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King Charles returns to public duties for the first time since diagnosis

King Charles has made his first official public appearance since being diagnosed with cancer in February. In a symbolic appearance on Tuesday morning, the royal visited the Macmillan Cancer Centre at the University College Hospital donning a navy pinstripe suit with a light blue shirt and a pink dinosaur tie. The monarch was joined by his wife, Queen Camilla, with the couple sporting huge smiles as they waved to the crowd outside of the London hospital. The royal couple met with clinicians, patients and families of patients during the visit, and when asked by one patient how his treatment was going, Charles replied: "I'm alright, thank you". In one photo Charles can be seen tenderly placing his hand on the arms of a patient as he spoke with them. One patient discussed her chemotherapy with Charles, who who told her: “I’ve got to have my treatment this afternoon as well,” according to the Mirror. He also shared his reaction to finding out about his diagnosis for the first time, telling one patient: “It’s always a bit of a shock, isn’t it, when they tell you?” The King's hospital visit comes just days after the Palace released a statement confirming that he was showing progress with his treatment and would be resuming official duties. “His Majesty The King will shortly return to public-facing duties after a period of treatment and recuperation following his recent cancer diagnosis,” it read, before announcing the visit to the cancer centre. “This visit will be the first in a number of external engagements His Majesty will undertake in the weeks ahead.” Despite this, his upcoming summer schedule would not be a full one, with events like the King's Birthday parade, known as Trooping the Colour, and the Royal Ascot, being undertaken on a case-by-case basis. He also plans to host the Emperor and Empress of Japan in late June. “As the first anniversary of the Coronation approaches, Their Majesties remain deeply grateful for the many kindnesses and good wishes they have received from around the world throughout the joys and challenges of the past year,” the statement concluded. Image: Getty

Caring

Stamp duty is holding us back from moving homes – we’ve worked out how much

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nick-garvin-1453835">Nick Garvin</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/macquarie-university-1174">Macquarie University</a> If just one state of Australia, New South Wales, scrapped its stamp duty on real-estate transactions, about 100,000 more Australians would move homes each year, according to our <a href="https://e61.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Stamp-duty-effects-on-purchases-and-moves.pdf">best estimates</a>. Stamp duty is an unquestioned part of buying a home in Australia – you put your details in an online mortgage calculator, and stamp duty is automatically deducted from the amount you have to contribute. It’s easy to overlook how much more affordable a home would be without it. That means it’s also easy to overlook how much more Australians would buy and move if stamp duty wasn’t there. The 2010 Henry Tax Review found stamp duty was <a href="https://treasury.gov.au/sites/default/files/2019-10/afts_final_report_part_2_vol_1_consolidated.pdf">inequitable</a>. It taxes most the people who most need to or want to move. The review reported: "Ideally, there would be no role for any stamp duties, including conveyancing stamp duties, in a modern Australian tax system. Recognising the revenue needs of the States, the removal of stamp duty should be achieved through a switch to more efficient taxes, such as those levied on broad consumption or land bases." But does stamp duty actually stop anyone moving? It’s a claim more often made than assessed, which is what our team at the <a href="https://e61.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Stamp-duty-effects-on-purchases-and-moves.pdf">e61 Institute</a> set out to do. We used real-estate transaction data and a natural experiment. <h2>What happened when Queensland hiked stamp duty</h2> In 2011, Queensland hiked stamp duty for most buyers by removing some concessions for owner-occupiers at short notice. For owner-occupiers it increased stamp duty by about one percentage point, lifting the average rate from 1.26% of the purchase price to 2.27%. What we found gives us the best estimate to date of what stamp duty does to home purchases. A one percentage point increase in stamp duty causes the number of home purchases to decline by 7.2%. The number of moves (changes of address) falls by about as much. The effect appears to be indiscriminate. Purchases of houses fell about as much as purchases of apartments, and purchases in cities fell about as much as purchases in regions. Moves between suburbs and moves interstate dropped by similar rates. With NSW stamp duty currently averaging about <a href="https://conveyancing.com.au/need-to-know/stamp-duty-nsw">3.5%</a> of the purchase price, our estimates suggest there would be about 25% more purchases and moves by home owners if it were scrapped completely. That’s 100,000 moves. Victoria’s higher rate of stamp duty, about <a href="https://www.sro.vic.gov.au/rates-taxes-duties-and-levies/general-land-transfer-duty-property-current-rates">4.2%</a>, means if it was scrapped there would be about 30% more purchases. That’s another 90,000 moves. <h2>Even low headline rates have big effects</h2> The big effect from small-looking headline rates ought not to be surprising. When someone buys a home, they typically front up much less cash than the purchase price. While stamp duty seems low as a percentage of the purchase price, it is high as a percentage of the cash the buyer needs to find. Here’s an example. If stamp duty is 4% of the purchase price, and a purchaser pays $800,000 for a property with a mortgage deposit of $160,000, the $32,000 stamp duty adds 20%, not 4%, to what’s needed. If the deposit takes five years to save, stamp duty makes it six. A similar thing happens when an owner-occupier changes address. If the buyer sells a fully owned home for $700,000 and buys a new home for $800,000, the upgrade ought to cost them $100,000. A 4% stamp duty lifts that to $132,000. Averaged across all Australian cities, stamp duty costs about <a href="https://e61.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Stepped-on-by-Stamp-Duty.pdf">five months</a> of after-tax earnings. In Sydney and Melbourne, it’s six. <h2>Stamp duty has bracket creep</h2> This cost has steadily climbed from around <a href="https://e61.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Stepped-on-by-Stamp-Duty.pdf">six weeks</a> of total earnings in the 1990s. It has happened because home prices have climbed faster than incomes and because stamp duty has brackets, meaning more buyers have been pushed into higher ones. Replacing the stamp duty revenue that states have come to rely on would not be easy, but a switch would almost certainly help the economy function better. The more that people are able to move, the more they will move to jobs to which they are better suited, boosting productivity. The more that people downsize when they want to, the more housing will be made available for others. Our findings suggest the costs are far from trivial, making a switch away from stamp duty worthwhile, even if it is disruptive and takes time.<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/225773/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nick-garvin-1453835">Nick Garvin</a>, Adjunct Fellow, Department of Economics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/macquarie-university-1174">Macquarie 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/stamp-duty-is-holding-us-back-from-moving-homes-weve-worked-out-how-much-225773">original article</a>. </div>

