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"Arrogance personified": Rich lister slammed for "pointless" job advice

<p>An Aussie rich lister has gone viral for all the wrong reasons, after her "tone deaf" advice for young Aussies to get a job fell flat. </p> <p>Sarina Russo, who made her start on the property market, shared the importance of relying on yourself to achieve financial independence.</p> <p>Ms Russo, who is ranked 59th on Australia’s 2024 Rich Women list with an estimated net worth of $271 million, runs a business that provides government-funded entrepreneurship programs to create self-employment opportunities.</p> <p>Known for handing out unsolicited financial advice, Russo was filmed on sharing her opinions on young people holding down work. </p> <p>“Today I thought I would emphasise how important it is to have a job,” she said. “You know, I’ve been thinking about this. I’ve been an ambassador for being the ‘Job Queen’ for Australia and global for something like 45 years," she said.  </p> <p>“I just want to emphasise that if you have a job, you have dignity. You have a job, you have more respect and positive self esteem."</p> <p>“If you have a job, you become financially (in)dependent and absolutely empowered. You can become more, enjoy more, have more and see more."</p> <p>“So today, I’m going to say to you and say to myself ... let’s get a job, let’s get excited, let’s get that passion growing and I’ll see you at the top. Ciao for now.”</p> <p>Given the current state of the job market for young Aussies in the wake of increased reliance on AI, many were quick to slam Ms Russo's comments. </p> <p>Social media users said her comments were "hypocritical" and "arrogance personified" given that she made her fortune as a landlord and became a multimillionaire based off other people's employment. </p> <p>“Yes watch Sarina, dressed in designer funk wear, as she meanders through the extravagant but ultimately aimless alleyways of the wealthy yet pointless. With each step, she peels off essential life lessons, like “I’m the jobs Queen; Get a job!” Classic. So tone deaf” one person wrote on Twitter.</p> <p>“Standing outside the Westin Hotel telling people to get a job as if nobody’s thought of it. Last day of the comedy festival - no stars,” another wrote under her Instagram video.</p> <p>This is not the first time Ms Russo' controversial comments caused a stir, attracting controversy two years ago after posting a video of herself telling victims of the devastating Queensland floods that “it’s the time to exercise”.</p> <p>Ms Russo told the victims “fitness is everything” and to “just do it”.</p> <p>“We’re here overlooking the most beautiful city called Brisbane and sadly last week we had massive floods – once in a hundred year flooding, and it called massive devastation,” she said to the camera.</p> <p>“But you know, when things are going wrong and endorphins are low, this is the time you need to exercise.I really believe that fitness is everything.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram</em></p>

Money & Banking

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"Just doing her job": Hero cop Amy Scott breaks silence after Bondi stabbing

<p>The hero police officer who shot Joel Cauchi after his killing spree has spoken out after the devastating incident. </p> <p>NSW Police Inspector Amy Scott was confronted by the knife-wielding 40-year-old after he had fatally stabbed six people and injured several others at Bondi Junction Westfield on Saturday afternoon. </p> <p>Witnesses of the incident recall hearing the officer shout for Cauchi to "put it down" before the knifeman charged at her, prompting her to fire her weapon and shoot him dead. </p> <p>“Amy is content with what she had to do," Police Association of NSW boss Kevin Morton said. </p> <p>“I spoke to her last night and again this morning and she said, ‘It was a night with not a lot of sleep’.”</p> <p>Mr Morton said the officer, who he has known personally for years, was playing down the praise she had received after being dubbed a "hero" for her actions. </p> <p>“She knows she has been tagged a hero but to her she was doing her job. I didn’t ask her about the exact incident, because she is yet to be formally interviewed,” he said.</p> <p>“Everyone will be keeping an eye on her obviously, there will be a lot of support from everyone,’’ he said</p> <p>She also drew praise from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and NSW Premier Chris Minns, as well as NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb.</p> <p>“She showed enormous courage and bravery,” Ms Webb said.</p> <p>Witnesses backed up the officer's actions at the shopping centre, as Bondi man Jason Dixon witnessed Inspector Scott's response firsthand. </p> <p>“All she said was ‘Put it down’. Just once. Then she shot him in the chest and he went down,” Mr Dixon told <em>The Sunday Telegraph</em>. </p> <p>“Then when he fell on the ground she was giving him CPR,” Mr Dixon said.</p> <p>“She had to shoot him, because he just kept coming,” Mr Dixon said. “He had a knife and he wasn’t going to stop.</p> <p>“He was advancing at her and he was running, coming to get someone else,” Mr Dixon said.</p> <p>“She shot him once in the heart or the chest,” he said. “I’m glad she got him, because if she didn’t he would have stabbed her too.”</p> <p>Inspector Scott will be formally interviewed by police later this week as part of the major investigation into the stabbing. </p> <p><em>Image credits: news.com.au / X (Twitter)</em></p> <div class="media image side-by-side" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 24px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; width: 1209.375px; max-width: 100%; font-family: Charter, Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px;"> </div>

