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A decade in the making: Jamie Durie finally unveils dream home

After a decade of meticulous planning, popular TV host Jamie Durie has finally revealed his dream home, a breathtaking sustainable property on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. The Seven Network presenter took to Instagram to share an album of images showcasing the eco-friendly sanctuary he built for his family. "Grateful. 10 years of planning, 2 years of construction and we’re finally back home," Durie, 54, captioned the post. The luxurious and environmentally conscious home is now the residence of Durie, his fiancée Ameka Jane, and their two children: three-year-old daughter Beau and one-year-old son Nash. The entire process of planning and construction has been chronicled on Durie’s latest TV venture, Growing Home With Jamie Durie, airing on Seven. "It’s been a lifelong dream of mine to build an off-the-grid house," Durie told Woman’s Day in November. "Ten years ago, I sketched the house. We lodged the plans five years ago, and then the last two years have been dedicated to construction." Durie said that the journey to completion was anything but smooth. "I don’t think poor Ameka had any idea what she was signing up for when we met. But she came up with a number of ideas that added a lot of value to it." He also admitted that building the house tested the family in a variety of ways. "Any family out there who’s building their own house will go through the same as what we’ve gone through," he said. "Huge budget blowouts, rising interest rates, massive construction costs that are constantly going up. We’ve had to go back to the bank four times." Despite the hurdles, Durie and Jane remained committed to using innovative eco-friendly features wherever they could. "We challenged ourselves with new eco-initiatives that not many people would ever dream of trying, or may not even know about," he said, before describing the experience as "the toughest project I have ever taken on in my whole life". Following Durie’s Instagram reveal, a wave of celebrity friends flooded the comments section with praise for the spectacular home. The Morning Show’s Larry Emdur wrote, "Mate!!! Just wow";fFormer Bachelor star Anna Heinrich called it "incredible"; while TV personality Sally Obermeder simply stated, "WOW". Comedian Dave Hughes was equally impressed, writing, "That’s proper wow. My god." Getaway host Catriona Rowntree described the home as "bloomin’ gorgeous". Images: Instagram

Real Estate

‘Don’t panic, do prepare’: why it’s not too late to plan for Cyclone Alfred

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/yetta-gurtner-2337172">Yetta Gurtner</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/james-cook-university-1167">James Cook University</a> For millions of people in southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales, Cyclone Alfred will be their first experience living through a cyclone. Alfred is forecast to make landfall about 2am on Friday morning. I am a disaster expert based in northern Queensland, which regularly experiences cyclones. In my other role as an acting SES public information officer, I’m heading south to the Gold Coast to help residents prepare and respond. Here’s what I want you to know. First, don’t panic. Second, do prepare. Preparation has several steps. It’s important to clearly assess your specific threat. If you live near the sea, storm surges – where the sea spills inland – could be a significant threat, while flooding might pose a large risk if you live near a river – especially in the few days after Alfred passes. The highest rainfall is likely on Alfred’s southern flank from the Gold Coast down to northern New South Wales. Having enough food, water and medication is vital. Be ready to evacuate too, in case authorities deem it necessary. Check your local council’s disaster website, disaster apps and stay tuned to the ABC, which will run disaster alerts. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EN_yKcjlF20?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>The Bureau of Meteorology’s latest update on Cyclone Alfred’s path and likely impact, as of the morning of Wed 5th March.</figcaption></figure> <h2>What should I do right now?</h2> If you’re in the <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDQ65002.shtml">danger zone</a>, make preparations now, before the full intensity of the cyclone arrives. Tie down loose objects. Clean gutters to avoid overflow from torrential rain. And prepare your “go bag” – a bag of essentials you can throw in the car if authorities tell you to leave immediately. Don’t take too much – just the bare necessities. Buy an AM/FM radio and tune it to ABC National, as you cannot be sure mobile networks will function. Radio is a reliable way to get good information from the ABC, Australia’s designated <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/emergency">emergency channel</a>. Make sure the car is fuelled or charged. If you’ve got a generator, make sure you have fuel and the generator is positioned outside in a well-ventilated area. Water is often unreliable after disasters. Fill your bathtub or front-loader washing machine with water. Put containers of water in your freezer, to keep food cold if the power goes out and as another water source. Plan for days of power outages. Protect windows with plywood, heavy blankets or mattresses. Put a mattress between your car and garage roller door to stop it blowing in. Turn off gas, electricity and solar power. Authorities recommend using sandbags to reduce the chance of water getting in. You can get sacks from hardware stores or council-run emergency centres, if available, who also provide sand. You also need plastic sheeting. If there’s a shortage of sand, you can use garden soil or commercial bagged soil. If you can’t get sacks, large plastic shopping bags will do. Tape strong plastic sheeting around the door or low window where water might get in. This is the barrier that actually keeps water out – sandbags keep it in place. Fill sandbags and lay them <a href="https://www.ses.nsw.gov.au/during-emergency/sandbags">like bricks</a>. Lay one row, and lay the next row offset for strength. Sandbags are good, but they have limits. There’s little point in piling sandbags higher than about 30 centimetres. If floodwaters edge higher, water will get through. Many people have had the unpleasant experience of having effluent come back up through toilets during cyclones and subsequent flooding. To stop this, cover your toilet with plastic sheeting (directly on the porcelain) and put a sandbag on top for weight. Do the same for any drains where water might flow back up. To reduce water damage, put valuable or important items up high, atop tables or bunk beds or upstairs if you have a second storey. <h2>What will it be like when Alfred hits?</h2> When the cyclone first hits, it can be overwhelming. The sound is like a roaring jet engine. If you haven’t been advised to evacuate by authorities, you will be sheltering in place. This means finding the safest room in the house, to avoid damage from flying objects. Choose the smallest room with the fewest windows – a bathroom or a room under the stairs. Basements are very safe, but will be the first affected by water. As the cyclone picks up intensity, set up inside this safe room with your pets and children. Do not leave this room until you have been told it’s safe by authorities. At the centre of strong cyclones is the eye of the storm, which we experience as a period of sudden calm. People often make the mistake of thinking it’s over. But in fact, it’s just a brief reprieve before the intense winds pick up again. Don’t make the mistake of leaving the house – check with authoritative sources. Cyclone Alfred is a <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-05/cyclone-alfred-unusual-triplet-storm-climate-change-factors/105008704">slow-moving cyclone</a>, which means you might be stuck inside for a while. Be prepared to be inside your house for up to 24 hours, even after the worst has passed. This is because there may well be downed powerlines with live electricity, broken glass, falling trees and so on. For your children (and yourself), being in the cyclone is frightening. Young kids find the sound chilling. You can play music through headphones to help soothe them. Board games, books and puzzles can help pass the time. You will need distraction. Have a bucket in the corner for emergency toilet needs. Keep track of the storm and any emerging dangers through your radio and internet-enabled phone (if still functioning). <h2>What if I have to evacuate?</h2> Authorities are working to set up evacuation centres for people whose homes may not be safe. Authorities will go door-to-door to tell affected residents to leave, as well as broadcasting the information on radio and online. You’re more likely to have to evacuate if your house is on low-lying land near the sea, as a storm surge is likely. How much water is pushed ashore will depend on the tide, but it could be as high as 70cm above the high tide line if we’re unlucky. Evacuations can happen after the cyclone too. Alfred is packing a lot of rain – <a href="https://www.weatherzone.com.au/news/tropical-cyclone-alfred-could-disrupt-afl-and-nrl-matches/1890420">up to a metre</a> in some areas. That’s very likely to cause flooding, both flash floods and rivers breaking their banks. If you are asked to evacuate, you can go to the house of a friend or family member if it’s on higher ground and outside the flood risk zones. Or you can go to a local evacuation centre – check your council website to see where your closest one is. Take as little as possible with you. Many people who choose not to evacuate do so because they’re worried about their pets. This is risky. Some evacuation centres do take pets, so check now. If they don’t, look for other options with friends and family. Staying put after an evacuation order is dangerous. <h2>What will happen after the cyclone?</h2> Cyclone Alfred brings three threats: intense winds, high seas and heavy rain. After the intense winds die down, the seas will be dangerous for days after Alfred. There are coastal hazard warnings for about 1,000km of coastline. Cyclones also often decay into tropical low weather systems, which dump heavy rain for days. This is likely. As you move into recovery phase, don’t relax your guard. In far north Queensland, 16 people have <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-04/melioidosis-death-toll-rises-in-queensland/105009772">now died</a> after being infected with melioidosis, a bacterium found in mud. The bug is <a href="https://theconversation.com/theres-an-outbreak-of-melioidosis-in-north-queensland-heres-what-to-know-about-this-deadly-mud-bug-250392">more prevalent</a> after heavy rainfall. Wear protective gear such as gloves and face masks when dealing with water-damaged goods and mud, and pay close attention to the latest advice authorities are giving. But remember – don’t panic. We will get through this.<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/251463/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/yetta-gurtner-2337172">Yetta Gurtner</a>, Adjunct Senior Lecturer, Centre for Disaster Studies, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/james-cook-university-1167">James Cook University</a> Image credits: LUKAS COCH/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Editorial 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/dont-panic-do-prepare-why-its-not-too-late-to-plan-for-cyclone-alfred-251463">original article</a>. </div>