Money & Banking

What happens if King Charles can no longer perform his duties?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/anne-twomey-6072">Anne Twomey</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> King Charles III’s <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-02-06/king-charles-cancer-diagnosis-revealed-by-buckingham-palace/103430320">cancer diagnosis</a> will turn minds to the question of what happens if he becomes unable to fulfil his constitutional duties. Buckingham Palace has announced he will continue performing his official paperwork and his weekly meetings with the prime minister throughout his treatment. But what happens if he becomes seriously ill? There are three options: counsellors of state, regency and abdication. <h2>Counsellors of state</h2> First, King Charles can delegate some or most of his royal functions to <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Edw8and1Geo6/1/16/section/6">counsellors of state</a>, as happens most commonly when he is travelling overseas. Two counsellors of state act jointly in exercising royal powers such as assenting to laws, receiving ambassadors and holding <a href="https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-7460/">Privy Council</a> meetings. The <a href="https://www.royal.uk/counsellors-of-state">counsellors of state</a> are the spouse of the sovereign and the next four adults in line of succession to the throne – being Queen Camilla, Prince William, Prince Harry, Prince Andrew and Princess Beatrice. However, Prince Harry is excluded while he is outside the United Kingdom, and in practice Prince Andrew and Princess Beatrice are not called on to act as they are not “working royals”. As this left only Queen Camilla and Prince William to perform the role, a <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2022/47/2022-12-07/data.html#:%7E:text=An%20Act%20to%20add%20His,delegated%20as%20Counsellors%20of%20State.">law</a> was passed in the UK in 2022 to <a href="https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/creating-more-counsellors-of-state/">add Princess Anne and Prince Edward</a> to the list. Counsellors of state may carry out most of the sovereign’s functions while he is ill, but they cannot dissolve parliament, except on his instruction, and they cannot create peers. Whether they can appoint a prime minister remains a matter of debate. Most significantly, they cannot exercise powers with respect to the King’s other realms, such as Australia. <h2>Regency</h2> The second option is a regency. This occurs if the King “is by reason of infirmity of mind or body <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Edw8and1Geo6/1/16/section/2">incapable</a> for the time being of performing the royal functions”. The sovereign does not control when or for how long a regency occurs. Instead, it is initiated by a declaration of three or more of: the sovereign’s spouse, the lord chancellor, the speaker of the House of Commons, the lord chief justice of England and the <a href="https://www.judiciary.uk/about-the-judiciary/who-are-the-judiciary/judges/profile-mor/">master of the rolls</a>. The UK’s Regency Act <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Edw8and1Geo6/1/16/section/3">requires</a> Prince William to be regent, as he is the next adult in line of succession to the crown. The regent has the powers of the King with respect to the United Kingdom, but cannot change the order of succession to the crown. The Regency Act does not give the regent powers in relation to realms such as Australia and New Zealand. New Zealand resolved the problem by inserting a <a href="https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0114/latest/DLM94216.html">section</a> into its Constitution Act which provides that whoever is made regent under the law of the UK may perform the royal functions of the sovereign with respect to New Zealand. Australia, however, has done nothing in this regard, so a British regent would have no powers with respect to Australia. <h2>Abdication</h2> The final option for an incapacitated monarch is abdication. This leads to difficult questions about how an abdication would operate in relation to each of the realms. When King Edward VIII abdicated in 1936, it was achieved by both a signed <a href="https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/significant-events/abdication-of-edward-viii-1936/">instrument of abdication</a> and the enactment of <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Edw8and1Geo6/1/3/enacted#:%7E:text=(1)Immediately%20upon%20the%20Royal,and%20there%20shall%20be%20a">legislation</a> to which the various realms, including Australia, assented. This is not possible today, as the UK can <a href="https://www6.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/legis/cth/num_act/aa1986114/s1.html">no longer legislate</a> with respect to Australia. Abdication would therefore raise difficult questions about whether there needed to be a separate abdication of the King of Australia, to trigger the application of the rules of succession that are now part of Australian law, or whether <a href="http://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/legis/cth/consol_act/coaca430/s2.html">covering clause 2</a> of the Constitution, which defines the sovereign by reference to Queen Victoria’s “heirs and successors in the sovereignty of the United Kingdom”, would apply. Because of the potential constitutional messiness of dealing with the King’s role in his 14 realms beyond the United Kingdom, it is likely abdication would be avoided. <h2>Consequences for Australia</h2> If King Charles were incapacitated and counsellors of state or a regent were appointed, would this cause any real problem in Australia? The King’s only remaining substantial powers with respect to Australia are the appointment and removal of the governor-general and the state governors. The governor-general’s term is expected to expire in the middle of the year. If King Charles were then seriously ill and unable to appoint a new governor-general, no one could do so, as neither counsellors of state nor a regent could do so. Instead, the current governor-general, David Hurley, could choose to continue in office, as there is no formal termination of his office until he is replaced. Alternatively, he could resign and his office could be filled on a temporary basis by a state governor as <a href="http://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/legis/cth/consol_act/coaca430/xx4.html">administrator</a>, as is the usual practice when there is a vacancy in the office. If the office of a state governor becomes vacant, the <a href="https://www.governor.nsw.gov.au/governor/lieutenant-governor/role-of-the-lieutenant-governor/">lieutenant-governor</a>, who is often the chief justice of the state, can exercise the governor’s functions. However, if a regency were to continue for a long time – perhaps years – this could become unsustainable. The other consideration is that if there is a regency, there is no power to <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/opinion/in-race-to-palace-governor-general-has-inside-running/news-story/d3918f42af1d081f203daa65f5b53e0f">dismiss a governor-general</a>. So if a constitutional crisis arose, such as that in 1975 with the dismissal of the Whitlam government, the governor-general would know that he or she could act without the prospect of dismissal on the advice of the prime minister. This unbalances the constitutional pressures that are deliberately built into the system, giving a stronger hand to the governor-general and weakening the position of the prime minister. The <a href="https://michaelwest.com.au/king-charles-illness-affects-australia/">problem</a> could be addressed in the same way as the rules of succession to the throne were changed <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.au/C2015A00023/asmade/text">in 2015</a> to remove gender discrimination. It would involve each state enacting a law requesting the Commonwealth to enact a law that recognised the authority of a regent to exercise the sovereign’s powers with respect to Australia. While it is not essential to fix this problem, it would still be wise, as a matter of orderly constitutional housekeeping, to address it before any real difficulties arise.<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/222870/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/anne-twomey-6072">Anne Twomey</a>, Professor emerita, <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/what-happens-if-king-charles-can-no-longer-perform-his-duties-222870">original article</a>.