Caring

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Santas needed! Surprising Christmas shortage spells job openings for Aussie grandads

<p>A nationwide Santa shortage has many shopping centres hoping for a Christmas miracle, before festive families line up in droves for a snap with Father Christmas. </p> <p>According to talent agency <a href="https://scenetobelieve.com.au/santa-jobs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Scene to Believe</a>, who are responsible for hiring Santas in over 180 around Australia, there are not have enough applicants for Santa roles this December. </p> <p>The agency's head Christmas recruiter, Viviana Diaz, told <a href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/careers/santa-jobs-go-unfilled-despite-fall-in-aussie-job-ads/news-story/de7f3c5b6d95c6f78f9718d1bb60a099" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>news.com.au</em></a> that the seasonal shortfall was nationwide, but the situation was more pronounced in Sydney.</p> <p>The company said issue has been growing over the last three years, with the problem believed to have stemmed from the Covid pandemic. </p> <p>Ms Diaz said that contrary to popular belief, Santas can come in all shapes, sizes and ages, and that women are also eligible to apply. </p> <p>“Sometimes they think they have to look like Santa,” Ms Diaz said.</p> <p>“But we provide a full Santa suit and they don’t have to have a real beard.”</p> <p>Previous experience is also not required, as Scene to Believe runs a dedicated Santa School where new incoming Santas can learn tips from experienced Santas.</p> <p>The company states that Santas “need to be jolly, have a great HOHOHO and enjoy working with children”, while a genuine love of the festive season, patience and compassion, and good communication skills.</p> <p> A current Working with Children Check and Police Check, or willingness to get these, are also important.</p> <p>Ms Diaz added, “Being a shopping centre Santa is a perfect job for Aussies looking to help their hip pocket come Christmas time, with flexible working arrangements and casual rates.”</p> <p>Experienced Santa Tony Hooper said it’s “perfect for older Australians wanting to dip their toe back into the workforce”. </p> <p>“Being a Santa is by far the best work I’ve ever done. It’s flexible, I work when I want and I spend my days talking to young families and getting in the festive spirit.”</p> <p>“It’s also a great way to earn extra cash right before Christmas, which is when I need it most. And the best part is, I can still receive my pension!” </p> <p>Ms Diaz said failing to fill its Santa positions was not an option, and they would do everything in their power to have a flock of Santas ready to spread Christmas cheer on December 1st.</p> <p>“We have to find a lot of people because Santa has to be there. We will perform a Christmas miracle!”</p> <div> </div> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Retirement Income

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The ‘yes’ Voice campaign is far outspending ‘no’ in online advertising, but is the message getting through?