Travel Trouble

Catriona Rowntree unleashes over controversial new plan

Catriona Rowntree has slammed the Victorian Labor government's plans to cover land at Mount Rothwell under solar panels The Getaway star shared her call to action in an <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DFlVylRTfYG/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram video</a> shared on Monday. “Welcome to beautiful Mount Rothwell in Little River,” Rowntree began in her video. "This is actually the number one film location in Victoria. This has been the scene of so many incredible movies and productions, bringing in a fortune for the local government. "This incredible area Vic Labor is now considering covering this whole area with a solar farm in its rush for renewables. "They are considering all these completely wrong locations." She previously opposed the state government's plans to build a huge lithium battery farm next to her family property near Little River, and mentioned it again in her most recent video. Rowntree branded the planned lithium battery farm as a fire hazard, saying: “So how can you help? Some of you may know that we have been battling as well, they want to put a lithium facility in a firezone in Little River. “What did Little River ever do to the Labor government? I don’t know why you keep picking on us," she continued. "No one will talk to us, it’s been nearly seven months, we’ve heard nothing.” In her caption for the video, Rowntree said she had no choice but to "get political" and vote for Liberal candidate Steve Murphy in the upcoming Werribee state by-election, saying: "He actually took the time to visit us and see how wrong this area is for their renewables”. "Has it come to this?" she wrote. "Do I have to get political to get someone to notice the region that VIC Labor wants to destroy?" She also issued a direct plea to the premier, tagging Jacinta Allen and asking: “Where are you? Why do you want to ruin what is the Number 1 film location in Victoria? Why won’t anyone from Victorian Labor stop this?” "You should be ashamed,” she told the state government. Images: Instagram

Legal

Ray Martin cashes in after selling luxury Sydney home

Ray Martin has made a whopping $7.1 million after selling the family home he has owned on Sydney's north shore for thirty-five years. The veteran journalist sold the five-bedroom, three-bathroom mansion in the suburb of Waverton for a reported $8 million, after Martin and his wife Dianne bought the luxurious 1930s-era house in 1990 for $900,000. The beautiful home, known as Finisterre, sold for between $8 million and $8.5 million after being listed on January 1st, according to reports from <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/news/ray-martins-8m-home-sale-bonanza/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener">The Daily Telegraph</a>. Located just 5km from the Sydney CBD, the gorgeous two-storey home features classic period stylings and luxurious interiors. The stunning home boasts impressive features such as grand scale living areas, a beautiful patio for entertaining and a glass-framed mosaic-tiled pool, while a chef's kitchen features the latest appliances and a breakfast island. Other highlights include a 'formal' living room, a separate family room, a home office and an open-plan dining area that opens out to the backyard and patio. The upper level offers a large open terrace which features views of Sydney Harbour and the city skyline. Other luxury features on the estate also include a wine cellar, a second-floor study and landscaped gardens. Image credits: SBS / McGrath Real Estate

Money & Banking

"Out of touch": Property ad sparks major debate

A property advertisement has sparked a major debate online after its controversial tagline went viral for the wrong reasons. The billboard in Perth’s western suburbs is on a popular train line and was posted online by a woman who described it as “sick and twisted” in the comment section. The ad for property advisory firm WhiteFox that boasts the company has been making “homes more expensive since 2017”, which struck a wrong chord with online audiences. “Maybe not the message to be gloating about in the middle of a housing crisis”, the woman wrote. The clip has amassed more than 200,000 views and sparked a massive conversation online and people were divided on if it was a tone deaf message or simply good marketing. One person who saw nothing wrong with the advert said, “If you’re selling, you want to get the most for your home”. Another replied to that comment and said that it “comes off so bad” and that the language should have been changed to add value instead of making “homes more expensive”. Others claimed the advertisement was “out of touch”, with one person saying they were “outraged” by the billboard, while another said they were “shocked” to see this advertisement, and someone else called it “insane”. “The only people upset at this are not the target audience because they can’t afford a house, including me,” one claimed. The CEO of the property agency was quick to respond to the backlash, telling <a href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/real-estate/buying/comes-off-bad-property-advertisement-sparks-debate/news-story/520e41178f5b4c5d011c44e10785d79c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a> that it is the company's job to get the best price for their clients selling their homes. “Think about it, if you are selling your house, would you like to sell it for below market value? I don’t think so. You want it to be as expensive as possible, right?”, he said. Mr Fox said the real issue is the cost-of-living crisis, which is making life so “hard” for Australians who are getting hit hard by rising prices from groceries to interest rates. “So, if you’re a home seller and you see this billboard, it’s actually exactly what you want,” he argued. Image credits: TikTok

