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"It loses its value": Calls for the Last Post to be canned from Anzac Day footy

A radio host has called for the Last Post to be canned from the majority of Anzac Day football games, saying it has lost its meaning over the years, leaving people with "bugle fatigue". An Anzac Day AFL match has taken place every year at the MCG on Anzac Day since 1995, with Collingwood and Essendon going head to head year after year. It was the brainchild of then Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy who had also served in the Australian Army during his playing days for Richmond. The game started as a one off-match, which quickly snowballed into an entire round of games, while the NRL also joined in and created their own Anzac Day matches. Traditionally, each game starts with a ceremony of recognition of our veterans and a performance of the Last Post. before the game kicks off. The addition of the several extra games, all which begin with the Last Post, prompted radio host Greg 'Marto' Martin from Brisbane's Triple M Breakfast with Marto, Margaux & Dan to call for The Last Post to be scrapped from all matches, except the annual fixture between Essendon and Collingwood. "Football has now turned [The Last Post] into a gimmick," he said. "Back in 1995 when Kevin Sheedy, the coach of Essendon, he said, 'Let's have an Anzac Day clash at the MCG,' I reckon it's the most… spine tingling three minutes or so." "97,000 at the MCG… not one person yelling out while that's being played and, the honour that they give to all serving soldiers and returned soldiers is quite extraordinary." "But now what's happened, as football always does, and I'm not just talking AFL I'm talking rugby league as well, they've taken a wonderful thing and they've gone, 'Oh that's good —'" Margaux interrupted saying: "How can we capitalise!" Marto continued, "So what's going to happen this week in all eight games of the AFL and all eight games of the rugby league… every single one of them will play this [The Last Post] and you'll get ANZAC - you'll get bugle fatigue." "We have to stop it somewhere." Margaux said, "It gets saturated, so it loses its value. They all think they are doing the right thing, but all they are doing is turning it into a mockery." The AFL has confirmed that all nine matches across round seven will hold special Anzac observance ceremonies ahead of each game, with AFL General Manager Commercial Peta Webster saying, "Anzac Day is one of our country's most important national occasions so I'd encourage all fans attending matches throughout the round to arrive early to soak up the atmosphere and pre-match formalities that will no doubt be another moving tribute to the sacrifices of our past and present service men and women." Image credits: Getty Images

Travel Trouble

"No-brainer": Call for Jack's law to be introduced nationwide

A Queensland father whose son was stabbed on a night out is pushing for Jack's Law to be introduced nationwide in the wake of the <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/family-of-bondi-killer-break-silence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bondi Junction attack</a> and <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/teenage-boy-in-custody-after-stabbing-at-sydney-church" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wakeley Church stabbing</a>. Brett Beasley is urging NSW premier Chris Minns and other states to introduce the anti-knife law which allows police officers to conduct random searches for knives at public transport hubs and Safe Night precincts using metal detecting wands. “It’s an absolute no-brainer,” he told news.com.au. “It’s absolutely extraordinary how well it’s working here in Queensland. I believe every single police officer Australia-wide should have the same powers.” Beasly and his wife Belinda have spent years campaigning for the law following the tragic death of their son Jack, who was stabbed by a group of teens outside a Surfers Paradise convenience store during a night out in 2019. It's been three years since the law was introduced in Queensland, and since then 55,000 people have been searched, 800 weapons have been confiscated and 1400 people have been charged. “It’s the same as being pulled over for a random breath test, it’s exactly the same and it’s working,” Beasly said. “I can guarantee the NSW government, if they were to adopt Jack’s Law, then they will start finding thousands of weapons. It’s scary to think how many of these young offenders are walking around actually armed and getting away with it.” Beasly, who was “absolutely devastated” after hearing about the Bondi Junction stabbing spree, said that the NSW premier should waste no time introducing the law. “Chris Minns shouldn’t even contemplate it. He should just say, ‘Absolutely. Let’s do this’. “I get thousands of messages from people in New South Wales who say ‘We want Jack’s Law down here, we need it down here’.” “To lose a child in any way is absolutely horrendous, and to lose a child to murder is the worst way possible. Your child’s life is taken from them.” Beasly is keen to meet with Minns to discuss rolling out Jacks law in NSW saying: “if Chris Minns is open to a meeting with me, I’ll be on the next flight to Sydney because this government need to make this happen. It’s as simple as that." A NSW government spokesperson has told news.com.au that they “need to look carefully at our current policies to ensure the public is safe”. “The NSW Sentencing Council is currently undertaking a review of the sentencing laws for firearms, knives and other weapons offences. The NSW Government will also look at knife laws,” they said. “We will await the review findings and consider all recommendations carefully.” Beasly is also planning to meet with the Governor of Western Australia on Monday and hopes that they will also adopt the law. While waiting for other states to adopt the law, Beasly and the Jack Beasley Foundation are delivering free presentations about knife crime in schools. “Let’s work on this together and bond together and make a change and see if we can stop this,” he said. Image: Jerad Williams/ news.com.au

Legal

Michael Schumacher’s wife makes emotional call

Michael Schumacher’s family has made the difficult decision to auction off his personal collection of luxury watches ahead of the Italian Grand Prix on May 19. The F1 legend's wife Corinna is believed to have made the decision as she continues to care for him after his devastating skiing accident over 10 years ago. Corinna manages Schumacher's $970 million fortune, which is set to grow with the sale of Schumacher's eight most valuable watches, including a one-of-a-kind FP Journe Vagabondage 1 Model, which is expected to sell for between $1.7 million and $3.4 million. Auction house Christie’s will conduct the sale of the F1 legend's watch collection, which is believed to be worth roughly $6 million. “Christie’s expresses sincere thanks to the Schumacher family for their trust in us and their wish to share these masterpieces of horology with other passionate collectors around the globe,” Rémi Guillemin, Christie’s Head of Watches Europe and US, said. “We are proud to present these iconic and unique timepieces belonging to one of the most celebrated Formula 1 legends. An exceptional moment, for watch and F1 enthusiasts alike. “We are looking forward to meeting with passionate collectors during our international exhibitions and the auction on 13 May in Geneva.” One of the other watches going up for auction is an Audemars Piguet watch which features the Ferrari emblem, Schumacher’s helmet design, symbols representing his seven titles and an engraved message, which read: “Xmas 2004 — Jean Todt for my friend Michael Schumacher." The watch was given to him by Todt and is expected to sell for between $250,000 and $425,000. The auction is another financial move by Corinna, who reportedly meets with a small group of financial advisers about three or four times a year to make decisions about the family's sales and investments. Ever since the accident Corinna has also been protecting her husband's privacy, with no one outside of Schumacher's inner circle knowing what happened to the F1 legend. <em style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #323338; font-family: Figtree, Roboto, 'Noto Sans Hebrew', 'Noto Kufi Arabic', 'Noto Sans JP', sans-serif; background-color: #ffffff; outline: none !important;">Image: Getty/ Christie's