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/andrea-carson-924">Andrea Carson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/la-trobe-university-842">La Trobe University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/max-gromping-1466451">Max Grömping</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rebecca-strating-129115">Rebecca Strating</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/la-trobe-university-842">La Trobe University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/simon-jackman-310245">Simon Jackman</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a></em></p> <p>With early voting set to open next week for the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum, this is a critical time for campaigners to win over voters.</p> <p>If the <a href="https://press-files.anu.edu.au/downloads/press/n11054/pdf/ch01.pdf">2022 federal election</a> is anything to go by, Australians have developed a taste for early voting, with fewer than half of all voters actually going to a polling station on election day.</p> <p>If the same voting patterns apply to the referendum, this means more than half of Australians, particularly <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/government-and-opposition/article/correlates-of-early-voting/49D19E94A1D26F9AFE1B72DCB56AFF3F">older voters</a>, may have cast a vote before voting day on October 14.</p> <h2>What’s happening in the polls?</h2> <p>Public polls indicate support for the “yes” campaign continues to decline, despite, as we’ve shown below, huge spending on advertising and extensive media coverage of its message.</p> <p>According to <a href="https://simonjackman.github.io/poll_averaging_voice_2023/poll_averaging.html">Professor Simon Jackman’s</a> averaging of the polls, “no” currently leads “yes” by 58% to 42% nationally. If this lead holds, the result would be <a href="https://www.aec.gov.au/elections/referendums/1999_referendum_reports_statistics/1999.htm">even more lopsided</a> than the 1999 republic referendum defeat, where the <a href="https://www.aec.gov.au/elections/referendums/1999_referendum_reports_statistics/summary_republic.htm">nationwide vote </a> was 55% “no” to 45% “yes”.</p> <p>The rate of decline in support for “yes” continues to be about 0.75 of a percentage point a week. If this trend continues, the “yes” vote would sit at 39.6% on October 14, 5.5 percentage points below the “yes” vote in the republic referendum.</p> <p>If “yes” were to prevail on October 14, it would take a colossal reversal in public sentiment, or it would indicate there’s been a stupendously large, collective polling error. Or perhaps both.</p> <hr /> <p><iframe style="width: 100%;" src="https://simonjackman.github.io/poll_averaging_voice_2023/level_plot_standalone.html" width="100%" height="688"> </iframe></p> <hr /> <h2>What’s happening in the news and social media?</h2> <p>Using Meltwater data, we have seen a massive spike in Voice media coverage since Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the referendum date at the end of August.</p> <p>In the most recent week we analysed, from September 14-21, we saw a huge jump of mentions of the Voice to Parliament (2.86 million) in print media, radio, TV and social media. This compares to about a quarter million mentions in the first week of the “yes” and “no” campaigns, which we documented in our <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-no-campaign-is-dominating-the-messaging-on-the-voice-referendum-on-tiktok-heres-why-212465">last report</a> of this series monitoring both campaigns.</p> <p>Voice coverage now constitutes 6.7% of all Australian media reporting, up from 4.2% in week one. To put that in perspective, mentions of Hugh Jackman’s marriage split from Deborra-Lee Furness comprised 1.5% of total weekly coverage, while mentions of the AFL and NRL amounted to 4.1% and 1.7%, respectively.</p> <p>Media coverage of the Voice peaked on September 17 with 38,000 mentions, thanks to widespread coverage of the “yes” rallies that day around the country.</p> <p>This was followed closely by 35,000 Voice mentions the next day, led by Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s <a href="https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/voice-to-parliament/voice-will-see-lawyers-in-sydney-and-melbourne-get-richer-dutton/video/40349a54a9f0c2f48baec7ba7263a000">claim</a> on Sky News that a Voice to parliament would see lawyers in Sydney and Melbourne “get richer” through billions of dollars worth of treaty negotiations.</p> <p>Our analysis of X (formerly Twitter) data provides further insight to these trends, showing the nationwide “yes” rallies on September 17 received the most public engagement about the Voice during the week we analysed.</p> <hr /> <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549754/original/file-20230922-21-tp54x2.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549754/original/file-20230922-21-tp54x2.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=269&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549754/original/file-20230922-21-tp54x2.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=269&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549754/original/file-20230922-21-tp54x2.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=269&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549754/original/file-20230922-21-tp54x2.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=338&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549754/original/file-20230922-21-tp54x2.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=338&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549754/original/file-20230922-21-tp54x2.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=338&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption><span class="caption">X (Twitter) data accessed via Meltwater.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Author provided</span></span></figcaption></figure> <hr /> <h2>Who is advertising online?</h2> <p>This week, we specifically turned our attention to the online advertising spending of the campaigns. We also examined the types of disinformation campaigns appearing on social media, some of which are aimed at the Australian Electoral Commission, similar to the anti-democratic disinformation campaigns that have roiled the US.</p> <p>The main online advertising spend is on Meta’s Facebook and Instagram platforms. We have real-time visibility of this spending thanks to the ad libraries of Meta and Google.</p> <p>The Yes23 campaign has far outspent any other Voice campaigner on these platforms. In the last three months, its advertising expenditure exceeds $1.1 million, compared to just under $100,000 for Fair Australia, the leading “no” campaign organisation.</p> <hr /> <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549942/original/file-20230925-23-7tl134.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549942/original/file-20230925-23-7tl134.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=241&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549942/original/file-20230925-23-7tl134.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=241&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549942/original/file-20230925-23-7tl134.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=241&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549942/original/file-20230925-23-7tl134.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=303&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549942/original/file-20230925-23-7tl134.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=303&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549942/original/file-20230925-23-7tl134.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=303&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Top five Voice campaign spenders on Facebook and Instagram since June 2023.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Meta ad library</span></span></figcaption></figure> <hr /> <p>Yes23 has also released a far greater number of new ads in September (in excess of 3,200) on both platforms, compared to Fair Australia’s 52 new ads. The top five spenders from both sides are listed below.</p> <p>As early voting nears, this graph shows Yes23 ad spending outpaced Fair Australia on both Google and Meta platforms in week three, as well.</p> <hr /> <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549762/original/file-20230922-23-1bi7ov.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549762/original/file-20230922-23-1bi7ov.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=484&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549762/original/file-20230922-23-1bi7ov.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=484&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549762/original/file-20230922-23-1bi7ov.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=484&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549762/original/file-20230922-23-1bi7ov.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=608&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549762/original/file-20230922-23-1bi7ov.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=608&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549762/original/file-20230922-23-1bi7ov.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=608&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Campaign ad spending on digital platforms from Sept. 14-21.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Authors provided.</span></span></figcaption></figure> <hr /> <p>The advertising spending data shows how drastically different the strategies of the two main campaigns are. Yes23’s approach is an ad blitz, blanketing the nation with hundreds of ads and experimenting with scores of different messages.</p> <p>In contrast, the “no” side has released far fewer ads with no experimentation. The central message is about “division”, mostly delivered by the lead “no” campaigner, Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price. All but eight of the ads released by the “no” side in September feature a personal message by Price arguing that the referendum is “divisive” and “the Voice threatens Aussie unity.”</p> <p>To win, “yes” requires a majority of voters nationwide, as well as a majority of voters in a majority of states. The “no” side is strategically targeting its ads to the two states it believes are most likely in play – South Australia and Tasmania. It only needs to win one of these states to ensure the “yes” side fails.</p> <hr /> <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549949/original/file-20230925-20-zgr4wg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549949/original/file-20230925-20-zgr4wg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=797&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549949/original/file-20230925-20-zgr4wg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=797&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549949/original/file-20230925-20-zgr4wg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=797&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549949/original/file-20230925-20-zgr4wg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1001&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549949/original/file-20230925-20-zgr4wg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1001&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549949/original/file-20230925-20-zgr4wg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1001&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Campaign ad spend on Meta platforms across the states since mid-August. (Dark blue = greater the ad spend).</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Author provided</span></span></figcaption></figure> <hr /> <h2>Referendum disinformation</h2> <p>The Meltwater data also reveal a surge in misinformation and disinformation targeting of the AEC with American-style attacks on the voting process.</p> <p>Studies show disinformation surrounding the referendum has been <a href="https://osf.io/qu2fb/">prevalent</a> on X since at least March. To mitigate the harms, the AEC has established a <a href="https://www.aec.gov.au/media/disinformation-register-ref.htm">disinformation register</a> to inform citizens about the referendum process and call out falsehoods.</p> <p>We’ve identified three types of disinformation campaigns in the campaign so far.</p> <p>The first includes attempts to redefine the issue agenda. Examples range from the false <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-08-02/fact-check-indigenous-australians-support-for-the-voice/102673042">claims</a> that First Nations people do not overwhelmingly support the Voice to <a href="https://stephenreason.substack.com/p/the-voice-to-parliament-the-united">conspiracy myths</a> about the Voice being a globalist land grab.</p> <p>These falsehoods aim to influence vote choice. This disinformation type is not covered in the AEC’s register, as the organisation has no provisions to enforce truth in political advertising.</p> <p>The register does cover a second type of disinformation. This includes spurious claims about the voting process, such as that the referendum is voluntary. This false claim aims to depress voter turnout in yet another attempt to influence the outcome.</p> <p>Finally, a distinct set of messages targets the AEC directly. The aim is to undermine trust in the integrity of the vote.</p> <p>A most prominent example was Dutton’s <a href="https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/voice-voting-rules-confusion-stinks-dutton-20230824-p5dz41">suggestion</a> the voting process was “rigged” due to the established rule of counting a tick on the ballot as a vote for “yes”, while a cross will not be accepted as a formal vote for “no”. Sky News host Andrew Bolt <a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1256952825005993">echoed</a> this claim in his podcast, which was repeated on social media, reaching 29,800 viewers in one post.</p> <p>Attention to the tick/cross issue spiked on August 25 when the AEC <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/25/indigenous-voice-to-parliament-referendum-aec-poll-unfairness-claims-rejected">refuted</a> the claim (as can be seen in the chart below). Daily Telegraph columnist and climate change denialist Maurice Newman then linked the issue to potential <a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/maurice-newman-aec-rules-on-voting-could-create-confusion-uncertainty/news-story/c76bc3e1e031c2f349710dd1e9f3b51e?btr=15aad1c65d873d8f896d09618a96e228">voter fraud</a>, mimicking US-style attacks on the integrity of voting systems.</p> <hr /> <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549852/original/file-20230924-23-ob3ltn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549852/original/file-20230924-23-ob3ltn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=267&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549852/original/file-20230924-23-ob3ltn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=267&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549852/original/file-20230924-23-ob3ltn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=267&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549852/original/file-20230924-23-ob3ltn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=336&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549852/original/file-20230924-23-ob3ltn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=336&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549852/original/file-20230924-23-ob3ltn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=336&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Disinformation attacking AEC or referendum over past month.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Authors provided</span></span></figcaption></figure> <hr /> <p>The volume of mentions of obvious disinformation on media and social media may not be high compared to other mentions of the Voice. However, studies show disinformation disproportionately grabs people’s attention due to the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-019-0224-y">cognitive attraction</a> of pervasive negativity, the focus on threats or arousal of disgust.</p> <p>All three types of disinformation campaigns attacking this referendum should concern us deeply because they <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00104140231193008">threaten trust</a> in our political institutions, which undermines our vibrant democracy.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><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/213749/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/andrea-carson-924"><em>Andrea Carson</em></a><em>, Professor of Political Communication, Department of Politics, Media and Philosophy, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/la-trobe-university-842">La Trobe University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/max-gromping-1466451">Max Grömping</a>, Senior Lecturer, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rebecca-strating-129115">Rebecca Strating</a>, Director, La Trobe Asia and Associate Professor, La Trobe University, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/la-trobe-university-842">La Trobe University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/simon-jackman-310245">Simon Jackman</a>, Professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>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/the-yes-voice-campaign-is-far-outspending-no-in-online-advertising-but-is-the-message-getting-through-213749">original article</a>.</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Film stars’ surprising jobs before they were famous