Legal

Planning for old age? Here’s what the aged care changes mean for you

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/anam-bilgrami-1179543">Anam Bilgrami</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/macquarie-university-1174">Macquarie University</a> Last week, Parliament passed sweeping reforms to Australia’s aged care system. These “<a href="https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-anika-wells-mp/media/once-in-a-generation-aged-care-reforms">once-in-a-generation</a>” changes, set to begin next year on July 1, aim to improve how care is provided to older Australians at home, in their communities and in nursing homes. The new Aged Care Act focuses on <a href="https://insideageing.com.au/new-aged-care-act-passes-parliament-ushering-in-historic-reforms/">improving quality and safety, protecting the rights</a> of older people and ensuring <a href="https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/news-and-updates/big-changes-aged-care-sector">the financial sustainability</a> of aged care providers. A key change is the introduction of a new payment system, requiring wealthier people to contribute more for non-clinical services. If you – or a loved one – are planning for aged care, here’s what the changes could mean for you. <h2>What to expect from the home care overhaul</h2> Over the past decade, there’s been a noticeable shift towards “ageing at home”. The number of Australians using home care has <a href="https://www.gen-agedcaredata.gov.au/getmedia/2fbaacd8-1fbf-4ef5-ab1c-72dfc4c727bf/People-using-aged-care-fact-sheet-2023.pdf?ext=.pdf">more than quadrupled</a>, surpassing those in nursing homes. To meet growing demand, the government is adding <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-anika-wells-mp/media/press-conference-parliament-house-25-november?language=en">107,000 home care places</a> over the next two years, with a goal to reduce wait times to just three months. Starting July 1 2025, <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/support-at-home/about">Support at Home</a> will replace the <a href="https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/help-at-home/home-care-packages">Home Care Packages</a> program. The table below shows some of the key differences between these two programs. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/636472/original/file-20241205-19-phkljj.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/636472/original/file-20241205-19-phkljj.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/636472/original/file-20241205-19-phkljj.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=546&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/636472/original/file-20241205-19-phkljj.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=546&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/636472/original/file-20241205-19-phkljj.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=546&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/636472/original/file-20241205-19-phkljj.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=686&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/636472/original/file-20241205-19-phkljj.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=686&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/636472/original/file-20241205-19-phkljj.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=686&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption>Department of Health 2024</figcaption></figure> Home Care Packages are currently delivered under <a href="https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/help-at-home/home-care-packages">four annual government subsidy levels</a>, covering care and provider management costs. Under Support at Home, <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/support-at-home/features">the number of home care budget levels will double to eight</a>, with the highest level increasing to A$78,000. This aims to provide more tailored support and accommodate those needing higher levels of care. Under the new system, recipients will receive quarterly budgets aligned to their funding level and work with their chosen provider to allocate funds across <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-11/support-at-home-service-list.pdf">three broad service categories</a>: <ul> <li> clinical care, such as nursing or physiotherapy </li> <li> independence support, including personal care, transport and social support </li> <li> everyday living assistance, such as cleaning, gardening and meal delivery. </li> </ul> Clinical care services will be fully government-funded, as these are crucial to supporting health and keeping people out of hospitals. But recipients will contribute to the costs of independence and everyday living services under a new payment model, reflecting the government’s stance that these are services people have traditionally funded themselves over their lifetimes. This will replace the basic daily fee and income-tested care fee that some people currently pay. Contributions will vary by income and assets (based on the <a href="https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/who-can-get-age-pension?context=22526">age pension means test</a>) and by service type. Support at Home also includes additional funding for specific needs: <ul> <li> older Australians with less than three months to live will receive priority access to $25,000 in funding over 12 weeks </li> <li> up to $15,000 will be available for assistive technologies and home modifications, <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-09/support-at-home-fact-sheet.pdf">eliminating the need</a> to reserve home care budgets for these. </li> </ul> <h2>What if I or my loved one is already receiving a Home Care Package?</h2> If you were receiving a package, on the <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/hcp/about/how-it-works">waiting list</a>, or assessed as eligible for one on September 12 2024, the government’s “<a href="https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-anika-wells-mp/media/once-in-a-generation-aged-care-reforms#:%7E:text=in%20aged%20care-,A%20no%20worse%20off%20principle%20will%20provide%20certainty%20to%20people,greater%20contribution%20to%20their%20care.&text=When%20Home%20Care%20participants%20transition,and%20retain%20any%20unspent%20funds.">no worse off</a>” principle guarantees you won’t pay more under the new system. Current recipients will have their Support at Home budget aligned with their existing package, and any unspent funds will roll over. <h2>How nursing home fees will change</h2> Australia’s nursing home sector is struggling financially, with <a href="https://www.australianageingagenda.com.au/executive/sectors-annual-financial-report-lands/">67% of providers</a> operating at a loss. To ensure sustainability and support upgrades to facilities, the government is introducing major funding changes. <h2>What stays the same?</h2> The Basic Daily Fee, that everyone in nursing homes pays, set at 85% of the basic age pension (currently <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-09/schedule-of-fees-and-charges-for-residential-and-home-care.pdf">$63.57 a day</a> or $23,200 annually), will not change. <h2>What’s changing?</h2> The government currently pays a Hotelling Supplement of $12.55 per day per resident to cover everyday living services like cleaning, catering and laundry ($4,581 annually). From July 1 2025, this supplement will become means-tested. Residents with annual incomes above $95,400 or assets exceeding $238,000 (or some combination of these) will <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-09/response-to-the-aged-care-taskforce-residential-care-contributions.pdf">contribute partially or fully</a> to this cost. Currently, residents with sufficient means also pay a means-tested care fee <a href="https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/aged-care-home-costs-and-fees">between $0–$403.24</a> per day. This will be replaced by a “<a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-09/response-to-the-aged-care-taskforce-residential-care-contributions.pdf">non-clinical care contribution</a>”, capped at $101.16 daily and payable for the first four years of care. Only those with assets above $502,981 or incomes above $131,279 (or some combination of these) will pay this contribution. Importantly, no one will pay more than $130,000 in combined contributions for Support at Home and non-clinical care in nursing homes over their lifetime. <h2>Changes to accommodation payments</h2> The way nursing home accommodation costs are paid is also changing from July 1 2025: <ul> <li> residents <a href="https://theconversation.com/lump-sum-daily-payments-or-a-combination-what-to-consider-when-paying-for-nursing-home-accommodation-207405">who pay</a> their room price via a refundable lump sum will have <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-09/response-to-the-aged-care-taskforce-accommodation-reform.pdf">2% of their payment retained annually</a> by the provider, up to a maximum of 10% over five years. For example, a $400,000 lump sum payment would result in $360,000 being refunded if a person stays five years or more, with the provider keeping $40,000 </li> <li> <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-09/response-to-the-aged-care-taskforce-accommodation-reform.pdf">daily accommodation payments</a> (a rent-style interest charge) will no longer remain fixed for the duration of a person’s nursing home stay. Instead, these payments will be indexed twice annually to the Consumer Price Index </li> <li> providers will be able to set room prices up to $750,000 without government approval, an increase from the current $550,000 limit. </li> </ul> People with lower means (those who are fully subsidised by the government for their accommodation costs) will not be affected by these changes. <h2>What if I own my home?</h2> The treatment of the family home in means testing for nursing home costs will <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-09/response-to-the-aged-care-taskforce-residential-care-contributions.pdf">remain unchanged</a>. Its value is only assessed if no “protected person” (such as a spouse) lives in it, and even then, it’s capped at $206,039 (as at September 20 2024). <h2>What happens to current nursing home residents?</h2> The new rules for contributions and accommodation will apply only to those entering nursing homes from July 1 2025. Existing residents will maintain their current arrangements and be <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-anika-wells-mp/media/once-in-a-generation-aged-care-reforms#:%7E:text=in%20aged%20care-,A%20no%20worse%20off%20principle%20will%20provide%20certainty%20to%20people,greater%20contribution%20to%20their%20care.&text=When%20Home%20Care%20participants%20transition,and%20retain%20any%20unspent%20funds.">no worse off</a>. <h2>Feeling overwhelmed?</h2> These reforms aim to improve care delivery, fairness and sustainability, with the government emphasising that many older Australians – particularly those with <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-anika-wells-mp/media/once-in-a-generation-aged-care-reforms#:%7E:text=in%20aged%20care-,A%20no%20worse%20off%20principle%20will%20provide%20certainty%20to%20people,greater%20contribution%20to%20their%20care.&text=When%20Home%20Care%20participants%20transition,and%20retain%20any%20unspent%20funds.">lower incomes and assets</a> – will not pay more. The government has provided case studies to illustrate how <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-09/case-studies-support-at-home_0.pdf">home care</a> and <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-09/case-studies-residential-care_0.pdf">nursing home</a> costs will differ under the new system for people at various income and asset levels. Still, planning for aged care can be daunting. For more <a href="https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/financial-support-and-advice">tailored advice and support</a>, consider reaching out to financial advisors, <a href="https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/aged-care-specialist-officer-my-aged-care-face-to-face-services?context=55715">services</a>, or online tools to help you navigate the changes and make informed decisions.<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/244816/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/anam-bilgrami-1179543">Anam Bilgrami</a>, Senior Research Fellow, Macquarie University Centre for the Health Economy, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/macquarie-university-1174">Macquarie University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/planning-for-old-age-heres-what-the-aged-care-changes-mean-for-you-244816">original article</a>. </div>

Money & Banking

Booking a summer holiday deal? Beware ‘drip pricing’ and other tactics to make you pay more than you planned