Caring

Camilla’s ex-husband carries out official duty on her behalf

Queen Consort Camilla's ex-husband, whom she shares two kids with, has carried out an official duty on her behalf. Brigadier Andrew Parker Bowles formally represented the Queen Consort at his cousin John Bowes-Lyon’s funeral at the London Oratory. This is the first official duty he has performed on behalf of his ex-wife and it is believed that it won’t be the last time the 82-year-old former Army officer would represent the Queen Consort. “Andrew is happy to do anything he is asked. He still enjoys a warm relationship with Camilla,” a source told Daily Mail. Camilla and Andrew married in 1973 before they separated in the 1980s and divorced in 1995. They share two children, Tom and Laura. Earlier this year, the Queen Consort spoke candidly about cooking for her children despite not being a great in the kitchen. “I always cooked for the children growing up, and they were good eaters, but I was never the most adventurous of cooks,” she said. “I was sent on a cooking course in Sussex when I was young but, really, I learnt from my mother. I’ve never followed a recipe in my life... “I could fill a book with all my cooking disasters. I’m not a natural baker, to say the least. “As for baked potatoes… many a poor, incinerated specimen has been found in the bottom of the Aga, put in, then forgotten about.” Camilla married King Charles III in 2005 following a whirlwind romance and affairs dating back to when Charles was married to Diana. Image: Getty

Family & Pets

“Absolutely despicable”: Teens attack off-duty chief inspector with pole

A Sydney mayor has condemned an alleged attack against an off-duty police officer, describing the act as “absolutely despicable”. Chief Inspector Bob Fitzgerald, who also serves as a councillor with Blacktown City Council, was on his way to work on Monday morning when he intervened when three teenagers were seen harassing other passengers and railway staff at Rooty Hill station, per <a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/truecrimeaustralia/police-courts-nsw/senior-cop-allegedly-assaulted-by-three-teens-at-rooty-hill-train-station/news-story/de5e5f399ce968fc04a2a1b6800f2849" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Telegraph</a>. Police said Inspector Fitzgerald approached the teens, aged 14, 13, and 12, at about 4.30 am and asked them to stop what they were doing, informing them he was a police officer. When he went to arrest the 14-year-old with the help of a member of the public, the boy resisted before verbally abusing and assaulting Inspector Fitzgerald, police allege. It’s alleged Inspector Fitzgerald was struck multiple times to the head with a bike seat pole. He was taken to hospital for head injuries that required stitches and was later released. The member of the public was also allegedly assaulted but didn’t require medical attention. More police rushed to the station, arresting all three boys and taking them to Mount Druitt police station. Tony Bleasdable, the mayor of Blacktown City, said on Tuesday that he condemned the attack on Inspector Fitzgerald, who he described as “one of our city’s finest”. “Cr Fitzgerald is a pillar of our community who has earned widespread respect over many years,” Mr Bleasdale said. “Not only is he a dedicated police officer, he is a community volunteer, and a passionate Blacktown City Councillor who has given so much to his community for so long. “As mayor, I condemn this alleged attack on one of our city’s finest and denounce violence in all its forms.” Mr Bleasdale said the council wanted to promote a culture of nonviolence through their work with NSW Police, the PCYC and other organisations, and encouraged residents to call out violence before wishing Inspector Fitzgerald a speedy recovery. “Council is committed to creating a safe community for our residents to live, work and play,” he said. “We pursue this through our crime prevention plan and work with our local police in particular. “Council encourages residents to call out violence in any shape or form and report any acts of violence to police. “I wish Bob a speedy recovery.” All three boys were charged with affray, with the 14-year-old facing another charge for resisting an officer in execution of duty, and the 13-year-old facing charges for causing grievous bodily harm to a police officer on duty reckless as to actual bodily harm and common assault. The 12-year-old was also charged with causing grievous bodily harm to a police officer on duty reckless to actual bodily harm. They were refused bail and faced children’s court on Tuesday. As police inquiries continue, anyone who witnessed the attack or who have footage from the incident, are urged to contact Mt Druitt Police Station or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Image: The Daily Telegraph