<p>Today, they’re Oscar-winners and household names, but before they were famous, these actors were just like us. From restaurant servers to professional jugglers, we take a look at the surprising jobs Hollywood’s most well-known names had before they hit the big time.</p> <ol> <li><strong>Whoopi Goldberg</strong> – Goldberg has had a couple of unexpected professions (including as a bricklayer), but perhaps her most bizarre was her stint as a morgue beautician – yep, she used to doll-up corpses for funerals!</li> <li><strong>Hugh Jackman</strong> – Before he was Wolverine, the beloved Aussie actor was known as “Mr. Jackman” – he was a P.E. teacher at Uppingham School while living in the UK during his post-high school gap year. Jackman also worked as a clown for hire at birthday parties!</li> <li><strong>Johnny Depp</strong> – Prior to becoming a screen star, Depp was a salesman of sorts! The actor sold personalised pens over the phone to “people who don't want you to call them.”</li> <li><strong>Rachel McAdams</strong> – <em>The Notebook</em> star, like many young people, got her start at Maccas. In fact, she worked at the fast food joint for three years, but told <a href="http://www.glamour.com/story/rachel-mcadams-glamour-magazine-cover-interview-ok-we-love-this-girl" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em><strong>Glamour</strong></em></a> she “was not a great employee” but that it was “a great place to work”.</li> <li><strong>Helen Mirren</strong> – She may have played the Queen, but Mirren’s first job wasn’t exactly the most royal role in the world. As a child, she worked as a promoter for the Kursaal amusement park in the UK.</li> <li><strong>Harrison Ford</strong> – Before saving the world as Indiana Jones, Ford was just a regular tradie. Before hitting the big time, the actor was a carpenter. In fact, he was renowned as one of Los Angeles’ best cabinetmakers.</li> <li><strong>Jim Carrey</strong> – The Hollywood funnyman worked as a cleaner in a factory before finding fame as a comedic actor. He took up the janitorial job after quitting school at 15 to help provide for his financially struggling family.</li> <li><strong>George Clooney</strong> – Heartthrob Clooney had many jobs before becoming a successful actor, including as a door-to-door insurance salesman, tobacco cutter and ladies shoe store sales assistant.</li> <li><strong>Nicole Kidman</strong> – She’s one of Australia’s most well-known exports, but prior to breaking into the film industry, Kidman worked as a masseuse! She took up the job at 17 to support her mother, who had been diagnoses with breast cancer.</li> <li><strong>Christopher Walken</strong> – The acclaimed actor’s career almost went in a very different direction, after he took up the position of lion tamer in a travelling circus. “I used to go in and have this lion do tricks,” he told <em><a href="http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2012/09/christopher-walken-seven-psychopaths-interview" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Vanity Fair</strong></a></em>. “It was a female named Sheba, and she was very sweet.”</li> </ol> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Movies