Money & Banking

Millions of phones at risk of being cut off from calling triple-0

Over a million Aussies may be unable to contact triple-0 as two major telcos cut their 3G networks. Telstra's network will be closed on June 30 this year followed by Optus, which will shut their 3G network in September. While most late model phones are now serviced by either 4G or 5G networks, there are many devices that still rely on 3G. Approximately 113,000 Telstra customers have not upgraded their 3G handsets, while Optus have not disclosed a figure. The greater concerns lie for older 4G-enabled handsets that may not be able to call triple-0 once the 3G networks are switched off, because of the way those phones are configured. In March, Communications Minister Michelle Rowland was informed that 740,000 Australians were in that category. A month later, that figure was revised to over a million. "I welcome the industry’s first report to government but am concerned around their disclosure of around one million potentially impacted consumers,” the minister said. “I am considering the detail provided and next steps, and the government will have more to say about the 3G switchover soon.” She also said that they were open to delaying the switchover "if warranted in the public interest”. “Options exist under law for the government to consider proposals to delay the planned switchover, subject to consultation and procedural processes,” she said. Telstra has informed customers about what to do if they are affected, and how they could check. “If your mobile device doesn’t have Voice over LTE (VoLTE) technology, even if it uses 4G data, it will not be able to make voice calls on our network after 30 June 2024,” they informed their customers. “Not all VoLTE enabled devices support emergency VoLTE calling, meaning they will not be able to make an emergency call to triple-0 once 3G closes." “Without taking the recommended action you won’t be able to connect to a network after 30 June 2024,” they warned. Customers who are worried that they might be impacted, are encouraged to text 3 to the number 3498, so that the telco can inform the customer on their connection status. Optus have also encouraged customers to contact them if they think they may be affected. Image: Getty

Legal

Kochie called out over "disgusting" remarks

Port Adelaide president David Koch has come under fire over remarks he made while discussing Jeremy Finlayson's homophobic slur towards another player. Finlayson is under AFL investigation after he admitted to aiming a homophobic slur at an Essendon player on Friday’s game at Adelaide Oval. The player Finlayson directed the comment towards is not yet known, but on Saturday night, Port Adelaide confirmed that a “contrite Finlayson made the club aware during the three-quarter time break” of the incident “and apologised to the victim on the field after the final siren last night”. On Sunday morning, Koch appeared on ABC’s Offsiders to discuss the incident with host Kelli Underwood, veteran journalist Caroline Wilson and AFL footy boss Laura Kane. “There’s no excuse for it. Jeremy was incredibly remorseful, actually told the coaches at three-quarter time that it was inexcusable, went and apologised to the player after the game,” Koch said. “That’s no excuse whatsoever. It’s in the heat of the battle, should not have done it and we’ll wait for the AFL to go through its process.” When discussing what sort of punishment the league could hand down to Finlayson, footy boss Kane questioned whether it may be similar to Taylor Walker's six-week ban after he used a racial slur. But Kochie wasn't on board with linking the two incidents, and said that the the league had set a precedent with the ruling it handed down to North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson. “Not ruling it out (an internal investigation), but, umm, you know, if you look at comparisons and benchmarks that have been set,” Koch said. “With a 55-year-old coach premeditated, target the player, walk up to them is very different to a player in the heat of battle when there was a lot of niggle in the game, the pressure again - absolutely no excuse, not condoning it whatever, and should not be part of the game, but if you’re going to look at a comparison, that would be the benchmark there.” ABC’s Offsiders host Underwood pressed further and asked him: “If I put it to you, it’s in the same category as Taylor Walker’s racial slur, what would your response to that be?” Koch responded: “I don’t think that’s realistic. I think the benchmark has been set in terms of...” Wilson interjected: “With Alistair Clarkson which I thought was too light." But Koch insisted: “OK. But the benchmark has been set.” The comments from the former Sunrise presenter was slammed on social media. “This is pretty disgusting from Koch," wrote Columnist Greg Jericho. “Yeah nah @kochie_online. A slur is a slur is a slur. You say you don’t condone a player using a homophobic slur on the field and that there’s no excuse but in the same sentence practically excuse it by saying it occurred ‘in the heat of battle’ and a ‘niggle’. So disappointing," another user wrote. “Terrible take from Koch. We are benchmarking abuse now. Not making excuses but … homophobia and racism have no place in the game," a third added. “@kochie_online as a leader of our football club this statement is beyond disappointing. A slur against a marginalised group is exactly the same the nature of it is irrelevant. You need to do better!” a fourth commented. Images: Getty/ ABC