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jeannie-marie-paterson-6367">Jeannie Marie Paterson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> Have you ever spotted what looked like a great deal on a website, added it to your “basket” and proceeded to checkout – only to find extra fees added on at the last minute? It’s frustratingly common when making airline, hotel and many other kinds of bookings to see an advertised price get ratcheted up at checkout with additional fees – perhaps “shipping insurance”, “resort fees” or just “taxes”. The practice is known as “<a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/consumers/pricing/price-displays">drip pricing</a>” and it can <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/WH-Junk-Fees-Guide-for-States.pdf">distort</a> consumer decision-making and affect competition. Nonetheless, there is no specific ban on this conduct in Australia. Some companies have, however, effectively been prosecuted for it under the Australian Consumer Law, which contains some strict rules about misleading consumers through advertising. Many of us have already begun booking flights, hotels and more as we head into the summer holiday season. Here’s what the law says about companies changing prices in the lead-up to checkout, and how you can protect yourself as a consumer. <h2>What’s wrong with drip pricing?</h2> The tactic that underpins drip pricing is to draw a customer in with an attractive “headline” price but then add in other fees as the customer approaches the checkout. It’s reasonable to ask whether there’s anything wrong with this practice: after all, the customer still sees the final price at checkout. Why might that be seen as misleading conduct under Australian Consumer Law? The reasons lie in views about consumer buying behaviour and the nature of the statutory prohibition. Typically, the closer a consumer gets to a sale, the less likely they are to pull out or even fully notice any additional fees. They may then end up paying more than they intended and also have lost the opportunity to deal with other suppliers of the same product at a better price. In the relevant section of Australian Consumer Law, there’s no requirement of an intention to mislead. It’s also not necessarily relevant that the true pricing situation is eventually revealed to the consumer or that it’s in the “fine print”. Thus, in the eyes of the law, it can be enough that consumers were enticed by an attractive headline price. <h2>Price surprises</h2> This legal position is well illustrated by a <a href="https://www8.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/cases/cth/HCA/2013/54.html">case</a> settled by the High Court in 2013, after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) took on telecom provider TPG Internet in <a href="https://www.mondaq.com/australia/advertising-marketing-branding/282802/advertising-and-the-acl-fine-print-couldnt-save-tpg-internet-in-the-high-court">2010</a>, alleging misleading conduct. In this case, TPG had been advertising broadband internet services for $29.99 per month. But on reading the fine print, you’d have discovered this deal was only available with a landline service costing an additional $30 per month. The case moved up through Australia’s court system, but ultimately, the High Court majority held that the telco had engaged in misleading conduct. The High Court recognised that the very point of advertising is to draw consumers into “the marketing web”. It is therefore not enough to disclose the true (higher) price only at the point the transaction is concluded. TPG was fined $2 million in this case. Since then, the maximum penalties have increased, now the higher of: <ul> <li>$50 million</li> <li>three times the value obtained from the contravention, or (if the benefit can not be determined)</li> <li>30% of the business’s adjusted turnover during the breach period.</li> </ul> <h2>Dynamic pricing</h2> Other pricing complaints have been in the news recently, including concerns about point-of-sale dynamic pricing. Basically, this means using an algorithm that adjusts ticket prices in response to demand, as consumers wait in a virtual purchasing queue. Recent media reporting has centred on <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-14/ticketmaster-live-nation-dynamic-pricing-tickets-class-action/104469646">concerns</a> about the use of point-of-sale dynamic pricing in the events ticketing industry. A form of dynamic pricing is used by hotels and airlines. They increase prices seasonally and according to demand. But these “dynamic” prices are clearly visible to consumers as they start looking for a deal. Some bodies even publish helpful tables of likely prices at different times. The kind of dynamic pricing that happens at the very point consumers are waiting to buy is very different and arguably creates an “unfair surprise”. Whether these kinds of practices also fall within the category of misleading conduct remains to be seen. But it is arguable that consumers could reasonably expect the real-time movement of prices to be disclosed upfront. Earlier this year, the government announced <a href="https://theconversation.com/albanese-government-promises-to-ban-dodgy-trading-practices-234142">plans</a> to address both drip pricing and dynamic pricing as part of a broader ban on unfair trading practices. <h2>What can consumers do?</h2> While all this law reform and litigation is playing out, here are some things you can do to avoid pricing shock. 1. Slow down. One of the strategies that online markets often rely on is “<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/oct/12/accc-suing-coles-woolworths-pricing-strategies-allegations">scarcity signalling</a>” – those clocks or numbers you see counting down as you move through a website. The very purpose of these is to make a consumer rush – which can mean failing to notice those additional fees that may make the buy not a good deal. 2. Take screen shots as you progress. Remember what it is you thought you were getting. Doing this also provides a basis for lodging a complaint if the headline and actual price don’t match up. 3. Check. Take a close look at the final bill before pressing pay. 4. Report. Tell your local Fair Trading Office or the ACCC if the advertised deal and the final price don’t meet up. A recent action taken by the ACCC against <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/sep/23/accc-suing-coles-woolworths-discounts-misleading">Woolworths and Coles</a> alleging “illusory” discounts was launched because of consumer tip-offs.<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/244825/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jeannie-marie-paterson-6367">Jeannie Marie Paterson</a>, Professor of Law, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/booking-a-summer-holiday-deal-beware-drip-pricing-and-other-tactics-to-make-you-pay-more-than-you-planned-244825">original article</a>. </div>

Travel Trouble

Black Friday sales are on again. To score a genuine bargain, it helps to go in with a plan

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/park-thaichon-175182">Park Thaichon</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-southern-queensland-1069">University of Southern Queensland</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sara-quach-175976">Sara Quach</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a> November 29th was Black Friday, the official beginning of one of the biggest sales events of the year. With so many consumers still feeling the cost-of-living pinch, it’s expected to once again bring bargain hunters out in droves. While some sales have already started, market research company Roy Morgan <a href="https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/black-friday-sales-a-winner-this-christmas-as-cost-of-living-continues-to-bite">estimates</a> Australian shoppers will spend a record $6.7 billion over the four-day shopping window. That’s up more than 5% on last year. For Australians, it’s one of three big annual sales events. The others take place at the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-you-should-know-before-you-start-chasing-bargains-at-the-eofy-sales-232568">end of each financial year (EOFY)</a> and on <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-boxing-day-evolved-from-giving-christmas-leftovers-to-servants-to-a-retail-frenzy-219507">Boxing Day</a>. Despite being a recent entrant to Australia, Black Friday has quickly become one of the most important shopping days of the year. For consumers, navigating these sales and dodging the marketing tricks played by retailers is no mean feat. Here’s what you should know. <h2>What exactly is Black Friday?</h2> Black Friday as a major sales event originated in the United States. It falls on the day after Thanksgiving, which is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November each year. A four day sales window then typically runs over the weekend after Thanksgiving, including “Cyber Monday” – a similar event that was set up more recently to encourage online shopping. But as you might have noticed, this official start date doesn’t prevent retailers from discounting products earlier, something many do. Australians don’t officially celebrate Thanksgiving. Nonetheless, the sales event has gained significant traction here over the past decade or so. This was initially driven by big US companies operating here, such as Apple and Amazon. But it was soon adopted and ultimately embraced by Australia’s own big retailers. Some Australian retailers now say Black Friday has already <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/business/consumer-affairs/bigger-than-boxing-day-the-rise-and-rise-of-black-friday-sales-20231117-p5ekwo.html">overtaken Boxing Day</a> to become their most important sales event, a standing it could well cement further this year. It’s been a <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonbird1/2023/11/20/le-black-friday-how-an-american-tradition-spread-round-the-world/">similar story</a> across much of the world. Countries including Canada, Brazil, France and the UK all now mark the occasion with their own big sales events. <h2>How do big sales work?</h2> Black Friday and other big sales events are designed to create a sense of urgency. They lean heavily into the phenomenon known as <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/cb.1885">fear of missing out</a> – called FOMO for short. Retailers know that shoppers feel the pressure to buy when they think they might miss out. This is called <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/jfmm-03-2023-0082/full/html">scarcity marketing</a>. Retailers have ways of creating artificial scarcity, which can pressure us to make purchase decisions that aren’t in our best interests. You’ve probably seen phrases in stores and online such as “only two left!” or “today only”. These tactics are designed to make you act. The extent of savings can also depend on retailers’ dynamic pricing tactics. Many businesses use algorithms to adjust discounts in real time based on customer demand, inventory levels and competitor trends. Popular items may start with small discounts, while less popular products get larger price cuts to attract interest. <h2>How to be a savvy shopper</h2> With these factors in mind, there are a few strategies that can help you you keep a clear head. One tactic is to create a shopping list and understand the importance of sticking to predetermined purchase decisions and a predetermined budget. Prioritise needs over impulsive wants. For example, if you need to replace an old keyboard amid a big sale, set a budget before you start looking, and try to avoid buying an entirely new computer just because it’s discounted in-store. Shoppers should prepare for fluctuating prices, while being cautious of tactics such as artificially inflated “fake” discounts, where original prices are exaggerated to make savings seem more appealing. Our previous <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/apjml-07-2021-0475/full/html?casa_token=A3V3IU0s1GkAAAAA%3A84uQk1cv03fh5C6gJrIeOuLPrztKhU4gacoPupelIWtOBZCnqSbmFKz4OjBaL60790I-O011Itd9C63vCGJ_hDSJFuVeiwe3YaiSftT6nUzpzxDYHYkdGQ">research</a> has shown price promotion can trigger customer emotions such as surprise and lead to anticipated regret, influencing their purchase decisions. <h2>Go in with a plan</h2> Another tactic is to do some window shopping in the days or weeks beforehand. This allows you to check and research the products you’re interested in. Note down their non-sale prices for future reference. Create a list of where to buy, along with a few alternatives. For shoes and clothing, try things on if you can and note down your size. That can help you act quickly once the sales go live. And in the excitement of all the sales, don’t forget: if you don’t actually want or need anything, there’s always the option of not shopping at all.<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/244509/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/park-thaichon-175182">Park Thaichon</a>, Associate Professor of Marketing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-southern-queensland-1069">University of Southern Queensland</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sara-quach-175976">Sara Quach</a>, Senior Lecturer in Marketing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/black-friday-sales-are-on-again-to-score-a-genuine-bargain-it-helps-to-go-in-with-a-plan-244509">original article</a>. </div>