News

Queen's job description gets rewritten for the first time in 10 years

For the first time in a decade, Queen Elizabeth has had her official job description rewritten. In Buckingham Palace's annual report, the 96-year-old monarch's "official duties" have been edited to accommodate her recent health issues. The report has removed events such as the State Opening of Parliament from the Queen’s official roles. Previously the Queen’s presence at the event was considered confirmed due to “constitutional convention”, according to Britain’s Daily Express. Now, the annual report places greater emphasis on the support of the wider Royal Family, stating that, “The Queen is greatly assisted by other members of the Royal Family who undertake official duties on behalf of Her Majesty”. According to the Express, a Palace source said the change to the job description was not “drastic” but rather a small update. The change comes after senior members of the royal family have attended events in the place of the Queen for several months amid rumours of her ailing health. In recent months, the Queen's presence at an event has not been confirmed until the day of the engagement to allow for last minute changes to her condition. The changes in Her Majesty's official job description also include the editing of the “formal constitutional concept” of Head of State, which previously had a 13-point list of duties the queen “must” undertake, including the State Opening of Parliament, paying and receiving state visits, and the appointment of the Prime Minister. However, the new version offers a more loose definition, simply noting the queen’s role “encompasses a range of parliamentary and diplomatic duties” and noting only that she “receives” other visiting heads of state. Image credits: Getty Images

Caring

Swapping stamp duty for land tax would push down house prices but push up apartment prices, new modelling finds

In the state budget, NSW have announced a switch from stamp duty to <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/nsw-to-phase-out-stamp-duty-introduce-property-tax-20220612-p5at3p.html">land tax</a>. It will become the second Australian jurisdiction to do so, with the ACT halfway through a <a href="https://www.treasury.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/1618407/cops-final-report.pdf">20-year</a> switchover. Homebuyers who accept the offer will be taxed annually on the value of their land, instead of hit with an upfront fee (that averaged $50,000 for Sydney in 2018) when they buy. Once they have accepted, their property will be out of the stamp duty system and subject only to land tax for future owners. It’s become conventional wisdom to say that such a revenue-neutral switch would <a href="https://www.treasury.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-10/FFR%20Final%20Report%20-%20200828%20%281%29.pdf">boost productivity</a>. Why? Moving house sets in motion a chain of transactions: residents engage lawyers to transfer titles, real estate agents to manage the property sale, removalists to transport possessions, and so on. Stamp duties compound these costs, by adding a significant, additional layer of taxation, which in some states makes up 80% of the total cost of moving house. Land tax, in contrast, is one of the least-damaging taxes. It encourages land owners to put land to its <a href="https://treasury.gov.au/publication/understanding-the-economy-wide-efficiency-and-incidence-of-major-australian-taxes">highest-value use</a>. In a landmark <a href="https://www.copsmodels.com/ftp/workpapr/g-330.pdf">modelling exercise</a> completed this month, my team at the Victoria University Centre of Policy Studies finds that the productivity gains are large by the standards of tax swaps. After 20 years, replacing stamp duty with a land tax would boost national income by A$0.30 for each dollar of revenue swapped, or up to $720 per household if implemented Australia-wide, about 0.34% of annual gross domestic product. Of greater interest for homeowners and buyers is what it would do to prices. <h2>Houses versus apartments</h2> Broadly, we find that the switch would put downward pressure on prices, but not for every type of home. Across the market as a whole, we expect downward pressure on the price paid by buyers of about 4.7%, and downward pressure on the price received by sellers of about 0.1%. But for houses, we expect much stronger downward pressure than the average suggests. We expect the price paid by house buyers to fall by about 7.6%, and the price received by sellers to fall 3%. Interestingly, for apartments we expect movements in the other direction, pushing up the price paid by buyers by 2%, and pushing up the price received by sellers by 6.4%. <h2>What’s so different about apartments?</h2> Why would the switch put downward pressure on the price of houses but upward pressure on the price of apartments? It is because of how two offsetting effects play out. One is that higher land taxes depress land prices. Buyers who know they will be lumbered with future bills find their purchases less valuable. This effect is much bigger on house prices than apartment prices, because houses occupy more land on average. The other effect is that removing stamp duty not only removes an impost on the current buyer, but also removes an impost that will have to be paid when the current buyer sells, and when the subsequent buyer sells, and so on, making resale more valuable to the current buyer than it would have been. For properties that aren’t turned over often this effect isn’t very important, but for properties that are turned over frequently, it becomes significant. Apartments are turned over twice as frequently as houses, meaning that for apartments the upward effect on prices from removing stamp duty overwhelms the downward effect from imposing land tax. <h2>Much depends on exactly what’s proposed</h2> It would be possible to lessen this upward pressure on apartment prices by imposing higher land taxes on higher density housing, an idea canvassed by the <a href="https://treasury.gov.au/review/the-australias-future-tax-system-review/publications">Henry Tax Review</a> in 2010. Planning and zoning rules could also play a role. Other policy design decisions could have other effects on prices. Our modelling is based on an immediate swap of stamp duty for land tax. This is not the same as the NSW government’s opt-in proposal, which could have different price consequences to the policy we modelled. The NSW government is also reported to be considering excluding the most <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/stamp-duty-move-puts-pressure-on-other-states-20220613-p5ataj.html">expensive 20%</a> of properties from the switchover, so it can continue to collect stamp duties on high-value transfers. In future work we plan to extend our modelling beyond a simple swap of stamp duty and land tax. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/swapping-stamp-duty-for-land-tax-would-push-down-house-prices-but-push-up-apartment-prices-new-modelling-finds-184381" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Real Estate

Why doesn’t the government have a duty of care to children’s futures?