Legal

“Was I right?": Pauline Hanson repeats her call for halt on immigration

Pauline Hanson, the controversial leader of One Nation, has once again thrust immigration into the spotlight with her renewed calls to halt migration to Australia. Hanson, known for her divisive rhetoric, has resurrected her infamous claims from nearly three decades ago, asserting that Australia is being "swamped" by Asian immigrants. Hanson's resurgence on this issue coincides with the release of new figures revealing that Australia's migration intake has surged to a record high of 548,800 arrivals in the year leading up to September. These numbers pose a challenge to the government's efforts to manage immigration levels, prompting Hanson to call for a plebiscite to gauge public opinion on the matter. In her address to the Senate, Hanson harked back to her inaugural speech as the Oxley MP in 1996, where she first warned of being "swamped by Asians". “I was called a racist, of course, by the major parties and big media who are in lockstep of a big Australia,” Hanson said on Thursday morning. “But today, seven out of the top 10 source countries for immigration to Australia are in Asia - including four out of the top five - and the numbers are out of control. “Was I right? You’d never admit it. But yes, I am.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> On behalf of the majority of Australians, I demand a halt on immigration. For many, many years, the Australian people have been telling us to lower immigration. To keep the numbers low. To put the interests of Australians living here before the interests of foreigners who… <a href="https://t.co/VGwdRZGdXT">pic.twitter.com/VGwdRZGdXT</a> — Pauline Hanson 🇦🇺 (@PaulineHansonOz) <a href="https://twitter.com/PaulineHansonOz/status/1770578663437955367?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 20, 2024</a></blockquote> However, Hanson's push to curtail immigration was ultimately defeated, with opposition from other senators and parties. Nevertheless, the debate rages on, fuelled by concerns over housing shortages, strained infrastructure and environmental pressures. Opposition figures, including immigration spokesman Dan Tehan, criticise the government's handling of immigration, arguing that Labor's vision of a "Big Australia" is exacerbating existing challenges. They call for urgent action to address the housing crisis and alleviate the strain on public services. In response, the government has outlined plans to crack down on fraudulent visa applications and tighten regulations on higher education providers. Additionally, measures are being implemented to address loopholes in the visa system, such as the phenomenon of "ghost colleges". The government's migration strategy, unveiled in December, aims to achieve a significant reduction in net overseas migration by 2025. If successful, this would mark the largest decline in migration outside of extraordinary circumstances in Australia's history. As the debate unfolds, the nation grapples with fundamental questions about identity, diversity and sustainability. While politicians spar over policy solutions, the Australian public remains divided on the issue, reflecting broader societal tensions and anxieties about the future. Image: Twitter (X)

Legal

Home and Away star calls for more diversity

Home and Away star Ray Meagher has spoken out about the iconic soap changing direction from its original premise and how he wants better LGBTQ+ representation on the show. Meagher, who has played Alf Stewart on the show since 1988 and is signed on until at least 2027, shared his thoughts on the show's creative direction. The soap, which has explored every possible plot line with cults, abductions, car and motorcycle accidents, health scares, and more, started to go on a different journey following the introduction of the River boys in 2011, with the storyline now focusing more on crimes. Meagher criticised network execs for letting the soap stray from its premise of a seaside community and its original Fletcher family taking in foster children. “There is still penchant for a River Boy,” he said in an interview with TV Tonight. “I mean, that was just a great period. But was it Summer Bay? Hmmm…. in my humble opinion, not to that extent,” Meagher added. He also said that there was nothing wrong with the storylines or the focus on "sex, drugs and rock and roll" but believes that the change of pace "came in too big of a dose," and made the show completely different from its original plot. Meagher also said that it's about time the show had better LGBTQ+ representation, after the show was previously criticised for lack of sustained LGBTQIA+ characters “It’d be nice to have a nice gay character come into the Bay. That would be good,” he said. “However, how many of them do we have in Summer Bay? There would definitely be a percentage, whether they’re above the ground or underground still in a town like the Bay." “The one thing that I have a bit of a problem with is sometimes when you realise there’s a representative hole when people tend to think, ‘Oh, jeez, we’ve ignored that area,’ and then there’s a wash of it. And you think ‘No community looks like that," he added. Image: Seven

Paul Hogan calls Margot Robbie's Oscars snub a "dull tradition"

Paul Hogan has called out The Academy for their "dull tradition” after Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig were snubbed for an Oscar nomination in February. Despite being the only film directed by a woman to earn more than $1 billion at the box office, Robbie and Gerwig were both <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/movies/margot-robbie-snubbed-as-oscar-nominations-announced" target="_blank" rel="noopener">snubbed </a>in their respective categories of leading actress and best director during the 96th Academy Awards, which sparked outrage online. Speaking to Sunrise on Friday, the Crocodile Dundee actor revealed his thoughts on why he thinks both the Aussie actor and Barbie director missed out on a nomination. “To see them not nominated, that’s a sort of like ... a dull tradition of ‘if it’s not about pain and suffering, it can’t be very good’. It’s not fair,” Hogan said. He then praised Robbie, saying: “She’s great — not only is she beautiful and smart, she’s a nice kid, too.” During the interview on Sunrise, Hogan also reflected on the time he hosted the Oscars in 1987, and said that it was good fun. “It was fabulous because I was probably the first person ever allowed on live television to do the Oscars without presenting a script or having anything written on the auto-cue,” he said. “They were very nervous but Samuel Goldwyn, who was the producer, said, ‘I’ve seen him on television. He’s Hoges … let’s just let him go and it’ll be fun for all of us’.” The actor added that while he rarely felt "intimidated", there were a few times in his career where he was starstruck — most notably when he met the Queen, Princess Diana, and Hollywood legend Elizabeth Taylor. Hogan's first public appearance was in 1971 at Nine's amateur talent programme New Faces. He rose to international fame after his role as Mick "Crocodile" Dundee in the 1986 film Crocodile Dundee, which won him the 1987 Golden Globe Award for Best Actor and a few other nominations at the BAFTAs. Images: Seven/ Getty

Movies

Rod Stewart's bizarre Ed Sheeran call out

Rod Stewart has called out Ed Sheeran in a bizarre rant, saying he doesn't think the pop singer's music will stand the test of time. In a recent interview, the 79-year-old rocker was discussing what musicians would continue to be popular with the younger generations, although the interview quickly went awry when he couldn't remember the name of who he was thinking about. “You mean like ‘Maggie May’? Songs that will be played in 50 years?” Stewart said in response to the question. “I like whatshisname. Oh f**king great, Rod. Well done,” said the rocker, unable to remember the name of the star he was thinking of. “He’s British, really talented and his songs will be around,” he continued. When the interviewer suggested that Sheeran was the person whose name he forgot, Stewart was quick to hit back by proclaiming himself to not being a fan of the singer-songwriter. “No, not Ed, I don’t know any of his songs, old ginger bollocks. Jesus,” moaned Stewart. Ultimately, Stewart was thinking of another British singer: George Ezra. “Yes! I think he writes really tremendous songs,” he said of Ezra. “He’ll be around for quite a while.” Stewart's comments come after he admitted he wanted to move in a different direction with his music from now on. During an interview on BBC Breakfast, Stewart responded to a statement that host Charlie Stayt made, saying that “rock stars are performing into incredible ages now.” Stewart reacted and said, “I am actually stopping.” “I’m not retiring but I want to move on,” Stewart noted. “I had great success with The Great American Songbook … and I’ve just done a swing album with Jools Holland, which is going to come out next year, so I want to go in that direction.” “I just want to leave all the rock ‘n’ roll stuff behind, for a while, maybe.” “Everything has to come to an end sooner or later,” Stewart declared. Image credits: Getty Images