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"I did it”: 59-year-old grandma finally scores dream Qantas job

<p>A 59-year-old grandmother has gotten her big gig with Qantas after dreaming of being a flight attendant for about 40 years.</p> <p>Jackie Cookson is one of the airline’s latest recruits, having graduated on May 29, with her first flight scheduled for June 3.</p> <p>Cookson can now add flight attendant to her versatile resume, with her previously working as a travel agent, a receptionist on an oncology ward and a newspaper sales rep.</p> <p>The 59-year-old, who calls herself “crazy nana” has shared her journey on TikTok since her first interview with Qantas, through all the assessments and training and to her upcoming graduation.</p> <p>In January 2023, she posted her first video ahead of her first in-person interview with Qantas, which attracted more than half a million views, saying people might think she was crazy to apply given her age, but she was finally following her dreams.</p> <p>The grandmother-of-two revealed she had an interview at another airline when she was 20 years old but never went as she ended up getting married.</p> <p>“In my eyes then if you were married you couldn’t be cabin crew. How bloody stupid was that,” she said.</p> <p>She got the job and relocated from Perth to Sydney for her training.</p> <p>“Crazy nana is going to be a cabin crew, watch out!” she told her followers.</p> <p>Four months on saw Cookson standing proudly in her Qantas uniform, with her certificate in hand.</p> <p>“Can you believe it? Crazy nana’s gone and bloody done it, hasn’t she? I’ve passed, today I’ve graduated. I did it,” an elated Cookson said.</p> <p>“If I can do it, anyone else can do it. Follow your dreams. Don’t give up. Don’t be thinking ‘I’m too old’ or this or that. Look at me, I’ve got my wings.”</p> <p>Cookson, who is originally from England but has been living in Australia for about 30 years, told <em>news.com.au </em>that the older she got, the more she thought she may have missed her chance.</p> <p>“After Covid I took a year off and travelled the world, went back to see my 91-year-old dad in Yorkshire, and I applied while I was on holiday,” she said.</p> <p>“I haven’t studied for a long time, so it’s definitely been a challenge, but I put everything I’ve got into it and I’m thrilled to have gotten my wings.</p> <p>“I fly on my first flight to LA on Saturday. I’m nervous, like any first day on the job, but I know I’ll settle into it, but I’m mostly just really excited. I love people and I’m looking forward to working with our customers.”</p> <p><em>Image credit: TikTok</em></p>

