.” The emotional 76-year-old admitted that she feared she would have to sell her home to cover the debt, and detailed the bleak path she saw before her, “all I could see was that I may be faced with selling my home and losing everything that I had worked for in my 70 years, and I just saw it all going away instantly.” After contacting Centrelink, Rosemary confirmed that what she had reported was the same as what was on the paperwork. She admitted to assuming that would “be the end of it.” Officials at Centrelink eventually told Rosemary that it came down to a “glitch”, and after a review, the total of her debt was reduced to $6,600. Of her Robodebt experience, Rosemary said, “it was a very dark period of time for me and one that is very difficult to re-live. My mental health and physical health, at that stage, were at a very low ebb.” A second review brought a new letter to Rosemary in December 2016, this time stating that her debt had been reduced to $120. Finally in 2020, Rosemary was informed by Centrelink that she would be refunded the $120, with the Coalition government winding up the unlawful scheme - ruled as such by the Federal Court in 2019. It is suspected that more than 381,000 people were affected, and that over $750m was wrongfully recovered from the victims. “I was shocked and angry by this time to think they could initially cause such a traumatic experience to anybody accessing support from a pension,” Rosemary told the Royal Commission, “it will continue to remain with me forever. It’s just something I will never get over and it has had a huge impact on my physical and mental wellbeing … “That they could turn someone’s life upside down and still get it so wrong over and over again.” Image: Getty Images

Money & Banking

Climate scientist warns a deadly bushfire season is "likely"

An early climate model has suggested a hot and dry El Niño could form once La Niña - the event responsible for three years of flooding rains - comes to a slow close. Should this be on the horizon, a summer of drought, heatwaves and bushfires are all but certain according to a climate expert. The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) released its latest climate driver update on Thursday, stating ocean temperatures "remain warmer than average in the western Pacific". Models indicate sea-surface temperatures may exceed El Niño thresholds in the equatorial Pacific by June. Dr Wenju Cai, a climate scientist with the CSIRO, said an El Niño is "likely" to form. "We have been through three years of La Niña, during each of which heat is stored in the equatorial Pacific," he told 9News.com.au. "With so much heat charged in the equatorial Pacific, an El Niño is readily triggered by relaxation of the trade winds over the region." "(The) majority of prediction models are predicting an El Niño by the summer.” After extreme wet weather conditions and soaking rains, Cai holds fears for the next bushfire season - warning it could recall the grim scenes of Black Summer of 2019 and early 2020. The World Health Organisation (WHO) says heatwaves are among the most dangerous of natural hazards. Cai said Australia should know for certain what the summer will hold by June. "Between March and May, predictability is low as this is a period in which there is high noise, the so-called autumn predictability barrier," he said. One thing is for certain though, La Niña is drawing to a close. Image: Getty