Money & Banking

Hollywood icon reveals plans for retirement

Denzel Washington has revealed that he is going to retire after his next batch of films. The Hollywood icon appeared via videolink on Tuesday’s episode of the Today Show, alongside his co-stars to promote his new film Gladiator II. “I don’t know how many more films I’m going to make. Probably not that many,” the actor, who turns 70 next month, told Today host Richard Wilkins. “I want to do things I haven’t done. I’ve played Othello at 22, I’m about to play Othello at 70,” he said. Denzel will play the role in the Shakespeare play on Broadway alongside Jake Gyllenhaal from February next year. “After that I’m playing Hannibal. After that I’ve been talking with Steve McQueen about a film. After that Ryan Coogler’s writing a part for me in the next Black Panther.” He added, “After that I’m going to do the film Othello. After that I’m going to do King Lear. After that I’m going to retire.” Based on the interview, the actor has six upcoming projects across stage and film, so fans will still get to enjoy a few more of his roles before he retires, following a career that has spanned almost 50 years. Speaking to news.com.au, the actor offered some insight into why he is planning to retire, saying that there are “less and less challenges”, after previously revealing that at this point in his career, there are very few roles he is willing to take. Image: Masatoshi Okauchi/ Shutterstock Editorial

Readers response: Is there any item of memorabilia you’ve passed down to family or plan to in the future?

As in many families, there are often sentimental items and memorabilia that are passed down from several generations. We asked our readers if there are any heirlooms that they have passed down to their younger family members, or if they plan to, and the response was overwhelming. Here's what they said. Marjorie Gale - The christening gown made by my Aunt in the UK in 1955 for my eldest daughter, worn by my two other daughters. Now been worn by my 9 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren, and another due soon. So far 24 babies have worn it. Dawn Douglas - Yes, I have my Mums jewellery box and my eldest daughter will get it when I’m gone. I also have a brooch that belonged to my Nana. Sue Crawley - I have a 1925 gold embossed book by AA Milne “When We Were Very Young”. My most cherished memory was sitting on my great grandfathers knee whilst he read it to me. Not sure yet which grandchild will receive it. Greg Browning - A Winchester rifle my great grandfather bought in the 1800s. Have already passed it on. Marion Ingram - Family bassinets. Now on its 4th generation! Margie Buckingham - My grandmother’s costume jewellery was stunning. She was a racehorse breeder always in the Flemington Racecourse members, even had many Group One winners, so her jewellery had to look special. Paul Uttley - A silver pocket knife that belonged to my great grandfather now belongs to my oldest grandson (six generations apart)! Image credits: Shutterstock

Family & Pets

Real estate agent flees the country after stealing from clients

A real estate agent from Melbourne has allegedly fled the country after reportedly taking off with hundreds of thousands of dollars she stole from clients and employees. According to <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/real-estate-agent-debra-lawry-accused-of-stealing-hundreds-of-thousands-from-clients-and-employees/29121a3e-546c-44fe-8dff-70253c14a8b0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9News</a>, Debra Lawry, who traded as Debra Watchman with Ray White Romsey, has been accused of stealing money from her clients and staff by emptying the company's trust accounts and telling her colleagues she was in hospital while actually flying to Europe at the end of last month. One of Lawry's alleged victims is primary school teacher Shay Preston, who had just sold her family home with the estate agency. While she got the deposit back from Ray White, the theft cost the single mum thousands of dollars in extra expenses in the meantime. "It was very hard, very anxious, very stressful," Preston told 9News. "It's been a very stressful month." While clients are among those who have been stolen from, employees have also been impacted and are allegedly owed tens of thousands of dollars in unpaid super, leave entitlements and commission, including from Ms Preston's sale. "I felt horrible, they have done, they were doing a job for us and regardless of who they were working under, they did a job," Preston said. Staff at the agency claim they discovered their boss had been trying to book long-term accommodation in Italy after they found her office cleared out. "I hope she steps one toe out of wherever she is and just they get her, because that's a lot of people that she's hurt," Preston said. In the lead-up to Lawry's disappearance, Consumer Affairs Victoria publicly announced it was looking to suspend or cancel her estate licences, alleging she had deliberately failed to comply with auditing obligations over the last four years. Image credits: Ray White

Legal

How to keep doing good once you’re gone

Most of us like to think that once we are no longer walking the Earth, we can still leave a legacy to mark our time here and contribute positively to those left behind. Doing so is not only possible but, as you’ll see below, fairly straightforward – providing you do some basic preparation beforehand. Seek the help of professional advice to ensure your plans can be enacted in full and deliver the best possible outcomes for everyone involved. Have your affairs in order Make things simpler for your grieving loved ones by having your wishes clearly outlined in writing, with specific instructions that leave no room for misinterpretation. Doing so makes your wishes easier to implement, faster to enact and reduces fights among your beneficiaries. Keep your will and other affairs updated as circumstances change too, so that everyone you want is included (such as kids and grandkids) and those you don’t, aren’t given an unexpected windfall (such as your ex or an adult child’s ex). Provide for everyone Providing for everyone is not necessarily straight forward, especially if you have a blended family. For instance, leaving your share of your home to your children from a previous relationship could lead to disagreements if your partner doesn’t want to leave. Instead, think about how your assets can be divided fairly without disadvantaging anyone. Children could be nominated beneficiaries of your superannuation and/or life insurance, leaving your home for your partner. Keep wealth flowing Certain structures can allow you to keep giving to your descendants long after you’re gone – offsetting their income and providing far greater wealth over time than any lump sum could achieve. A family or testamentary trust allows ongoing wealth creation through shared assets, with regular dividends paid out, creating a family legacy that can last for generations. Or a family company can allow a commercial entity to continue trading and growing as an asset. Manage tax impacts Implement tax-effective strategies that maximise how much your beneficiaries actually receive and minimise what the tax man pockets. While there isn’t an inheritance tax per se, beneficiaries can be hit with Capital Gains Tax (CGT) on asset sales plus transfer costs to put an asset into their own name – not to mention the ongoing maintenance and compliance costs of asset ownership. In some instances, your loved ones may benefit more if you sell assets now and leave them the proceeds, rather than leave them the asset – and its associated tax bill – once you’re gone. Ensure loved ones are home and housed Property is perhaps the biggest of all sources of wealth, yet it is increasingly difficult for younger people and singles to get (and stay) on the property ladder. Ensure everyone can reap the benefits of property ownership over their own lifetime, either by transferring ownership of properties in your name or contributing chunks of cash towards a deposit. However, it’s important to do so sustainably – gifting grandkids a large property they can’t afford to maintain isn’t going to work. Charitable donations Many people like to support charities and social causes once they are gone. Consider the end user here and what they stand to benefit from your donation – whether it be people, planet or both. It could be leaving a lump sum on your death, or regular ongoing donations from your estate. You may wish to do so anonymously, or include a message with your donation outlining your reasons why that particular charity/cause is important to you and what you hope the money will go towards. Donations may not necessarily be financial either – perhaps you have a valuable historic artefact that others could enjoy if donated to a museum? Organ donation The greatest gift of all is not money but life itself. So, consider whether organ donation is something you wish to do. While not suitable for everyone, and dependent on a range of factors including your age, health and religious beliefs, a single organ donor can save up to seven lives, as well as improve the quality of life of numerous others through eye and tissue donation. That is a lot of life you can give to others – and all without costing your own loved ones a cent! Helen Baker is a licensed Australian financial adviser and author of On Your Own Two Feet: The Essential Guide to Financial Independence for all Women. Helen is among the 1% of financial planners who hold a master’s degree in the field. Proceeds from book sales are donated to charities supporting disadvantaged women and children. Find out more at <a href="http://www.onyourowntwofeet.com.au/">www.onyourowntwofeet.com.au</a> Disclaimer: The information in this article is of a general nature only and does not constitute personal financial or product advice. Any opinions or views expressed are those of the authors and do not represent those of people, institutions or organisations the owner may be associated with in a professional or personal capacity unless explicitly stated. Helen Baker is an authorised representative of BPW Partners Pty Ltd AFSL 548754. Image credits: Shutterstock