Music

Sister of slain doctor calls for killers to turn themselves in

The distraught sister of Dr Ash Gordon has made an emotional appeal for those responsible for the death of her brother to turn themselves in. In the early hours of Saturday morning, the 33-year-old doctor was killed after a group of criminals broke into his home in Doncaster in Melbourne’s east. After they stole several items from his home, he managed to chase them out of the house and pursued them in his car, until both he and the intruders exited their vehicles and a fight erupted just 500 metres away. Dr Gordon was stabbed fatally several times in the altercation and was left for dead. As his family grieve his premature death, his devastated sister Natalie has called for justice. Appearing on Sunrise, she shared how angry the situation has made her. “I think for me it's been anger the entire time. I'm just obviously devastated, but so angry that anyone could do this to not only my brother but any person, any human being,” she said. "His girlfriend is heartbroken, mum is completely broken and I've never seen my dad like this. You never want to have to bury your own children." Ms Gordon said her little brother had “a big personality with a large heart”, sharing how “his presence was known everywhere.” “He had a cheeky grin, a charm and charisma about him that had everyone wrapped around his little finger.” “He was the absolute apple of all of our eyes. He was the centre of our family and he was the youngest of five but we all looked up to him.” While Dr Gordon's attackers remain on the run and no arrests have been made, Natalie has pleaded for the killers to turn themselves in to police. “Wear the consequences, because you'll never imagine what we're feeling, what we're going through,” she said. “You have taken away a wonderful doctor, a caring man and the best little brother. Don't be a coward now.” Image credits: Nine / Sunrise

Caring

Peter Dutton calls for Woolworths boycott

Peter Dutton has urged Aussies to boycott Woolworths, after the supermarket giant <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/money-banking/woolworths-under-fire-for-dropping-australia-day-merch" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> their decision to not stock any Australia Day merchandise. The opposition leader lashed out at the "woke" decision, and took aim at Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci on 2GB radio on Thursday. "I think it's up to customers whether they want to go in and buy the product or not. If they don't want to celebrate Australia Day, well that's a decision for them, but I think people should boycott Woolworths," he told Nine's 2GB radio. "Other companies haven't done it (stopped selling Australia Day merchandise) and on that basis, I think Australians should boycott Woolworths." "I think Brad Banducci should come out and announce that he's reversing the decision." “I think the prime minister, frankly, needs to call it out because these CEOs do believe that by making these crazy decisions, somehow they’re signing up to the woke agenda of Anthony Albanese.” Dutton's comments were echoed by The Project panellist Steve Price, who launched into a tirade about the supermarket giant's decision on Thursday night. "Here we go again, more woke lecturing from corporate Australia," an outraged Price said of the "dumb" ban. He went on to point out that "Woolworths is a South African company by the way. They should bugger off and let us get on with Australia Day." "I'm proud to be Australian, thank you." Woolworths shared a statement on Wednesday, announcing their decision not to stock any Australia Day themed merch this year, due to the “<span style="caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px;">gradual decline” in demand for the merchandise over the years and “broader discussion” about the January 26th date and “what it means” to different parts of the community. <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">“While Australian flags are sold within BIG W all year round, we don’t have any additional themed merchandise available to purchase in-store in our Supermarkets or BIG W ahead of Australia Day,” a spokesperson said. <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">“We know many people like to use this day as a time to get together and we offer a huge variety of products to help customers mark the day as they choose.” <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">Coles have shared they will still be stocking a "small range" of Australia-themed products for those who wish to celebrate the public holiday. <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">The decision to scrap the merch comes after the "Change The Date" movement has gained more traction over the years, with many arguing that Australia Day should be celebrated on a different day. <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">Image credits: Getty Images