Federal judges <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-60745967" target="_blank" rel="noopener">have deemed</a> that the Australian government doesn’t have a duty of care to protect children from the harms of climate change, overturning last year’s landmark decision. Eight teenagers and an 87-year-old nun convinced Federal Court judges that Susan Ley, the Australian Environment Minister, had a duty of care to protect children from future harm caused by climate change when assessing fossil fuel projects. They <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/the-australian-government-has-a-duty-of-care-to-protect-children-from-climate-harm-court-rules/grhgp8t8y" target="_blank" rel="noopener">initially</a> sought an injunction to stop the expansion of a coal mine in New South Wales, which is expected to add an extra 170 million tonnes of fossil fuels to the atmosphere. However, the injunction wasn’t issued since the judges believed the minister hadn’t yet violated her duty of care. The government appealed the court ruling and all three judges sided with the minister for various reasons, including that there wasn’t “sufficient closeness” between the minister’s decision to approve the mine and “any reasonably foreseeable harm” that comes from it. Despite the initial decision being successfully challenged, the teens could still take the case to the country’s highest court. “Today’s ruling leaves us devastated, but it will not deter us in our fight for climate justice,” 17-year-old Anjali Sharma said in a statement released by the teenagers’ lawyers in mid-March. 15-year-old Izzy Raj-Seppings, another of the teens involved in the case, said their lawyers would review the judgement, and that “we may have more to say in the coming weeks”. “While today’s judgement did not go our way, there is still much to celebrate. The court accepted that young people will bear the brunt of the impacts of the climate crisis.” Image: BBC News

Legal

Harry and Meghan may return as part-time royals

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are 'hoping to return to the UK as part-time royals' once Charles becomes king, a royal author has claimed. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex currently live in a $14 million mansion in Montecito, California, after stepping back from royal duty in 2020. Tom Quinn, author of Kensington Palace: An Intimate Memoir from Queen Mary to Meghan Markle, believes the couple may have plans to return to the royal fold in the future. When Harry, 37, and Meghan, 40, first announced they wanted to change their royal roles in 2020, they suggested they may be able to be independently financial while still working as senior members of the Firm. However, speaking in the To Di For Daily podcast, Quinn said that because Charles is more of a 'moderniser' than the Queen, he may approve of them carving out a part-time royal role back in the UK when he is in charge. Her Majesty previously vetoed that suggestion, with a statement from Buckingham Palace saying in February 2021: 'The Queen has written confirming that in stepping away from the work of the Royal Family it is not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service.' Quinn added that an anonymous 'insider' had told him: 'Meghan and Harry believe that when the elder royals die – in other words, Elizabeth – they may well be able when Charles is King, be able to come back and be the part-time royals that they really wanted to be. 'So that they would be six months [being] working royals and six months in the States or wherever doing their own thing. 'That was something that Queen Elizabeth absolutely said couldn’t happen, but I think Meghan and Harry are hoping that Charles, Harry's father after all, will be more of a moderniser and will say to them, "Okay, if you want to be part-time royals, that’s fine".' He added that he doesn't think the couple want to spend their whole time in the States, and not be part of the Royal Family, and that despite the apparent rift, he believes Harry wants to 'find a role' within the Firm. The book, which many believe will contain explosive details about life in the Royal Family, netted Harry an advance of £14.7million ($20million). It is due to be published in the autumn. Prince Harry is currently bringing a legal challenge against the Home Office after being told he would no longer be given the 'same degree' of personal protective security when visiting from the US, despite offering to pay for it himself. He has said he wants to bring his children to visit from across the Atlantic, but 'does not feel safe' when visiting under the current security arrangements.

Family & Pets

Queen Elizabeth back at work

The Queen has returned to work after battling COVID-19. According to Prince Charles, his mother is feeling "a lot better". The beloved monarch carried out two virtual engagements from Windsor Castle with ambassadors, the first time she had been seen since being diagnosed with Covid. The Queen tested positive on Sunday February the 20th, with Buckingham Palace announcing Her Majesty was "experiencing mild cold-like symptoms" She was forced to cancel a number of engagements due to the lingering effects from the virus. But the 95-year-old must have felt well enough to speak to foreign diplomats on Tuesday, meeting the new ambassadors of Andorra and Chad. During the two audiences, Her Majesty wore a green dress with a large brooch and her pearls. It comes as Prince Charles was asked about his mother's health during a visit to Southend-on-Sea. Member of the public Janice Jacom said of their conversation: "I asked the prince about his mother and he said 'she's a lot better now - it was very mild'. "It was a bit worrying as the Queen is getting on a bit but I think she's absolutely wonderful." On Sunday the Queen is reported to have left Windsor Castle visit the grounds of Frogmore House, where she enjoyed time with some of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They included the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their three children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. Princess Beatrice and her daughter, Sienna, were also present. The Queen is expected to continue with her constitutional duties at the castle and carry out a number of private events. Images: Getty

Caring

Scammer caught out by off-duty cop

A Queensland police officer has been targeted by a scammer with a scheme that quickly backfired. The off-duty cop was sleeping after a night shift in Mackay, Queensland, when they were woken by a phone call. The caller claimed to be a member of the Australian Federal Police, telling the officer they had to pay an outstanding $8000 bill within 40 minutes or risk being arrested. To authenticate the call, the scammer provided a phone number to contact the AFP, which ended up being the phone number of the Mackay Police Station where the officer worked. “Scam calls of this nature are not new but it is worth noting for residents in the Mackay region that scam callers are quoting our Mackay Police Station phone number as their own,” Queensland Police said in a statement. “Don’t be fooled!” Police have also reminded people not to share personal information over the phone unless they definitely know who they are speaking to.