Travel Trouble

Aussie survivors reflect on the Bali bombings 20 years on

On October 12th 2002, three bombs were detonated in two Bali hotspots which resulted in the death of 202 people, 88 of whom were Australian. It was the single largest loss of Australian life due to an act of terror. Now, 20 years on from the tragedy, survivors told <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/bali-bombings-20-year-anniversary-survivors-rescuers-victims-stories/8f6a1661-e377-4ce9-aa17-204d67ca065c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9News</a> their inspirational yet harrowing stories of survival, and how their lives have changed since since that fateful day two decades ago. Therese After suffering devastating burns to 85 percent of her body, Therese Fox has fought valiantly through hundreds of skin grafts, life-threatening infections and agonising physiotherapy. Therese spent a year in hospital and defied doctor's expectations to survive, only to be confronted with the reality of survivor's guilt. Two decades on, she is still haunted by the loss of her good friend Bronwyn Cartwright and dozens of others. "I could go through my burns a hundred times over. The guilt of survival is the hardest thing to live with," Fox said, before breaking down in the face of the overwhelming emotion of her first return to Bali. Ashleigh When Ashleigh Airlie was just 14-years-old, she was faced with the trauma of losing her mother Gayle, who was killed in the terror attack. Four other mothers were holidaying in Bali with their teenage daughters, who were in the back of the Sari Club when the second bomb went off. It was just two days before Ashleigh's 15th birthday when she was buried under the collapsing roof and leaving her grasping for strangers' legs to make it out to the street. "When I think about it, that's the last place I had a good time with my mum," Ashleigh, now 34, told 9News. "It was the last place we had fun and she was having the time of her life." Peter When Peter Hughes was interviewed from his hospital bed, he unknowingly became the Australian face of the Bali bombing tragedy, which left him feeling "a little bit embarrassed about it all". "I was dying at the time and I knew that," he said, describing the interview as a chance to show his son Leigh that he was ok, even though he knew he wasn't. "I was just hanging on back then." While appearing on TV, Peter was swollen and barely able to breathe, but seemed unconcerned about his injuries. He slipped into a coma days later with burns to more than half his body. Now, he still struggled with the physical and mental effects of surviving the attack, but that doesn't stop him from returning to Bali several times a year. Andrew While Andrew Csabi was laying in the street dying outside the smoking ruins of the Sari Club, he gave himself the last rites. "I looked down, I said, 'my leg's blown off' and I couldn't believe it," he said. "I laid there quietly and I issued myself last rights." Natalie and Nicole Nicole McLean and Natalie Goold were just 23 when the bombs went off in Bali. After Nicole lost her right arm and suffered horrific leg injuries in the attack, Natalie fought to save the life of her friend in an act that saw her became one of only four people awarded the Star of Courage medal in the Bali honours list. "She was just a force to be reckoned with. She knew where we had to go, where we had to be, and she wasn't leaving my side," McLean said. "She was ripping people's t-shirts off them and shoving them in my leg to stop the blood." Nicole McLean had survived the horror of the Sari Club and made it onto an RAAF jet that could get her back to Australia within hours. Image credits: 9News