News

What does a building need to call itself ‘accessible’ – and is that enough?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ilan-wiesel-303040">Ilan Wiesel</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rebecca-bentley-173502">Rebecca Bentley</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> The <a href="https://www.ndisreview.gov.au/resources/reports/working-together-deliver-ndis">National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) review</a> and the disability royal commission’s <a href="https://disability.royalcommission.gov.au/system/files/2023-09/Final%20Report%20-%20Volume%207%2C%20Inclusive%20education%2C%20employment%20and%20housing%20-%20Part%20C.pdf">final report</a> both highlighted the crucial role of accessible buildings and homes in ensuring the inclusion of people with disabilities. But the experiences of people with disability show Australia is a very long way from achieving this. There are the stories from people with disability who <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06-25/taylor-swift-concert-disability-access-concerns/102520088">can’t enjoy events</a> or <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-09/harry-styles-concert-disability-tickets-consumer-rights/102060698">venues</a>. And researchers say even <a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/arts-design-architecture/our-research/research-impact/case-studies/are-our-accessible-bathrooms-inaccessible-to-people-in-wheelchairs">accessible bathrooms are not usable</a> for half the people with disability. What can be called an accessible building or home? And should standards be improved? <h2>What is accessibility?</h2> The <a href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/convention-rights-persons-disabilities">Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability</a> includes the right to accessibility. Australia’s 1992 <a href="https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/disability-rights/frequently-asked-questions-access-premises">Disability Discrimination Act</a> includes premises standards to ensure people with disability have “dignified, equitable, cost-effective and reasonably achievable access to buildings, facilities and services”. However, a building is exempt if the owners can demonstrate modifying a building would cause them “unjustifiable hardship”. The burden of making a complaint about an inaccessible building falls on people with disability and the act also does not apply to private homes. Although experts follow different definitions of accessibility, they generally include some key principles: <ul> <li> easy entry and exit into a building </li> <li> easy navigation and functionality in and around the building </li> <li> potential for easy adaptation in response to changing needs of occupants. </li> </ul> An accessible building is one where people of all abilities are able move and carry out activities independently, safely, in comfort and with dignity. For people with disabilities <a href="https://disability.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/3969109/Accessible-Housing-Research-Report-22-October-2020.pdf">many buildings are inaccessible</a>. In these buildings, basic everyday activities such as taking a shower or preparing breakfast becomes difficult, tiring, uncomfortable and sometimes dangerous. Some people have been <a href="https://disability.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/3969109/Accessible-Housing-Research-Report-22-October-2020.pdf">injured</a> repeatedly in inaccessible homes, for example falling down a staircase. Such injuries may compound their disability. Many people with disabilities worry that if they’re injured at home, they will be forced to move permanently into a nursing home. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016718523001525">Studies</a> have found living in inaccessible homes severely harms the dignity, independence, social inclusion, employment, health and wellbeing of people with disabilities. People become more reliant on family members for support, putting strain on their relationships. Difficulty getting in and out of the house for social activities worsens social isolation. A sense of fatigue also reduces the motivation and capacity to work. <h2>Access through the front door</h2> Dignity is a crucial aspect of accessibility but it is often forgotten. For example, many buildings’ front entry has stairs that make it inaccessible for wheelchair users. There may be an accessible ramp entry in the back of the building. The building is then considered accessible, since wheelchair users can enter and exit. But such a “backdoor treatment” can be experienced as an indignity and discrimination. Accessible toilets are sometimes used for <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/most-public-toilets-inaccessible-to-people-with-disabilities/adsx7cnr8">storage, locked or out of order</a>. Again, although the design meets accessibility standards, in practice the building is inaccessible because of poor management. And accessibility is not exclusively about physical disabilities and physical barriers. People with cognitive disabilities, for example, might struggle to find their way in a building if way-finding signs are difficult to understand. <a href="https://theconversation.com/for-people-with-communication-disability-complaining-about-their-treatment-isnt-so-simple-214717">Communication accessibility</a> in building is achieved when the information needed to navigate and use the building is understood by everyone, no matter how they communicate. <h2>Silver, gold and platinum standards</h2> There are different levels of accessibility. In Australia, housing accessibility is most often assessed according to <a href="https://livablehousingaustralia.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/SLLHA_GuidelinesJuly2017FINAL4.pdf">Livable Housing Australia</a>’s (LHA) three standards of silver, gold and platinum. Silver-level homes have minimal accessibility features, but are designed in a way that enables easy home modifications over time. The silver standard of accessibility requires seven features: • a step-free path of travel from the street or parking area • at least one step-free entrance • internal doors and corridors that allow comfortable movement, including for people using wheelchairs • a toilet on the entry level with easy access • a bathroom with a hobless shower recess, so there isn’t a step-over barrier to entry • reinforced walls around the toilet, shower and bath. These allow installation of grabrails later if needed • stairways designed to reduce the risk of injury and also enable future adaptation. Gold-level homes have additional accessibility features. Platinum homes are designed for people with higher mobility needs and to allow ageing at home. <h2>A patchwork of standards and what the NDIS review says</h2> In 2021 Australian housing ministers <a href="https://www.industry.gov.au/news/building-ministers-meeting-communique-april-2021">agreed for the first time</a> to introduce minimum accessibility standards in the National Construction Code. It followed decades of campaigning by activist groups such as the <a href="https://anuhd.org/">Australian Network for Universal Housing Design</a>, <a href="https://riaustralia.org/">Rights and Inclusion Australia</a> and the <a href="https://www.summerfoundation.org.au/">Summer Foundation</a>. The code requires all new homes be built to silver standards. It does not apply to existing homes and exemptions will apply for some newly built homes because of site restrictions. When the code was introduced, New South Wales and Western Australia announced they would not adopt the new code. Both the NDIS review and the disability royal commission recommended all states and territories <a href="https://disability.royalcommission.gov.au/system/files/2023-09/Final%20Report%20-%20Volume%207%2C%20Inclusive%20education%2C%20employment%20and%20housing%20-%20Part%20C.pdf">immediately adopt</a> the code’s new accessibility standards. A consistent application of the code’s new standards across Australia is a good start. But the code provides only the minimum standard of accessibility. To make buildings and homes truly accessible, we need to improve education on accessibility for designers, operators and consumers. <h2>An urgent national priority</h2> With Australia’s ageing population, most people will experience disability – or have a household member with disability – at some point. Accessible homes and buildings can reduce pressure on the health system and improve quality of life. A consistent national construction code is just the first step urgently needed to improve building accessibility and inclusion so people with disability have autonomy and flourish.<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/217278/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ilan-wiesel-303040">Ilan Wiesel</a>, Associate Professor in Urban Geography, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rebecca-bentley-173502">Rebecca Bentley</a>, Professor of Social Epidemiology and Director of the Centre of Research Excellence in Healthy Housing at the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</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/what-does-a-building-need-to-call-itself-accessible-and-is-that-enough-217278">original article</a>.

Caring

"Very poor journalism": Lisa Wilkinson called out in defamation case

Lisa Wilkinson has been forced to defend the journalistic decisions of The Project, as she took to the stand as part of Bruce Lehrmann's defamation case against Wilkinson and Channel Ten. During court proceedings on Friday, Wilkinson admitted that during her bombshell report on Brittany Higgins' rape allegations, the program left out key information. The Project allegedly edited out important details about what happened in Parliament House the morning after Brittany Higgins was allegedly raped. <div data-body-element-id="zjCMXjhzxa"> In an uncut version of the episode which aired in February 2021, Wilkinson asked Ms Higgins if any security guards had asked if she was "okay" after the alleged incident. </div> <div data-body-element-id="R0B2D1Ni6K"> Ms Higgins replied, "No, no. I mean, besides one who called into the office in the morning, and said ‘Is everyone okay?’ and that was it." </div> <div data-body-element-id="2D5V5jCZaQ"> In the final cut, the words "...besides the one who called into the office in the morning" were not included. </div> <div data-body-element-id="9FH5ZgE5Ew"> Bruce Lehrmann's barrister Matthew Richardson SC quizzed Wilkinson about the edit, saying, "That's very poor journalism, isn't it?" </div> <div data-body-element-id="q0X6OvsQtG"> Wilkinson replied, "I'm disappointed to see that. It is a detail which escaped my attention." Elsewhere during the court proceedings, Wilkinson bit back at Lehrmann's lawyer for challenging her journalistic abilities. On Thursday, Wilkinson was asked why she didn't ask to see the metadata on a photo of a bruise on Brittany Higgins' thigh, which she claimed was from the alleged rape. Wilkinson told the Federal Court that she was not "tech-savvy" and did not know what metadata was, saying, "I didn't know photos had metadata." <div data-body-element-id="A9GzCf-Iqm"> Lehrmann's lawyer Mr Richardson was quick to ask in response: "You describe yourself as a serious investigative journalist?" </div> <div data-body-element-id="3eDMnH9cY0"> She bit back, stating she only refers to herself as a "journalist". </div> <div data-body-element-id="tMBlnKPjTn"> Mr Richardson said, "You were emphatic yesterday when you said you were not a tabloid journalist.' </div> <div data-body-element-id="9WzAcuceor"> She repeated: "I describe myself as a journalist, Mr Richardson." </div> <div data-body-element-id="bUfGxqx44_"> He said given she had been a journalist for 40 years, "it was most improbable that you did not know what metadata was." </div> <div data-body-element-id="QIHT-BVE1b"> She replied, "I disagree." Image credits: Getty Images </div> </div>