International Travel

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The soundtrack to selling: why advertising with popular music needs to be pitch perfect

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/morteza-abolhasani-1346513">Morteza Abolhasani</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-open-university-748">The Open University</a></em></p> <p>At some point today, it’s likely that you’ll listen to music. It may be during a commute or school run, while you do some exercise or take some time to relax. Music is all around us – an accessible and popular art form which <a href="https://online.ucpress.edu/mp/article-abstract/22/1/41/62190/Uses-of-Music-in-Everyday-Life?redirectedFrom=fulltext">accompanies our daily lives</a>.</p> <p>Advertisers have long understood the popularity and emotional power of music and used it to sell us things. Much time – and money – is spent on securing the right soundtrack to adverts in a bid to boost sales, such as when Microsoft <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/1999-05-23/sing-a-song-of-selling?leadSource=uverify%20wall">spent a reported US$3 million</a> (£2.4 million) to use The Rolling Stones’ song Start Me Up as part of their advertising campaign for Windows 95.</p> <p>So how do companies choose the right music for their product? And why is it such a valuable ingredient in the mission to make us consume?</p> <p>Research suggests that the specific qualities of music as an art form enhances the science of selling. As one researcher <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/mar.4220010303">puts it</a>: “Music […] is the catalyst of advertising. It augments pictures and colours words, and often adds a form of energy available through no other source.”</p> <p>Other <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-531-18916-1_19">studies have shown</a> how music transports, underlines or amplifies the persuasive message of adverts. Used well, it creates memorable commercials which influence our attitudes to a product or service.</p> <p>Take the visually simple but <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6bGnSEwdKY">compelling advert</a> for Air France, with the soundtrack of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23. It projects grandeur and elegance, in the hope that viewers will associate those qualities with the airline.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/J6bGnSEwdKY?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p><a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1470593117692021">My research</a>, which looked at hundreds of viewer comments about the music used in advertising, suggests it was successful. Air France’s use of a sophisticated piece of classical music created a direct perception of a sophisticated and premium airline.</p> <p>This is supported by other <a href="https://academic.oup.com/edited-volume/38632/chapter-abstract/335307151?redirectedFrom=fulltext">research</a> which suggests that music which matches the main message of an advert has a positive effect on consumer engagement. This alignment, known as “musical congruity”, can result in enhanced attention, a positive emotional response, and improved brand recall, ultimately enhancing the effectiveness of an advert.</p> <h2>Down memory lane</h2> <p>Music is also effective at triggering <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1470593114521451?journalCode=mtqa">feelings of nostalgia</a>. The extent to which music arouses emotional memories – “musical indexicality” – in adverts creates associations with consumers’ past experiences.</p> <p>The music for <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NwBcCUh24I">an advert</a> for Old Navy inspired <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1470593117692021">positive comments</a> based on viewers’ memories. A good choice of music allows businesses to tap into this nostalgia for commercial benefit, and my <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1470593117692021">research suggests</a> that music with autobiographical resonance can be particularly effective.</p> <p>Another example of this is when <a href="https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=pink+moon+vw">Volkswagen used</a> Nick Drake’s <em>Pink Moon</em>.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_-kqUkZnDcM?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>As one viewer commented: “Rarely do I get sentimental with commercials, but this one takes me back to the time when I was dating my wife and when we were first married. We used to take drives like this in the mountains and I remember looking at her beautiful face in the moonlight. The music is perfect. The sentiment is perfect.”</p> <p>(In this case, the 1999 advert also had a big impact on Nick Drake’s popularity, with album sales <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/nick-drake-pink-moon-song-volkwagen-commercial-182739/">dramatically increasing</a> after the advert’s release. Drake, who died at the age of 26, never saw commercial success in his lifetime.)</p> <h2>Commercial clash</h2> <p>But using music to advertise products doesn’t always work. For one thing, music can infiltrate the mind, repeat itself continuously and become extremely difficult to dislodge.</p> <p>This is why we can’t get some jingles out of our heads for ages. Involuntary and repetitive exposure to a piece of music can quickly reach the point of annoyance.</p> <p>The use of popular music in advertising can also provoke arguments around <a href="https://journals.library.columbia.edu/index.php/currentmusicology/article/view/5206">the tensions</a> between artistic endeavour and commercialism. Some people believe a work of art should not be used for the pursuit of profit.</p> <p>In fact, the findings of my study on viewer comments showed that consumers sometimes passionately oppose the use of music by revered musicians being used in adverts, as they believe that doing this undermines its aesthetic integrity.</p> <p>For example, Nike’s use of the The Beatles’ song <em>Revolution</em> was seen by some as exploiting John Lennon’s lyrics to sell shoes. It made some Nike wearers so angry that they boycotted the brand.</p> <p>One wrote: “This is disgusting. Shame on Nike for exploiting priceless art. I will never buy another Nike shoe again.” Another said: “John didn’t mean change the brand of your trainers!”</p> <p>So advertisers need to be careful. For while the right choice of music can attract customers, boost sales, and inspire brand loyalty, the wrong choice can create something of a backlash. For many people, music is precious, and using it as a marketing tool does not always have harmonious results.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><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/203856/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/morteza-abolhasani-1346513">Morteza Abolhasani</a>, Lecturer in Marketing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-open-university-748">The Open University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>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/the-soundtrack-to-selling-why-advertising-with-popular-music-needs-to-be-pitch-perfect-203856">original article</a>.</em></p>