Travel Trouble

Australia has a new bushfire danger rating system

Australia has a new bushfire danger rating system. Fire danger ratings describe the potential level of danger should a bushfire start. They provide people with information so they can take action to protect themselves and others from the potentially dangerous impacts of bushfires. The Australian Fire Danger Rating System (or AFDRS) has in many ways been a project more than 50 years in the making – only now it’s replacing the modelling originally developed in the 1960s with more precise scientific understandings of fuel sources, fire and human behaviours. The new system will extend to the way information is delivered to the public. While many roadside signs will be refreshed, some jurisdictions will instead use more modern communications like the internet and social media to relay information to their communities. So how does a sixty-year-old system – and the science behind it – get an overhaul? <h2>The science behind the new fire danger ratings</h2> While the public sees a colour-coded dial on a road sign, or catches an emergency update on the radio, there is a substantial body of scientific modelling underlying a system which covers one of the world’s largest countries by area. One of the most important changes to the AFDRS science is the expansion of vegetation models used to predict fire behaviour. Previously, the system considered just two types of vegetation – grassland and forest. Now, it’s eight. Grassland and forest remain, but the models have been refined and expanded to include grassy woodlands, spinifex, shrubland, mallee heath, button grass and pine forest. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/09/fire-1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> The left map of Australia shows how fire modelling has seen Australia for the best part of sixty years, the right indicates how the nation will be viewed from September 1. That, says Dr Stuart Matthews, a principal project officer at NSW Rural Fire Service who led the science update for AFDRS, is because Australia is a land of more than just sweeping grassplains and expansive gum forests. “There’s very diverse range of vegetation across the whole country and pretending it’s all either grasslands or open, dry sclerophyll forest just isn’t an accurate representation,” says Matthews. The eight new vegetation models include the ability to consider 22 different fuel types. Creating a system that uses four times as many models is an involved process – one that has covered almost a decade of research, prototyping and public engagement. And the science goes beyond the expansion of vegetation analysis. Working closely with the Bureau of Meteorology to understand weather and climate patterns, the atmospheric science and reporting provided to both the AFDRS and the wider public has been updated to reflect the new vegetation modelling. <h2>How the science moves the dial</h2> Fire authorities use sophisticated systems to determine the rating for any given point in time. These systems – which are to be used nationally – divide the Australian landmass into 2.25 square kilometre units and analyses the fuel source within them. These units also reflect data on when the last time fuel in the region was burnt-through. Combined with the latest forecasts for areas from the weather bureau, information is placed into the fire behaviour model appropriate for the area. The system then creates a textual description of what a burning fire in that area would do, including its rate of spread, heat intensity and flame height. This description is then transferred to a series of tables which converts the description into a numerical value. This value aligns to a rating category on the Fire Behaviour Index, a ‘stepped’ indicator that allows authorities to prepare systems and resourcing to respond in the event of a fire. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/09/fire-2.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> This index effectively guides local authorities’ actions on days of fire risk. For the public, it’s the guide to moving the dial on road signs. There are five categories on the behaviour index: no rating, moderate, high, extreme and catastrophic. Until the end of August 2022, the scale includes ratings like ‘low-moderate’, ‘very high’, and ‘severe’ – these have been retired. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/09/fire-3.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> The ‘no rating’ acts as the “parking bay” for the roadside needle, advising the public of the lowest risk conditions. But there’s science behind that too. ‘No rating’ days align to conditions appropriate for a controlled, prescribed burn. “For instance, in forest, prescribed burnings are normally done at a heat output of about 750 kilowatts per metre,” says Matthews. “So, in forests, if the prediction coming out of the model was that intensity would be less than 750kW, it would be classified in the ‘no rating’ range.” Anything above 750kW in a forest community would force authorities to ‘grade up’. <h2>System overhauled, but we won’t need to wait sixty years for the next update</h2> The previous fire rating system was developed by CSIRO scientist A. G. McArthur in the 1960s. And while familiar characteristics have been transferred to the new project, the ‘back end’ processes and science were rigid. Rigid enough that the system has been largely unchanged for the six decades since it was first implemented. In contrast, the new AFDRS is designed to be updated as new science comes to hand. It’s also informed by real world, operational knowledge and experience. This, says Matthews, provides authorities with more precision in fire preparation and response. “It’s a really big change from the old system, where none of the rating levels had an established and agreed meaning,” he says. “In the McArthur work, they were set up as a suppression difficulty measure, but that was never ‘tied down’ and everyone had their own interpretation of what that meant, which made it really hard to assess how the system was working. It was poorly defined. “It’s taken sixty years to get to where we are and one of the obstacles, from a science point-of-view, was that the system was fixed. You couldn’t make incremental changes to it. “With the new system, we’ve built it in a modular way, and clearly broken down the different parts of the system so we can upgrade and change things if we need to.” An important element of the bushfire rating system is to be able to indicate the impact of a possible bushfire in words a landowner might understand. <hr /> The Country Fire Service (South Australia) describes a ‘Catastrophic Level’ bushfire as: <ul> <li>The worst conditions for a bush or grass fire.</li> <li>If a fire starts and takes hold, it will be extremely difficult to control. It will take significant fire fighting resources and cooler conditions to bring it under control.</li> <li>Spot fires will start well ahead of the main fire and cause rapid spread of the fire. Embers will come from many directions.</li> <li>Homes are not designed or constructed to withstand fires in these conditions.</li> <li>The safest place to be is away from bushfire prone areas.</li> </ul> Dr Matthews points out that the messaging for consequences will continue to be based on fire behaviour and known elements like flame heights, fuel loads, wind speed and spotting. “We are building a case for funding for more research to improve the accuracy in the future of the fire impact.“ This article originally appeared on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/people/australian-fire-danger-rating-system/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Matthew Agius. Image: Country Fire Authority (CFA)