Retirement Income

High-speed rail plans may finally end Australia’s 40-year wait to get on board

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/philip-laird-3503">Philip Laird</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a> Australia has debated and studied high-speed rail for four decades. The High Speed Rail Authority has begun <a href="https://www.hsra.gov.au/project">work on a project</a> that could finally deliver some high-speed rail in the 2030s. The Albanese government set up the authority in 2022. It also committed A$500 million to plan and protect a high-speed rail corridor between Sydney and Newcastle. This corridor was prioritised due to significant capacity constraints on the existing line, among other reasons. The ultimate plan is for a high-speed rail network to connect Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and regional communities across the east coast. The network would help Australia in its urgent task to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transport. These <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/infrastructure-transport-vehicles/towards-net-zero-transport-and-infrastructure">continue to increase</a> even as emissions from other sectors fall. The authority has now publicly outlined plans for the first stage of this east coast network. After a history of failed proposals dating back to 1984, the new plans provide some cause for optimism that Australia could have some high-speed rail by 2037. <h2>What is high-speed rail and why do we need it?</h2> The International Rail Union of Railways <a href="https://uic.org/passenger/highspeed">defines high-speed rail</a> as new lines designed for speeds of 250km/h or more and upgraded lines for speeds of at least 200km/h. High-speed rail could greatly reduce transport emissions by replacing <a href="https://theconversation.com/wondering-how-to-get-from-brisbane-to-melbourne-without-wrecking-the-climate-our-transport-choices-make-a-huge-difference-237396">air travel in particular</a>. For example, the <a href="https://www.bitre.gov.au/publications/ongoing/domestic_airline_activity-monthly_publications">7.92 million passengers</a> flying between Melbourne and Sydney in 2023-24 produced about 1.5 million tonnes of emissions. Including <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-air-travellers-can-cut-their-door-to-door-emissions-right-now-by-as-much-as-13-on-the-sydney-melbourne-route-211099">travel to and from airports</a> and other flight routes along the corridor (Sydney or Melbourne to Canberra, Albury etc), this adds up to about 2% of <a href="https://www.dcceew.gov.au/climate-change/strategies/annual-climate-change-statement-2023">annual domestic transport emissions</a>. A Sydney–Melbourne high-speed rail link could cut emissions to a fraction of those from <a href="https://theconversation.com/wondering-how-to-get-from-brisbane-to-melbourne-without-wrecking-the-climate-our-transport-choices-make-a-huge-difference-237396">air</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/we-compared-land-transport-options-for-getting-to-net-zero-hands-down-electric-rail-is-the-best-234092">road</a> transport. If Australia is to achieve <a href="https://www.dcceew.gov.au/climate-change/emissions-reduction/net-zero">net zero by 2050</a>, a <a href="https://theconversation.com/we-compared-land-transport-options-for-getting-to-net-zero-hands-down-electric-rail-is-the-best-234092">shift to rail will be essential</a>. High-speed city-to-city rail services will be needed to become an attractive alternative to air travel. <h2>What is the authority working on?</h2> Early this year the High Speed Rail Authority gained a new CEO, Tim Parker, with extensive experience in delivering mega-projects. In late August, the authority outlined its plans at an industry briefing in Newcastle. The authority has commissioned eight studies, including a business case for a Sydney–Newcastle line. Significantly, it will include the cost of future highway upgrades if high-speed rail does not proceed. This study, along with a report on how high-speed rail will proceed along Australia’s east coast, is due by the end of this year. Also under way is a <a href="https://minister.infrastructure.gov.au/c-king/media-release/all-aboard-high-speed-rail-accelerates-first-investigation-works">geotechnical study</a> that includes drilling 27 boreholes. It will help determine the proposed depths of two long rail tunnels and guide decisions on crossing the Hawkesbury River and the route to the Central Coast and on to Newcastle. All going well, including land acquisition and agreements with the New South Wales government (which could include funding), work could <a href="https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/8743698/newcastle-high-speed-rail-possible-by-2037-as-tunnel-plan-emerges">start in 2027 and be completed by 2037</a>. <h2>Many questions remain</h2> Given the time and money required to deliver a Sydney–Newcastle line, bipartisan support will be needed. However, the federal opposition is yet to make a clear commitment to high-speed rail. There are other uncertainties too. Will the trains be operated by the public or private sector? The latter was the intention for projects that were scrapped decades ago, such as the CSIRO-proposed Very Fast Train (<a href="http://www.repositoryofideas.com/VFT_information.html">VFT</a>) linking Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne, and the Sydney–Canberra <a href="https://trid.trb.org/View/1203853">Speedrail</a>. And how will the engineering projects be delivered? The new authority must learn from the project management <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/department/media/news/independent-review-inland-rail-released">problems in delivering the Inland Rail</a> freight line. The project is running late and costs have blown out. Some major federally funded government projects have worked well. These include upgrades of the national highway system (by state road authorities and contractors) and the new <a href="https://www.westernsydneyairport.gov.au/">Western Sydney International Airport</a>, which is nearing completion. <h2>And what about a full Sydney–Melbourne line?</h2> The big question is when work will start on a Sydney–Melbourne high-speed rail service. In 2019, International High-Speed Rail Association chairman <a href="https://ara.net.au/media-release/ausrailplus-2019-conference-exhibition-3-5-december-2019-in-sydney/">Masafumi Shukuri estimated</a> building this line could take 20 years. The present line is 60km longer than it should be as the route dates back to the steam age. It also has far too many tight curves. This means train travel on this line is slower than cars and trucks. As former NSW State Rail chief Len Harper <a href="https://theconversation.com/more-than-ever-its-time-to-upgrade-the-sydney-melbourne-railway-187169">said</a> in 1995, this railway was already “inadequate for current and future needs” even back then. When the VFT was proposed in 1984, questions were raised as to whether our population was big enough for such a project. Now, more than 15.5 million people live in NSW, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory. Melbourne–Sydney is the <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/traveller/travel-news/the-world-s-busiest-flight-routes-and-airports-revealed-20231222-p5et7n.html">world’s fifth-busiest flight route</a>. Advocacy group Fastrack Australia <a href="https://www.fastrackaustralia.net/hsr-implementation-plan">has called</a> for a Sydney–Melbourne track built to high-speed standards and able to carry freight. The estimated travel time is four hours. This group and the <a href="https://www.railfutures.org.au/category/submissions/%20July%202024%20reducing%20emissions%20in%20freight">Rail Futures Institute</a> propose the line be built in stages, with priority given to the section from near Macarthur to Mittagong in NSW. This would reduce the current line’s length by about 18km and allow for better Sydney–Canberra train services. Urgent action is needed to protect the rail corridor from encroaching urban development. <h2>Australia needs to catch up</h2> In June 2023, when the new authority started work, I <a href="https://theconversation.com/can-the-new-high-speed-rail-authority-deliver-after-4-decades-of-costly-studies-206287">observed</a> that Australia must surely hold the world record for studies into high-speed rail with no construction. In stark contrast, this October marks the 60th anniversary of the world’s first dedicated high-speed rail line, the Tokaido Shinkansen in Japan linking Tokyo to Shin-Osaka. The network has since grown in stages to about 3,000km of lines. Today, high-speed rail <a href="https://uic.org/passenger/highspeed/article/high-speed-data-and-atlas">operates in 21 countries</a> over about 60,000km of lines – China has about 40,000km. Indonesia’s high-speed rail service between Jakarta and Bandung started running last year. India and Thailand are in the advanced stages of delivering high-speed rail. It’s also under construction in another 11 countries. Australia could finally join them in the next few years if it starts building the Sydney–Newcastle line.<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/238232/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/philip-laird-3503">Philip Laird</a>, Honorary Principal Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/high-speed-rail-plans-may-finally-end-australias-40-year-wait-to-get-on-board-238232">original article</a>. </div>