Music

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"The world's best job": Kochie quits Sunrise

<p>After 20 years on the air, Kochie has quit <em>Sunrise</em>. </p> <p>The veteran TV personality shocked viewers as he shared the news of his retirement live on Monday morning's show, getting teary-eyed as he shared why he is "hanging up the boots". </p> <p>“Before we move on, just a bit of news for me,” the 67-year-old began.</p> <p>“I have decided to hang up the boots as co-host of <em>Sunrise</em>. After nearly 21 years and over 5300 shows...” he stopped, holding back tears as his co-host Nar Barr got emotional. “Nat, stop it.”</p> <p>He continued, “...And 16,000 hours of live TV, it is now time to work in business hours and have a bit of flexibility to focus more on our big family and the family business. And frankly, my football club as well."</p> <p>“So after 20 consecutive premierships in the breakfast TV ratings game, I’m frankly finding it harder to get off the ground to take those marks and I think it’s time to bring to the next generation.”</p> <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/CszbLuggdKU/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;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/CszbLuggdKU/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Sunrise (@sunriseon7)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Kochie went on to say he started at the Channel Seven breakfast show "before Facebook, before Instagram, Twitter and iPhones... Yes, that's how old I am."</p> <p>“I have loved every single minute of my time at <em>Sunrise</em>, and I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved over the last 21 years."</p> <p>“I’ve been privileged to experience so many adventures, to meet so many incredible people and to cover so many moments of history in the making. It really is the world’s best job.”</p> <p>Co-host Nat Barr stepped in to say, "The show would not be what it is today without you. It's been an amazing ride and we're going to celebrate that in the next two weeks."</p> <p>Kochie will step away from the <em>Sunrise</em> desk in two weeks time, saying he would miss working with the entire Sunrise team, but gave special shoutouts to co-hosts Natalie Barr and Mark Beretta and producer Dave Walters. </p> <p>"I reckon I've spent more time with them than my family and it has been an utter joy. I'll miss the Sunrise viewers who have energised me every single day."</p> <p>"Sunrise has always been bigger than just one person, and now seems the right time to exit stage left. Thank you for having me."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Sunrise </em></p>

News

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"Get a job": Ben Fordham slammed over interview with welfare recipient