Travel Trouble

News of Bali bomb-maker's sentence cut short sparks fury

The bomb-maker behind the devastating 2002 Bali bombings has been released early from Indonesian prison only days after his sentence was reduced by a further five months. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has declared this decision will add trauma to the victims’ families and says his diplomats are lobbying the Indonesian government regarding the reduction. This decision means that Umar Patek, the man who made the explosives that killed 200 people, including 88 Aussies in 2002, will have served only half of his original 20-year sentence. Indonesian authorities insist he has been ‘deradicalised’ but Mr Abanese has described him as ‘abhorrent’. The sentence had already been reduced by 18 months on a previous occasion, meaning his total reduction is now one year and 11 months. He would have been eligible for parole in January 2023 after serving two thirds of his sentence. Patek admitted making the suicide vests that went off at Sari Club and Paddy's Pub in Kuta but claimed he did not know what they would be used for. After nine years on the run in the Philippines and Pakistan, he was caught in 2011 and spared the death sentence after co-operating with police and apologising to victims' families. This coming October marks the 20th anniversary of the bombings. Images: Australian National Museum / Getty

Legal

New technology to keep track of koalas during bushfire season

<h3 dir="ltr">Authorities were left to guess the death toll of adorable koalas and other threatened species after the Black Summer bushfires that tore through our east coast.</h3> The disaster exposed a lack of data about what was living where - a consequence of how expensive and time consuming it is to gather such information on a large scale. On World Environment Day, news emerged of a three-way collaboration using drones, artificial intelligence algorithms and dedicated volunteers, to help make a difference. Drones fitted with cameras and thermal sensors will be given to trained Landcare groups and will be regularly flown over local koala habitats. Footage will then be sent to the Queensland University of Technology to be scanned by the AI algorithm, which essentially allows computers to "see". Highly accurate data about the location and number of koalas is then returned to volunteers, who can use it to inform their conservation work. University ecologist Grant Hamilton developed the algorithm with colleague Simon Denman and says involving Landcare groups is the perfect way to scale up the use of the technology and start generating big data sets. "As the Black Summer bushfires showed, we simply don't know what's out there. The huge benefit of this is being able to cover a lot of ground quickly," he said. It also removes the challenge of scaling rugged terrain and offers more accurate information. The $1.5 million project has been funded by WIRES, Australia's largest wildlife rescue organisation and Landcare with in-kind support from the university. Landcare Australia CEO Shane Norrish says the project will start with five groups from Victoria’s north to Queensland but will soon expand into other areas. The same approach could be used to monitor threatened species other than the koala. WIRES CEO Leanne Taylor says better data should mean a better wildlife response when future disasters strike. More than 60,000 koalas were killed or injured in the 2019/20 Black Summer bushfire disaster, WWF Australia calculated. Nearly three billion animals - including mammals, birds, reptiles and frogs - were impacted. Meanwhile, the 2022 Queensland budget will allocate almost $40 million to help protect the state's native flora and fauna. Image: Getty