Domestic Travel

Quirky grandfather shocks Today hosts with unusual funeral plans

Michael 'Skip' Field has decided he doesn't want his family crying for him at an ordinary funeral when he dies. Instead, the quirky Queensland grandfather wants a celebration for his final send off and wants his family to remember him in a very unique way. Skip shared his funeral plans with Today hosts Sarah and Alex, who were perplexed by Skip's plans for his final send-off. "I've been to a lot of funerals over the years, I'm an old fart and I never enjoyed any of them," Skip said. "So come the time I turn toes up, they're going to cart me off to the crematorium for a big barbecue, where I'll be the guest of honour, then when the heat dies down, they're going to put me in a little shoe box and give my young son a ring," he said. "He'll come and pick me up and I'm an avid cowboy shooter, we load our own ammunition and one of the things that happens to cowboys when they pass on is they have a cowboy salute where you get a big, long line and everybody fires a shotgun, bang, bang, bang, bang, and have a salute." "Well, I'm going to get my ashes mixed into the shotgun shells and donate the shotgun shells to the range and they can shoot me off down the range." "Plus all the smoke that comes out at the end of the barrel is a bit blue, but being a Queenslander, I've got a bit of maroon chalk that's going to go in with the ashes, so when they come out at the end of the barrel it's going to be a maroon tinge on it," he said. Today hosts Sarah and Alex were gob-smacked by the idea of Skip donating his ash-filled bullets to the local firing range, but that's not all he has planned. "The other thing is a friend of mine's got a cannon and we're going to shoot part of the ashes out of the cannon at Pleasant Range near Dalby," he said. "Then the kids don't need a big, morbid ceremony, so they're going to have a party here at my house and I bought this thing called the 'loved one launcher' that is like a giant party popper, you put your ashes in and it'll shoot you 75 yards into the air with confetti and streamers and all that - Yeehaw! It's going to be great." Skip said the whole process cost less than getting a casket for the ground and it would be the last big thing he gets a say in. Image credits: Today

Retirement Life

Olivia Newton-John's daughter reveals special plans to honour mother's legacy

Olivia Newton-John's daughter Chloe Lattanzi has revealed that she will be returning Down Under later this year to honour her mother's legacy. Chloe took to Instagram on Thursday to announce that she will be taking part in Olivia's Walk for Wellness in Melbourne on October 6. "Hi everyone! I am so excited to be coming to Melbourne once again to keep my momma’s legacy alive," she wrote in the caption, before inviting her followers to join her on October 6 in Melbourne's scenic Alexandra Gardens. She added that it "will be an amazing day of raising funds to support people on their cancer journey. Funds raised will help provide free wellness programs at the ONJ Cancer Centre." She invited her followers to join her for the cause, which aims to raise funds for cancer research. <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/reel/C-87Phuy1N7/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-87Phuy1N7/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Chloe Lattanzi (@chloelattanziofficial)</a> </div> </blockquote> Chloe also said that the theme for the 2024 walk was "Let's Get Physical" with participants encouraged to dress in "80s retro outfits," which appears to be a tribute to Olivia's 1981 smash hit song Physical. "And please bring your puppies," she said in the video. She then signed off her message with: "Hope to see you all there! With love, light and gratitude, Chloe!" The Olivia Newton-John Wellness and Research Centre opened in 2012 and its services have helped thousands. The performer also travelled to Australia last year to take part in the popular event. Image: Instagram

Caring

Warning over new scam preying on seniors

Police have issued an urgent warning for seniors to stay vigilant as a new scam targets more vulnerable Australians. Wollongong police officers have received reports of wills and estate documents allegedly being forged earlier this year, with inquiries ongoing. Scammers are currently targeting vulnerable members in the Illawarra community in Sydney, with elderly members of the community and their families being urged to take precautions to lower the risk of the new scam. "Examples of estate fraud include: a person signing a will that was a different document then they intended to sign, a person signing a will when they limited mental capacity, and an executor could pay themselves advances or unreasonable expenses from the estate,” a statement from a NSW Police spokesperson explained. Will fraud occurs when misleading or deceptive conduct is used while preparing a will. Executor fraud occurs when a person appointed to administer an estate uses deceitful tactics to gain access to estate assets, including false, fabricated or misleading statements used for the financial benefit. Anyone who has been affected or anyone with information have been urged to come forward to police. Image: Shutterstock

Legal

Why Ray Martin is planning his own funeral

Ray Martin is planning his own funeral as he prepares for his 'Last Goodbye', as part of an eye-opening new series. The veteran journalist will be planning his memorial service for an upcoming SBS documentary series which explores cultural traditions surrounding death. The three-part series, called Ray Martin: The Last Goodbye, will explore various taboos surrounding death with comedic and witty anecdotes. The series will investigate various funeral trends and rituals around the world and will address some deep questions, including why people choose certain ceremonies, songs and resting places, and how geography, religion and social class impacts these choices. At 79 years old, Ray said in a statement that statistically he is only four years away from his own death and wants to explore the topic with a serious yet funny nature. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C9QoU-goAtY/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C9QoU-goAtY/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by SBS Australia (@sbs_australia)</a> </div> </blockquote> Martin will also have a range of special guests on the show, including veteran presenter Gretel Killeen, 61, and comedian Alex Lee. SBS Commissioning Editor Bethan Arwel-Lewis said, "At SBS we aren't scared to tackle those subjects that are sometimes provocative or difficult in our programming." "So an exploration of death – one of our last taboos is the perfect subject for us to lift the lid on, and who better to take us into this world and get us talking and even laughing about death, than Ray Martin." Last year, Martin insisted that he still has a lot of life left in him, as he grows older gracefully and continues to work. "I'm never going to retire. David Attenborough is in his 90s and he's my role model. He says you've got to keep doing what you love," he told Woman's Day magazine. Ray Martin: The Last Goodbye will premiere on Wednesday, August 14 at 8.30pm on SBS and SBS On Demand. Image credits: SBS