Legal

“Petty”: Steve Price’s bid to ban Dan Andrews called out

It seems that golf, the sport known for its calm demeanour and leisurely strolls, is continuing to become a battleground for political disagreements. Move over, parliamentary debates; we've got a straight-up fairway feud on our hands. It all started when former Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews decided he wanted to swap the political arena for the green one. Little did he know that his membership application to the Portsea Golf Club would turn into a full-blown scandal, complete with threats to <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/travel-trouble/i-ll-quit-steve-price-s-fairway-feud-with-dan-andrews" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tear up memberships</a> and accusations of petty behaviour. The took another turn on a recent episode of The Project, where hosts Waleed Aly and Sam Taunton found themselves caught in the crossfire of their co-star Steve Price's golfing fury. The dispute centres around the fact that more than 100 club members have written a strongly-worded letter, demanding that Andrews be rejected. Price, the self-proclaimed defender of fairways and greens, threatened to "tear up" his Portsea Golf Club membership if Andrews gets the green light. Aly, doing his best to keep the peace, questioned Price about the gravity of the situation. "But why is it a big deal?" he asked Price on the panel. "If he gets admitted, you don’t have to walk around the golf course." Price, however, had a different concern: "I have to go into the bar, and he might be having food." Ah, the horror of sharing a clubhouse with a former premier! Taunton, sensing the absurdity of the situation, almost called the whole debacle "petty" before wisely biting his tongue. But Price, ever the instigator, goaded him to finish his sentence, to which Taunton finally admitted, "No, I was going to say it is petty. It was years ago, and at some point, don’t you move on? Why?" Price, standing firm as the guardian of golfing justice, declared, "No. Because we don’t want him there!" It seems the only thing harder to overcome than a water hazard is a political grudge. In the grand scheme of things, it's a bit bewildering that a golf club membership is causing such a ruckus. You'd be forgiven for thinking they were discussing nuclear disarmament, not whether Andrews should be allowed to practice his swing in peace. As the world anxiously awaits the fate of Andrews' golfing aspirations, we're left to wonder: will he get the coveted membership, or will Price be left tearing up his golf club card like a rejected love letter? Only time will tell if this golfing saga will go down in history as a hole-in-one or just another bogey. Images: Network Ten

Legal

Fan called out over "racist" complaint at Sir Paul McCartney's concert

A fan has copped some backlash after complaining about an "Acknowledgment of Country" sign at Sir Paul McCartney's concert in Sydney over the weekend . The sign read: "We acknowledge the Gadigal of the Eora Nation and all family groups connected to this Country, as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we gather and perform today. "We pay our respects to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples here today." It was displayed over two large screens during McCartney's gig at Allianz Stadium, and concertgoer Kobie Thatcher was not happy with it. "You can't even go to a concert now without an "acknowledgement of country,"" she tweeted on Saturday. Most fans were quick to call her out on her "racist" remark. "You went to a Paul McCartney concert and are complaining about treating POC [people of colour] with respect?" one wrote. "The Beatles refused to play to segregated concerts in the USA. Peace and love is what you take to his concerts, not division and hate." "Oh for gods sake, get over it, he also flew the pride flag, I guess your knickers are in a twist about that too!" another commented. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> You can’t even go to a concert now without an ‘acknowledgement of country’ 🙄 <a href="https://t.co/lHmqgtroTz">pic.twitter.com/lHmqgtroTz</a> — Kobie Thatcher (@KobieThatcher) <a href="https://twitter.com/KobieThatcher/status/1718177010915455229?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2023</a></blockquote> "You & other racists could move to Texas, if that would be better for you," a third added. "You conservatives are always getting triggered so easily huh," a fourth commented. However a few others agreed with Thatcher's tweet. "I thought this "welcome to country" crap was gonna be finished after we ALL voted No!" wrote one person. "So sick and annoying. Disgusting too," another added. Images: Getty/ X