Family & Pets

See the tiny houses made to withstand bushfires

Designer and builder <a rel="noopener" href="https://tctiny.com.au/" target="_blank">Tom Coupe</a> creates tiny houses on wheels, and they are built with a particular purpose in mind: bushfire protection. The minimalist homes feature fewer, smaller windows than a standard minimalist house, complete with shutters that can be quickly closed, and an exterior that resembles a bunker. These differences are some of 125 modifications Coupe has implemented to create tiny houses on wheels (THOWs) that are bushfire-resistant, a speciality he has been working on since 2018. Surprisingly, THOWs aren’t required to be fire-proof, despite their frequent use in rural areas. With their attached wheels, THOWs are classified as caravans and aren’t subject to the bushfire attack level standards other new houses built in fire-prone areas are required to meet. But, Coupe’s time living in the small township of Kinglake - where effects of 2009’s Black Saturday fires still linger - has informed his fire-resistant work. “Tiny houses are, by nature, portable - no one really knows where they will end up,” he says. “With the potential for almost every house in Victoria to be affected by fire, I believe it’s beneficial for all houses, portable or not, to be resistant to airborne embers and smoke.” To achieve this, Coupe reduces the number of weak points where fire could enter his houses. With the shutters, the airtight lips around the windows, and the fireproof mesh covering the vents, the chance of embers or burning debris finding a place to ignite drops. For Coupe, the main goal is to prevent heat from getting inside, and he meticulously seals cracks and gaps - a step he says is often overlooked with tiny houses. He says fabric and furnishings inside the home are “far more flammable than anything that’s on the outside of the house”, making radiant heat the biggest threat to homes. His most recent builds have even gone completely electric to remove the gas risk, and complete fireproofing sees the tyres removed. All of his developments are tested under flame and intense heat to give a realistic and accurate idea of their effectiveness. He then shares much of his experimentation on YouTube, and even makes his designs easy to reproduce by other builders. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Vwjv2PyaG2Q" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> “I don’t have fancy machinery or equipment and I don’t import materials,” he <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.domain.com.au/news/tiny-homes-can-be-bushfire-resistant-too-1111773/" target="_blank">says</a>. “Either of these would make replicating these houses untenable to the average owner-builder or commercial builder.” With that in mind, Coupe chooses materials that are easy to purchase, including his fireproof paints, fire-resistant insulations, and low-ignitability timbers. “Australia needs too many of these [fire-resistant THOWs] for me to build them all,” he says. Though the fire-resistant modifications push the price up, Coupe says it’s “not as pricey as most would expect” and costs significantly “less than rebuilding”. The markup ranges from about 10 percent for a medium fire-resistance level, up to 50 percent more for the highest level of protection. Importantly, Coupe says the homes are designed to be unharmed while their occupants head to safety. “Leaving early should be an easy decision,” he says. “My houses need to look ready for battle at a moment’s notice or much of their benefit can be lost from the outset.” Images: TC Tiny (Facebook)

Real Estate

Arrest warrant issued for man missing in bushfire zone

Image: Facebook/WA Police An arrest warrant has been issued for Jordan Marshall, a real estate agent missing in the Margaret River fire zone since last Wednesday. Mr Marshall, aged 40, was due to appear for a scheduled court matter in Fremantle Magistrates Court on Monday morning but failed to appear. His burnt-out car was found near where a bushfire broke out in Margaret River last week. Family, friends, and police are concerned for the father-of-three’s welfare, as he was on bail at the time of his disappearance. He was last spotted near Mammoth Cave on December 8th, the day the bushfire broke out. After burning out of control for several days, the fire has now been contained after burning out 5,500 hectares of land. WA Police confirmed that the arson unit, Strike Force Vulcan, is on the scene. On Saturday, the unit released a statement confirming their suspicion that the fire had been deliberately lit. “Based on initial assessment of the fire scene it is believed the fire was deliberately lit and may have been ignited near Mammoth Cave,” the statement said. Police have not stated whether they believe Mr Marshall was involved in the bushfire, but his failure to appear in court on Monday has prompted the issuing of an arrest warrant, as he failed to comply with bail conditions. Mr Marshall was due to appear on one count each of criminal damage or destruction of property and unlawfully assault and bodily harm with circumstances of aggravation. According to police, the first charge relates to an incident that happened on December 4 in White Gum Valley. The second charge is from an incident that happened on the same day in South Fremantle, and he is also charged with a further three counts of criminal damage or destruction of property. He is due to face court for these charges December the 31st. Mr Marshall’s brother has shared with The West Australian that Jordan is suffering from mental health issues. “We are pleading with members of the community to keep an eye out for Jordan, and to check their properties for any signs of him. “We would appreciate any help that will bring our Jordo home.” Mr Marshall is described as having a solid build with short brown hair and brown eyes. He is about 170cm tall. Police have asked anyone with information of the whereabouts of Mr Marshall to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or make a report online at crimestopperswa.com.au.

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