Couple's retirement plans "ruined" after investment fail

A couple from Brisbane claim their retirement has been "ruined" after an investment went wrong. After first visiting Coffs Harbour in 1976, Raymond and Wendy Dibb saw potential in the area, land-banking 2.7 hectares of rural acreage in the late 1980s. The couple bought the land in Korora for $118,000 in 1988 and sat on it for decades, waiting for the day they could make their retirement fortune by subdividing and selling it off. However they never got the chance, as the land was compulsorily acquired by Transport for NSW back in 2021 in order to make way for the Pacific Highway bypass. The $2.2 billion highway is now currently being built over the top of the block, which will be the site of a major intersection when the project opens to traffic in late 2026. The couple believed the land was worth a hefty $5.5 million, although Transport NSW valued it at just $1.062 million back in 2021. A gruelling three-year legal battle finally ended in the NSW Court of Appeal on June 28th, with the Dibbs being awarded $1.359 million in compensation, although they argued they deserved more. “This was a pretty significant financial transaction that’s really gone bad for us,” Raymond Dibb told the <a title="www.smh.com.au" href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/couple-loses-property-fight-after-highway-swallows-5-5-million-dream-20240703-p5jqrx.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sydney Morning Herald. </a>“And it’s got nothing to do with our investment choices." “We’re talking about landowners just minding their own business, and someone comes knocking on your door, saying, ‘We’re going to take your land’”. Mr Dibb slammed the entire process of the acquisition, saying that he believed an independent body should conduct compulsory acquisitions rather than the government. In the Land and Environment Court, Justice Nicola Pain ended up increasing the couple’s compensation to $1.42 million after it was determined the land could have produced seven residential lots with less risk and cost. She found they were also entitled to money to cover fees and stamp duty on a replacement block for their land bank, which the couple argued they would need to buy to delay paying capital gains tax. Transport for NSW argued that they should not have been granted any money for stamp duty, with Justices Kristina Stern, Anthony Payne and Jeremy Kirk agreeing. This was stripped from the award and they refused to revalue the block of land. The couple were also ordered to pay the government’s costs of the two-day appeal. Mr Dibb is considering seeking leave to appeal against the High Court’s decision. He added that the couple’s retirement plans had been ruined by Transport for NSW, which originally offered just $470,000 for the land back in 2019. A spokesperson for Transport for NSW said the government body “empathises with residents and landowners affected by property acquisitions” and said they always “try to minimise the need for property acquisition”. Image credits: Shutterstock

Money & Banking

Planning a country escape these school holidays? 4 ways to avoid clogging up the emergency department

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/katherine-riley-1499452">Katherine Riley</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rebekkah-middleton-314433">Rebekkah Middleton</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a> Winter school holidays are either here or coming up, depending on where in Australia you live. Maybe you’re planning a <a href="https://www.tra.gov.au/en/domestic/domestic-tourism-results">rural escape</a>. Rural tourism is crucial for job growth and sustainability of small rural towns. However, for rural emergency departments, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/am/holiday-medico-shortages-in-rural-and-remote-australia/103266540">school holidays</a> are often the busiest times. No-one plans a trip to the emergency department on holidays. But if you need health care, there are often other ways of accessing it than turning up at a rural hospital. Here’s why it’s so important to leave rural emergency departments for life-threatening illness or injuries, and some other options for seeking care. <h2>We’re short of doctors and nurses</h2> The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/rural-remote-australians/rural-and-remote-health">reports</a> a significant shortfall of nurses and specialist doctors in rural towns compared with staffing levels in big cities. This means many small rural emergency departments only have nurses on staff, with doctors on call or consulted remotely from a larger hospital. In a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1755599X2300143X">study</a> published earlier this year, my colleagues and I discovered this dynamic was especially challenging for rural emergency nurses when critically ill patients presented. One nurse told us: "We need more staff. I mean, I look at these emergency TV shows, and you see them in Kings Cross at the big hospitals there or overseas, they get a phone call […] there’s a resus coming in. Everyone’s standing around the bed with all their signs on, the airway/circulation/team leader […] and here, we have two people. It’s just so different. It’s just a false sense of reality. It’s ridiculous." So emergency departments should be used for <a href="https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Hospitals/Going_To_hospital/Publications/keep-ed-emergencies.pdf">emergencies only</a>. These include: <ul> <li>sudden collapse</li> <li>chest pain or pressure lasting more than ten minutes</li> <li>breathing difficulty</li> <li>serious mental health condition</li> <li>uncontrollable bleeding.</li> </ul> When emergency departments are used responsibly, this can reduce the pressure on staff. It ensures the most seriously ill receive the care they need promptly. <h2>What are my alternatives?</h2> Here are four ways you and your family can be better prepared for your rural holiday and avoid an unnecessary visit to the emergency department. 1. Pack your scripts and medical history summary Bring essential scripts and medications with you. This reduces the need to visit the local emergency department and ensures you have what you need during your stay. Do you have a chronic condition or have had a recent illness or surgery? Make sure you speak to your GP before you go. They can provide a medical health summary that includes your recent treatments and medications. Alternatively, if you have access to <a href="https://www.digitalhealth.gov.au/initiatives-and-programs/my-health-record">My Health Record</a>, ask your GP to prepare a shared health summary and upload it to your record. If you need medical care, this summary will assist in a timely assessment. 2. Call Healthdirect, NURSE-ON-CALL or 13HEALTH depending on where you are <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/how-healthdirect-can-help-you">Healthdirect</a> is a 24-hour telephone health advice line (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria or 13HEALTH in Queensland). By calling the relevant number, you will be connected to a registered nurse who will ask a series of questions and provide evidence-based advice and guidance. The Healthdirect website also offers an interactive <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/symptom-checker">symptom checker</a> to advise whether you should see a GP, go to an emergency department, or manage your symptoms at home (or in this case, on holidays): <ul> <li> <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au">Healthdirect</a> - 1800 022 222 </li> <li> <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/nurse-on-call">NURSE-ON-CALL</a> (Vic) - 1300 60 60 24 </li> <li> <a href="https://www.qld.gov.au/health/contacts/advice/13health">13HEALTH</a> (Qld) - 13 43 25 84. </li> </ul> 3. Need a GP? How about GP telehealth services? For minor health concerns or non-urgent issues, <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/how-emily-took-advantage-of-one-of-the-few-good-things-to-come-out-of-covid-20240507-p5fpg3.html">GP telehealth services</a> are a remote-access option that can be used when away from home. Before you go away, check with your GP to see if they offer a <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/topics/health-technologies-and-digital-health/about/telehealth">telehealth service</a>. 4. Go to an Urgent Care Clinic The Australian government has funded the opening of <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/find-a-medicare-ucc/about">Urgent Care Clinics</a> across the country. These clinics provide medical assessment and care for urgent illnesses or injuries. They have been created as a solution to divert people away from busy emergency departments. But these Urgent Care Clinics are not suitable for people experiencing emergency or life-threatening conditions. Urgent Care Clinics are ideal for illnesses and injuries that would require urgent treatment such as gastroenteritis, minor infections, lacerations and back pain. Check <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/find-a-medicare-ucc">here</a> to find your closest clinic. <hr /> Please keep the emergency department for life-threatening illnesses or injuries, and if needed, call 000 for an ambulance immediately.<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/232262/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/katherine-riley-1499452">Katherine Riley</a>, Lecturer, School of Nursing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rebekkah-middleton-314433">Rebekkah Middleton</a>, Associate Professor, School of Nursing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/planning-a-country-escape-these-school-holidays-4-ways-to-avoid-clogging-up-the-emergency-department-232262">original article</a>. </div>

Domestic Travel

Real estate agent's embarrassing email mix-up

A Melbourne real estate agent has sparked fury online after mistakenly sending a tenant an email intended for his landlord. The email was posted on Reddit, and the property manager can be seen complaining about the tenant's "high maintenance" nature before suggesting that they hike up his rent. "Out of all the properties I manage, he has the most maintenance requests and occupies the most of my (and therefore your) time," his email read. The agent claimed that the tenant called every day for two weeks to try and get his aircon fixed, saying "the receptions (sic) are sick of him." "In order to play this smooth I think you should offer to renew the lease but with an exorbitant increase (I'm thinking go from $500 to $950) and attribute it to the current rental market," the agent continued. "I don't think we'd get this much if we re-listed but we'd certainly get a bit of a boost not to mention the peace of mind of having a better tenant." Redditors were furious at the agents tactics, with the current housing crisis, and many backed the tenant. "If it's during a very hot or very cold period of days the premises could very well be uninhabitable without aircon," one wrote. In Victoria, rental laws make urgent repairs actionable immediately, whereas anything non urgent, needs to be completed within two weeks of a written request. His aircon not working was potentially an urgent request as as Victorian law requires minimum standards of heating. "Oh, that's straight to NCAT (in NSW). I would destroy these people,'" another furious person added. Others called the agent out for being "lazy" for not handling the tenants complaint properly. "The tenant didn't have a required service working and absolutely held us accountable. What a pest," wrote one person. Image: Reddit/ Shutterstock

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