Legal

Adele called herself a ‘borderline alcoholic’. But is that a real thing?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nicole-lee-81635">Nicole Lee</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/curtin-university-873">Curtin University</a> British singer-songwriter Adele says she has quit drinking, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/oct/18/adele-says-she-has-quit-drinking-after-being-a-borderline-alcoholic">describing herself</a> as a “borderline alcoholic” when she was in her 20s. She joins a <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-are-young-people-drinking-less-than-their-parents-generation-did-172225">growing number of people</a> who are trying to quit or reduce their drinking. But what does “borderline alcoholic” mean and is it a real thing? <h2>It’s not all-or-nothing any more</h2> In the <a href="https://theconversation.com/does-alcoholics-anonymous-actually-work-179665">early days</a> of alcohol treatment, people used to think of problems with alcohol as all-or-nothing. They used to believe there was something different about people who had problems with alcohol and those who didn’t. That’s how the idea of the “<a href="https://theconversation.com/is-there-really-such-a-thing-as-an-addictive-personality-184137">addictive personality</a>” came about. But now we think of drinking on a continuum. It goes from not drinking at all to dependent drinking. And people can move up and down that continuum at different points in their lives. The old saying “once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic” doesn’t apply any more. <h2>How much is it OK to drink?</h2> The Australian national alcohol <a href="https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/health-advice/alcohol">guidelines</a> say healthy men and women should drink no more than ten <a href="https://alcoholthinkagain.com.au/resources-and-tools/standard-drink-tool">standard drinks</a> a week and no more than four a day. So that’s about two to three drinks three to four times a week. <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/health-conditions-and-risks/alcohol-consumption/latest-release">Most Australians</a> drink within these guidelines. If you drink over those guidelines you are more likely to experience a number of long- and short-term <a href="https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/about-us/publications/australian-guidelines-reduce-health-risks-drinking-alcohol">problems</a> including alcohol dependence, cancers, diabetes and heart disease. The risk of problems increases the more you drink and the more frequently you drink. About 25% of Australians drink at <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/illicit-use-of-drugs/national-drug-strategy-household-survey-2019/data">risky levels</a> and around 6% drink at such high levels that they would probably be dependent. Daily drinking is associated with dependence. <h2>So when is someone an alcoholic or a borderline alcoholic?</h2> The term “alcoholic” is rarely used by health professionals any more. It can make people believe there is nothing they can do about the problems they might be experiencing. Historically, that’s what the early treatment providers believed in the 1930s and that <a href="https://theconversation.com/alcohol-problems-arent-for-life-and-aa-isnt-the-only-option-8-things-film-and-tv-get-wrong-about-drug-and-alcohol-treatment-180946">myth has continued</a>. But some people find identifying as an “alcoholic” helpful to maintain their goal of quitting drinking. Health professionals have never used the term “borderline alcoholic”. But in describing herself that way Adele is really saying alcohol is having too much of a negative impact on her life, and like many others has decided to do something positive about it by taking a break. <h2>Which terms do we use now?</h2> Now, we tend to talk about “dependence” on a continuum from mild to moderate to severe. We also talk about the range of problems other than dependence that people can experience, which also lie on a continuum. The threshold for whether someone is a problem or dependent drinker is not just how much they drink (although that is important), but also how severe the alcohol-related problems are. Problems with alcohol don’t always correlate with consumption. Some people can drink a moderate amount and have a lot of problems and others can drink a lot and appear not to have many negative consequences. <h2>I’m worried about my drinking. What next?</h2> If you are wondering if you are drinking too much you can <a href="https://hellosundaymorning.org/nib_alcohol_self-assessment/">check online</a> with a free and anonymous assessment. Signs you may have a <a href="https://alcoholtreatmentguidelines.com.au/resources/appendix-3-diagnostic-criteria-for-alcohol-dependence">problem with alcohol</a> include: <ul> <li> having trouble stopping once you start drinking </li> <li> wanting or trying to cut back but slipping up frequently </li> <li> spending a lot of time drinking or recovering from drinking </li> <li> having cravings to drink alcohol, such as if you come home from work and reach straight for a drink </li> <li> dropping the ball at work, study or home because you’ve been drinking, such as not being able to do your work because you’re hungover </li> <li> continuing to drink alcohol even though you know it’s causing problems with your health, friends, work or relationships </li> <li> giving up or reducing social and work activities to drink instead </li> <li> drinking when it’s not safe, such as before driving or swimming. </li> </ul> If you find you aren’t getting the same effects from alcohol as you used to or you need more and more alcohol to get the same effect, you have probably developed a dependence. Sometimes people who are very dependent can experience withdrawal symptoms when they stop – strong cravings, nausea, sweating, agitation and anxiety. The more of these signs you have, the more likely you are to be dependent on alcohol. If you have any of these signs, taking a break from alcohol for a few months or longer can help. If you find that’s too hard, you can try sticking within the Australian alcohol guidelines by reducing the number of drinks per occasion and increasing your drink-free days. <h2>There’s help</h2> Sometimes when people experience some of these problems they need a bit of help to keep them on track. You can talk to your GP who can refer you to a psychologist or treatment service. Or you can try self-help options such as the Hello Sunday Morning’s <a href="https://hellosundaymorning.org/daybreak/">Daybreak app</a> (a community of people supporting each other to change their relationship with alcohol). If your problems are more severe, you can try something like <a href="https://smartrecoveryaustralia.com.au">SMART Recovery</a> (evidence-based group support for alcohol and other drug problems). <hr /> If you are worried about your own or someone else’s alcohol or other drug use, you can contact the National Alcohol and other Drug Hotline on 1800 250 015 for free, confidential advice.<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/215987/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nicole-lee-81635">Nicole Lee</a>, Professor at the National Drug Research Institute (Melbourne), <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/curtin-university-873">Curtin University</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/adele-called-herself-a-borderline-alcoholic-but-is-that-a-real-thing-215987">original article</a>.

Caring

Sam Newman calls for an end to "divisive" Indigenous symbols

Sam Newman has called for all "divisive" Indigenous symbols, including the Aboriginal flag, to be banned from major events after the defeat of the Voice to Parliament referendum. The former AFL player, who recently encouraged sports fans to boo during the Welcome to Country at the AFL grand final, has once again taken aim at First Nations Australians after Indigenous symbols were used on awards handed out at the Melbourne Marathon on Sunday. Speaking on his You Cannot Be Serious podcast, Newman questioned why Aboriginal artworks adorned the medals and ribbons handed out to participants of the marathon. "People just cannot help themselves," he said. "The Melbourne Marathon was run last Sunday, and everyone who ran in it got a medal ... the pandering and sycophantic crap. All the ribbons had snakes and lizards and were decked out in Indigenous artwork." When challenged by his co-host, Newman doubled on his controversial opinion. "Why can't you just have an Australian flavour for the Melbourne Marathon? (Why) do you have to keep pandering to it all for? Why aren't we just one people? What do you do that for? They can't help themselves." Newman also welcomed the defeat of the Voice to Parliament referendum, and took aim at disappointed Yes voters who were mourning the defeat. He said, "The people who were the Yes voters said 'we're going to fly the Aboriginal flags at half-mast'. Well, that's good, we've got them half way down let's remove them right down to the bottom and not fly them at all." Ironically, after beginning the rant about the Voice, he welcomed the idea from Indigenous leaders to hold a 'Week of Silence' to grieve the outcome of the referendum. "How fantastic is that? Let's have a year of silence and not talk about it," Newman said. Image credits: Getty Images

News

British expat cops backlash for calling Australia the "worst country in the world"