Retirement Income

Queen expected to step down and pass on duties to Prince Charles

The Queen is expected to step down and pass on all her duties to Prince Charles in 2021, a royal expert has extraordinarily claimed. Robert Jobson spoke on True Royalty TV‘s The Royal Beat where she expressed she believes the Queen will retire from royal life in 2021. The biographer said: “I still firmly believe when the Queen becomes 95, that she will step down” Newsweek‘s royal reporter Jack Royston disagreed however, saying: “I think she won’t want to. “But realistically she will get to a point where she has handed over everything to Charles and then how do you look your son in the eye and tell him he is not going to be King?” Mr Jobson has previously told the Daily Mail: “I understand the Queen has given the matter considerable thought and believes that, if she is still alive at 95, she will seriously consider passing the reign to Charles. “Her Majesty is mindful of her age and wants to make sure when the time comes, the transition of the Crown is seamless.” Mr Jobson made another grand claim about Princess Diana, saying Princess Diana was “more powerful than the Queen” before her 1995 Panorama interview. He said: “That period between (Charles and Diana‘s) separation announcement, (Diana) actually was on the ascendancy of getting everything she wanted. “But she did this (Panorama) and I think she thought she was more powerful than the Queen. The Queen thought enough was enough and the shutters came down.”

Retirement Life

Queen Elizabeth stepping back from royal duties “indefinitely”

Buckingham Palace has announced the Queen will remain confined to Windsor Castle indefinitely with all her public engagements postponed until the coronavirus threat in the UK clears. It is the first time in what is believed to be 27 years that Buckingham Palace will be closed. Events including Trooping the Colour and the extravagant garden parties hosted by Her Majesty have also been cancelled. The 94-year-old is not expected to return to her normal schedule until autumn, at the earliest and is currently bunkered down in Windsor Castle with her husband Prince Philip, who is turning 99 in May. The royal’s last public engagement was the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey in March – the Duke and Duchess of Sussexes last official appearance as senior members of the royal family as well. Gun salutes could not be heard last month to mark the Queen’s 94th birthday, which is the first time since the royal was crowned that this has not happened. Elizabeth II said she did not feel gun salutes would be appropriate in the circumstances of the crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic also moved Her Majesty to deliver a rare speech, which carried a resolute message. “We know that coronavirus will not overcome us,” she’d said at the time of her Easter address. Her VE speech also carried a moving few words about how the UK is handling the pandemic, to which she said: “When I look at our country today, and see what we are willing to do to protect and support one another, I say with pride that we are still a nation those brave soldiers, sailors and airmen would recognise and admire. Never give up, never despair - that was the message of VE Day.” The Chelsea Flower Show which the Royal Horticultural Society's flagship event of the summer has also been called off along with the Royal Ascot which takes place in June.

International Travel

Something rotten in Denmark: More split rumours abound as Princess Mary’s duties ramp up

2019 has been a year indeed for the Danish royal family, and this includes our beloved Aussie Princess Mary. The Tasmanian-born senior royal member has stepped up and taken a number of duties this year after accepting the responsibility of acting monarch in the event of Queen Margrethe’s absence. However, a rumour surrounding the future King and Queen of Denmark has swirled around the couple. Recent rumours have speculated that since Prince Frederik and Princess Mary have appeared on a number of solo appearances lately that point to a potential split between the two. An insider told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.nowtolove.com.au/womansday" target="_blank">Woman’s Day</a> there is unrest from the palace and the pair are “spending nights apart”. “It doesn’t bode well for Mary, given there have been a lot of rumours in Denmark that they’re spending nights apart,” the source reportedly said. “The word going around is that he has some kind of bachelor pad close by that he runs off to when things are getting unbearable between them.” Both Frederik and Mary were last seen together for a public engagement in Poland in November. Since then, Princess Mary has sent the internet buzzing while undergoing her engagements for a royal tour in Indonesia. While she has been visiting local schools, dignitaries and Indonesian royal family members, Prince Frederik has been at home in Denmark with his family and local events. However it is unlikely the couple will ever divorce, as they remain committed parents to their four children, Prince Christian, 13, Princess Isabella, 11, and seven-year-old twins Prince and Princess Josepine. Additionally, it is not the first time the Danish royal family have weathered bitter split rumours. In December 2018, an insider told New Idea that the couple had been going through issues as a result of Princess Mary feeling the strain of royal duties. “There are a lot of rumours of tension between Mary and Fred,” the source said. Thankfully, it seems like the Australian-Denmark love affair that we all fell in love with in 2001 is not to die just yet. Then-commoner Mary met Prince Frederik during the Sydney Olympics in 2000, at Sydney’s Slip Inn. Mary, then an advertising account manager, was 28 years old at the time, while Frederik was 31. They secretly maintained a long distance relationship before going public in 2001, announcing their engagement in 2003. In 2004, they tied the knot, making international headlines.

Relationships

Duchess Kate receives new royal duty from Queen Elizabeth

After 65 years in the role, Queen Elizabeth II has passed on a royal duty to her granddaughter-in-law Duchess Kate. The Queen has handed over a patronage with British charity Family Action to the Duchess of Cambridge. The announcement was made official on Wednesday morning as the Duchess attended her first event as royal patron at Peterley Manor Farm in Buckinghamshire, England, joining parents and children for Christmas-themed activities like decorating and making eco-friendly reindeer food. Founded in 1869, Family Action provides practical, emotional and financial support for families in need. The Duchess first visited the organisation’s base in Lewisham in January, when she launched FamilyLine support phone line. Chair of trustees Mary Fulton said the charity is “honoured” to have the Duchess’ support. “Her keen interest particularly in the Early Years fits well with Family Action’s provision of high quality perinatal mental health services, pre-schools and Children’s Centres across the country,” Fulton said. “Family Action looks forward to working with the Duchess in the years to come.” Queen Elizabeth assumed the role of patron in 1953, who took over from her grandmother Queen Mary.

Relationships

Prince Andrew quits royal duties "for the foreseeable future"

Prince Andrew has announced that he is stepping down from his royal duties for the “foreseeable future” amidst anger over the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. “It has become clear to me over the last few days that the circumstances relating to my former association with Jeffrey Epstein has become a major disruption to my family’s work and the valuable work going on in the many organisations and charities that I am proud to support,” he said in a statement issued by Buckingham Palace. “Therefore, I have asked Her Majesty if I may step back from public duties for the foreseeable future, and she has given her permission. “I continue to unequivocally regret my ill-judged association with Jeffrey Epstein. His suicide has left many unanswered questions, particularly for his victims, and I deeply sympathise with everyone who has been affected and wants some form of closure. “I can only hope that, in time, they will be able to rebuild their lives. “Of course, I am willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> A statement by His Royal Highness The Duke of York KG. <a href="https://t.co/LfMFwMyhcb">pic.twitter.com/LfMFwMyhcb</a> — The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) <a href="https://twitter.com/RoyalFamily/status/1197213153852977153?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">20 November 2019</a></blockquote> The Duke of York’s decision to no longer perform public duties as a member of the royal family means that this takes him out of the spotlight, and it’s been suggested that he’s hoping that it helps dampen the anger over his links with Epstein. In the statement was a bombshell detail of the Duke of York publicly expressing regret over his relationship with Epstein as well as expressing sympathy for Epstein’s victims. This was something that was not expressed in the hour-long interview with the BBC’s Newsnight interview that sparked outrage, as Prince Andrew said he did not regret his friendship with Epstein as well as not expressing any sympathy for Epstein’s victims. BBC royal correspondent Daniela Relph said that this current statement from Prince Andrew is “completely different in tone” and “addressed all the issues that he’d been criticised for”. "I can't state enough that this statement is completely unprecedented - for a royal to step down, because of a scandal, in this way," she <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-50496539" target="_blank">added</a>. The fallout over this scandal continues as several businesses and charities have pulled their support from Prince Andrew’s royal work. The FBI is continuing their investigation into Epstein and his associates and it still remains to be seen as to whether or not Prince Andrew will be called in to testify. Prince Andrew continues to aggressively deny allegations that he sexually abused girls while visiting his then-friend Epstein at his various properties around the world.

News

Longstanding Seven Sunrise host scales back role due to “gruelling schedule”

Fans were shocked as a major departure was announced from Seven’s hit breakfast show Sunrise. Basil Zempilas has been with the network since 1994 but is set to “scale back” his current duties as the host of Weekend Sunrise. According to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-7368223/Major-departure-Sevens-Sunrise-longstanding-host-scales-duties.html" target="_blank">TV Tonight</a>, the Perth-based broadcaster will remain “part of the Sunrise inner circle” but is focusing more on his family due to the “gruelling schedule” which seems him travelling between Sydney and Perth every weekend. Zempilas has a tough schedule at the moment, as he is flying to Sydney each weekend for Weekend Sunrise while presenting weeknight sports reports for Seven News in Perth. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Byv2cAWjlGs/" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Byv2cAWjlGs/" target="_blank">TO OUR TWO JAMES... We salute you 👨🏼‍✈️👮‍♂️ @sunriseon7 @channel7</a> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by @<a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/basil_zempilas/" target="_blank"> basil_zempilas</a> on Jun 15, 2019 at 3:45pm PDT </div> </blockquote> He also has a top-rated breakfast radio show with Steve Mills on 6PReach weekday morning in Western Australia. TV Tonight claimed that his “gruelling schedule” is most likely the reason for his revised workload for Seven. The father of three has been co-hosting Weekend Sunrise since March 2018 but acknowledges that he would not have been able to host the show without the sacrifices made by his family. “There's no doubt that [my wife] Amy and my family, the three kids have sacrificed a lot for my career, all of it I suppose,” he told <a rel="noopener" href="https://thewest.com.au/entertainment/tv/basil-zempilas-racks-up-25-years-with-seven-ng-b881113249z" target="_blank">The West Australian</a>. “All of my children have been born in the time that I have been travelling away interstate. I'm very aware had it not been for their support and flexibility I wouldn't be able to do the things that I'm doing.” <a rel="noopener" href="https://tvblackbox.com.au/page/2019/8/17/sunrise-on-the-hunt-for-new-host-as-basil-zempilas-steps-aside" target="_blank">TV BlackBox</a> reported that Sunrise is “on the hunt for a new host” as negotiations between Zempilas are continuing and the expectations are that he will still appear on the show, just as a more flexible guest presenter role instead of the co-host role he has now. Zempilas will continue to play a key role in Seven’s coverage of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Commitments are set to be scaled back before the end of 2019, but a replacement host for Weekend Sunrise is yet to be confirmed.