British expat and former school teacher Sabrina "Bree" Collins, has faced backlash online after labelling Australia as the "worst country in the world". The former teacher, who is also a writer, went on an extensive rant on social media about her experience living in Queensland and why she hates it, and the video has since gone viral. "Australia has destroyed everything that I was before I came here and there's so much that's happened while I've here but it's not safe to go public with everything that's happened to me," she began her rant. Collins who moved to Australia from the UK, then shared her unsolicited advice for those hoping to migrate Down Under. "When you're a British woman on the other side of the world, you've really got to sit down and think was it worth it? "If you're a British person sat home in the UK and you're wondering about this fantastic life you could have in Australia, you need to know a few things first." She then went on to label Australia as "very sexist", "abusive", "isolated" and "behind". "The internet is like really behind, technology is behind. "When you are in Australia you feel really, really isolated. You feel like you're stuck in the 1980s, and if you're a woman it's even worse," she said. "And I know loads of people are going to contradict what I'm saying and say, 'I'm living a fantastic life in Australia, 'well look at me, look at my CV, look at all my accomplishments before I moved out to Australia, and look at the way I've been treated." The expat who has a masters degree in education, and more than five years experience as a teacher, has claimed that her career as a teacher was ruined due to the abuse she received. She claimed that as a result of the abuse, she now feels too frightened to set foot in a school in Australia. "And that's why I cannot see a purpose or reason to stay in Australia." She then went on to say that she hopes to move to a "more progressive country" like the US, and write a book about her experiences in Australia. Her video has not been well-received, with many telling her to leave clowning her for calling the US more progressive. "Please leave.. and don't trash my country. I've seen yours and you all come over for many reasons," one Aussie commented. "Don’t let the door hit you on your way out missy!! Bye Felicia," another wrote. "UK is far more worse than Australia mate. Have lived in both countries here is lot lot better," a third wrote. "Oh, boo hoo. Please move. As an American, it’s way more backwards than Australia," an American commented on her desire to move to the US. "You're going to exactly the right place for you. You’ll find the schools are really safe and the police...very safe country for women," another added sarcastically. Other's pointed out that she was living up to the British stereotype of a "whinging pom". Collins is not the only British expat to find issue with the way of life in Australia. A few months ago, another expat <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/travel-trouble/please-don-t-be-mad-british-expat-s-bone-to-pick-with-australia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">went viral</a> for listing things she finds frustrating after living in Australia, although she pleaded for everyone's understanding.

Travel Trouble

Boomer calls out young Aussie's "war on oldies"

A baby boomer has called out Australia's "war on oldies", as millennials have a "growing resentment" to the older generation. Former political reporter David Jones wrote that millennials are making boomers “feel they’re a looming burden” on the country in an opinion piece for The Daily Telegraph, saying they have "drawn the battle lines" in an intergenerational war. Jones, the self-proclaimed boomer, wrote, “Make no mistake, there is a ‘war on oldies’ happening in Australia, with growing resentment directed at the nation’s ageing baby boomer population.” “It is happening in subtle and not-so-subtle ways but the underlying message is the same." “Baby boomers, you’ve had it too good for too long and now that you’ve reached your dotage, it is time to pay for your’ sins’ of affluence – and hard work.” Jones went on to argue that millennials' anger at the older generations is misplaced, especially when they had “actually contributed a lot” to building modern Australia. “Are baby boomers really as bad as people think? No we’re not,” he continued. He wrote that boomers were Australia's "finest generation", and had grown up appreciating the struggles of their childhoods as their parents endured the Great Depression and two world wars. Jones admits his generation was “born into the halcyon days of full employment and a seemingly endless economic boom” when recruitment was easy. Employers “recruited us on the quadrangles of Sydney’s high schools”, Jones said. “The lingering insinuation is that the ‘boomers’ are too self-satisfied and electorally powerful for their own good." “They own too many properties, they’ve occupied too many rungs on the career ladder, they don’t have mortgages and looking after them in their old age will be a burden on the state and the generation to come.” Jones concedes that millennials have “good reason to be resentful about a number of things” – from the cost of living and housing crisis, sky-high interest rates, even stagnant career opportunities – “but the blame doesn’t rest at the feet of baby boomers”, he said. Instead, he said the anger belongs on the shoulders of politicians for making “dumb decisions” in government. “In defence of baby boomers, we shouldn’t be held responsible for the catastrophic failure of all levels of government to allow home housing in sufficient numbers to satisfy demand for purchase and for rent." “We didn’t … feel comfortable about the orgy of government spending and borrowing during Covid that put Australia on the road to high inflation and economy crippling interest rate hikes." “Nor did we have a choice about getting older.” Image credits: Getty Images

Retirement Life

Ben Fordham calls out Bob Katter over Matilda's etiquette

Bob Katter and Ben Fordham were among the tens of thousands of sports fans who showed up at Accor Stadium in Sydney on Wednesday to support the Matildas in their semi-final match against England. The two were seated close to each other by chance, with Katter sitting directly in front of Fordham for the entirety of the match. Fordham called out Katter's lack of etiquette, after the 2GB host missed half of the game as his view was obstructed by Katter's giant Akubra, which he kept on throughout the entire game. Ben shared a snap of his unfortunate view on Instagram, writing, “80,000 people at the Matildas and I get seated behind Bob Katter.” <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CwAJ_tuRYl9/?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/p/CwAJ_tuRYl9/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Ben Fordham (@benfordham9)</a> </div> </blockquote> People took to the comments to condemn the act calling it “rude” and egging Fordham on to nudge the hat off the Queensland politician's head. "Take that stupid hat off Bob!!! Ben can’t see!!!" one person wrote, while other commented, "Ask him to take it off, that is so rude." Weighing in on the controversial act during his regular Today show segment on Thursday morning, Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce called Mr Katter out for the faux pas. “They’re there to stop you from getting melanoma, possibly keep your head warm if it is cold, but not to be worn in the house and certainly not to be worn in front of somebody because the person behind you has paid for their ticket,” Mr Joyce said. “Bob, they want to watch the soccer, not the back of your head – take your hat off, why did you take it to the football? It was at night, wasn‘t it?” Image credits: Instagram

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Ben Fordham calls out Bob Katter over Matilda's etiquette

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