Duty-free shopping: The do's and don'ts for nabbing a bargain

When you’re lounging around at the airport waiting for the boarding gate to open, it can be tempting to look around the brightly lit shops and pick up some duty-free goods. While you may find great bargains, the cost of some items at these stores can be a lot more expensive than local retailers. If you’re not paying attention, you may end up paying up to twice the recommended retail prices. Here are the things you should get at the duty-free to save money, as well as the shopping traps you should avoid. What you should buy You could save a great deal when buying liquor, cigars and tobacco products at the airport. According to a review by <a href="https://www.escape.com.au/travel-advice/duty-free-is-it-really-worth-it/news-story/6212a769799001a67abb6813d7ca95e8">finder.com.au</a>, spirits such as Absolut vodka and Johnnie Walker Red whiskey were 33 per cent cheaper. The price gaps can be more significant if you’re travelling to a country where alcoholic drinks or cigarettes are more expensive due to high taxes – so stock up on the way to avoid spending a fortune later. Keep in mind the restrictions in place for alcohol purchases – in Australia the limit is 2.25 litres. Some cosmetics, electronic goods and luxury goods – such as perfumes, bags or sunglasses – can also be cheaper, depending on price variations. A <a href="https://www.choice.com.au/travel/on-holidays/duty-free/articles/duty-free-shopping-traps">2018 comparison by CHOICE</a> found that iPhone X Silver 256GB was cheaper at Sydney Airport’s Heinemann duty-free shop than at Apple Store, while Canon IXUS 190 Digital Camera was more affordable at Harvey Norman. Andy Kollmorgen of the consumer group advised travellers to “shop around” and “do your research”. What you shouldn’t buy In general, confectionery and snacks are a no-go – finder.com.au discovered that Tim Tams were priced 72 per cent higher than in supermarkets. It can indeed be hard to resist getting the special chocolate blocks that you can’t find in your neighbourhood Woolies, but common snacks should be purchased out of the airport.

Retirement Income

Duchess Kate returns to royal duties with a new look

Duchess Kate has returned to work this week after being on maternity leave since April, following the birth of her third child, Prince Louis. On Tuesday, Kate took a visit to the Sayers Croft Forest School and Wildlife Garden in Paddington. The 36-year-old royal spent her day with local school children, where she joined them in getting their hands dirty to learn about the wildlife garden. Kate donned a new hairstyle for her appearance, with her shiny locks appearing slightly shorter with more layers added. While joining a school session and hearing from instructors and teachers, Kate wore brown skinny jeans from Zara, her trusty tassel boots and a green jacket by the Swedish brand Fjällräven. <img style="width: 230.68213982451175px; height:500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7821096/image_.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/b45ea18478f342b192d9199a747c2a28" /> The Sayers Croft Forest School and Wildlife Garden aims to involve children in the local community and provide outdoor activity facilities for those wouldn’t otherwise be able to experience them. Kate, who has previously shared her excitement about growing potatoes in her own vegetable patch, was also shown an edible garden that inspires kids to get outdoors. As she made her way through the park, the Duchess shook hands with other parents and mingled with locals. The Duchess told one group of well-wishers that she had enjoyed her time with the school kids, adding with a smile, “All I found were tiny slugs!” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> Princess Kate goes on a mini beast hunt at the forest school <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/royal?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#royal</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/duchessofcambridge?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#duchessofcambridge</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/katemiddleton?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#katemiddleton</a> <a href="https://t.co/YApaHRHxeL">pic.twitter.com/YApaHRHxeL</a> — Simon Perry (@SPerryPeoplemag) <a href="https://twitter.com/SPerryPeoplemag/status/1047105391254036480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2018</a></blockquote> Mirianthe Engomitis, 56, shared the sweet encounter she had with Kate: “She said we were lucky to live near a place like this. She was asking if we had been here to see the park progress. It was lovely of her to stop.” Although Kate was on maternity leave, she attended several formal royal family events, including the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan, Trooping the Colour as well as attending polo and equestrian events with Prince George and Princess Charlotte. Kate is expected to undertake various engagements in the lead up to Christmas before resuming a fuller schedule of appearances in the New Year.

Beauty & Style

The Queen selects Meghan for key royal duty

It is undeniable that the Queen and Meghan have bonded well together since Prince Harry’s engagement to the former actress was officially announced. And now, it has been revealed that Her Majesty has taken their friendship one step further. It has been announced that the Duchess of Sussex has been asked to present awards to youth people across the Commonwealth who have completed “exceptional” work in their respective countries, on behalf of the Queen. According to <a href="https://www.express.co.uk/news/royal/978807/meghan-markle-news-queen-prince-harry-commonwealth" target="_blank">The Express</a>, Meghan and Prince Harry “will welcome those in the Queen’s Young Leaders program to Buckingham Palace this summer, continuing the role started by the Queen during her lifetime of service to the Commonwealth nations”. The initiative was started by Her Majesty five years ago and is a project very close to her heart, so selecting Meghan for the role reveals the confidence she has in her grandson’s wife. The initiative aims to honour those who have made significant contributions to helping their communities, mental health advocacy tackling violence against women and saving lives. Previously, the Queen was in charge of welcoming participants of the Young Leaders’ program to Buckingham Palace but now, the royal newlyweds have been handed over the responsibility. When Harry was announced as the Queen’s replacement in April, he expressed his excitement for the new role. He said in a statement: “In my new role I will work to support The Queen, my father The Prince of Wales, and my brother William, all of whom know that young people are the answer to the challenges of today.” Harry also indicated that Meghan would be joining him to work on this initiative. “I am also incredibly grateful that the woman I am about to marry, Meghan, will be joining me in this work, of which she too is hugely excited to take part in.”

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