<p>Ben Fordham has come under fire for a patronising interview with a welfare recipient, in which he tried to get the man, who is unable to work, a job live on air. </p> <p>On Wednesday morning, the 2GB radio host spoke with Jez Heywood, who is president of the Australian Unemployed Workers’ Union, and has been out of work since 2017 due to several health conditions. </p> <p>Mr Heywood had recently spoken to <em>The Australian</em>, sharing his frustration about the $20-a-week increase to Jobseeker, saying he was “angry” and “annoyed” at the federal government, describing the $2.85-a-day increase as “absolutely nothing”.</p> <p>Mr Heywood's commentary on the Jobseeker budget increase caught the attention of 2GB, who invited him to speak to Fordham, saying he “wanted to see whether we can find Jez a job”.</p> <p>Fordham asked Heywood if he was looking for work, to which Heywood shared that he is looking for work, but it is hard to find a job that would be suitable given his physical and mental health barriers. </p> <p>In response, Fordham told Heywood that "there are 54,000 jobs available right now in Melbourne".</p> <p>"That’s on the Workforce Australia website. So none of those 54,000 jobs are suitable to you or you’ve applied for them and they’re just not giving you the nod?"</p> <p>Heywood said he is applying for jobs that are "suitable" for his conditions, and is hearing nothing back from prospective employers. </p> <p>Fordham said a job would seemingly fix everything for Heywood, saying, "I reckon we can help your mental health if we get you into a job."</p> <p>Heywood seemingly appreciated the help, but also said it is important for him to consider what he is able to achieve in a job given his limitations. </p> <p>The tense exchange between Fordham and Heywood continued, as Heywood voiced his concerns and limitations with working, as Fordham seemed to dismiss his worries and said everything would be fine if he simply returned to work as a graphic designer. </p> <p>After the call, Heywood took aim at Fordham on social media, slamming the host as a “coward and a bully who’s been taking potshots at welfare recipients from the safety of his cosy radio studio for years”.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">You're a dog Ben Fordham</p> <p>— Vulgar Boatman (@satisjacktion) <a href="https://twitter.com/satisjacktion/status/1658691768706269184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">I’ve never met a dole bludger. </p> <p>I *have* met plenty of people with unresolved trauma and mental and physical illnesses (often not-yet-diagnosed), who probably LOOK like bludgers, through a telephoto lens. </p> <p>People who are doing okay WANT to be busy and to work.</p> <p>— Catherine Caine (@CatherineCaine) <a href="https://twitter.com/CatherineCaine/status/1658665436916101120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>He stood by his opinion that the Jobseeker payment should be at least $88 a day to keep recipients above the poverty line, and condemned Fordham for “calling me a dole bludger on national radio”.</p> <p>Fordham doubled down on his condescending treatment of Mr Heywood, saying, "I just want to find you a job, Jez."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images / Twitter</em></p>

Money & Banking

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"Most beloved, gorgeous cat in Australia" seeking full-time carer

<p dir="ltr">A Sydney family are seeking the paw-fect candidate to take on the role of cat-sitter for their feline friend, and if their job listing is anything to go by, they’re taking their search quite seriously. </p> <p dir="ltr">The ad, <a href="https://www.seek.com.au/job/67162902?fbclid=IwAR1pARYiDV_TaFy4kqCqf7yFpLNUQupF-Pz9sgAl56Q7JVwx0wX_sg_0_a4">posted to Seek</a>, calls for a “Pet Nanny for an amazing cat” in one of the city’s most affluent Eastern Suburbs. The wording of the job description is familiar enough for anyone who’d nannied in their past, with just the minor catch that their ward would have four legs this time around - and may have them chasing their tail. </p> <p dir="ltr">This “once in a lifetime” opportunity requests serious applicants only for the live-in and full-time position. A room and “all facilities” would be provided, all within a house described as both “wonderful and beautiful”, but for anyone hoping to bring their own pet along with them, this probably isn’t the job for them.</p> <p dir="ltr">The family are firm on candidates having prior experience with cats - the more, the better - and won’t so much as consider an application from someone who’s coming to them without. </p> <p dir="ltr">It makes sense when considering the duties of the position, which range from basic full-time care - with the likes of feeding, playing, and cleaning - to daily health checks, and perhaps most importantly to the cat, constant attention.</p> <p dir="ltr">Professional experience isn’t a must, with the family willing to consider pet owners for the exclusive gig - as long as you have “experience caring for cats” behind you, you’re in with a shot. </p> <p dir="ltr">It should go without saying that a “passion for cats and a deep understanding of their needs” is a must, so self-proclaimed animal lovers may find themselves a step ahead of the pack.</p> <p dir="ltr">The position is full-time, and a schedule will be supplied with rostered days off included. However, the usual catch applies, and hopeful applicants must be willing to work across weekends and holidays.</p> <p dir="ltr">The nitty gritty comes in the form of a valid WWCC (Working with Children Check), a first aid certificate, and police clearance, as well as unrestricted working rights in Australia, and “relevant VISA requirements”. </p> <p dir="ltr">And the listing concludes with another reminder that applicants “MUST have prior experience with animals”, because as any pet owner knows, animals are unique little friends, and it’s always best to know what you’re getting yourself into. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Maccas aren’t lovin’ the over 60s

<p dir="ltr">A McDonald’s in Auckland Central has landed itself in hot water after posting a job ad that wanted nothing to do with the over 60 workforce. </p> <p dir="ltr">The post, shared to the establishment’s Facebook page and since removed, sought new staff to cover the 10pm to 6am ‘graveyard’ shift. The usual benefits and various position criteria were listed, but it was one line at the bottom that caught the attention - and ire - of the masses.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Any age from 16 to 60,” the listing read.</p> <p dir="ltr">Feedback came fast and furious, with many outraged by the blatant ageism the fast food giant was peddling. And while McDonald’s tried to pass it off as the fault of a franchisee, the store’s manager instead said that their head office was at fault.</p> <p dir="ltr">Social media users were vocal about what they thought of the ad, and it wasn’t long before legal experts and union representatives got involved in the ongoing uproar - and even the big wigs over at McDonald’s. </p> <p dir="ltr">“We’ve been made aware that a job ad by one of our franchisees has created some debate on social media like Reddit, as it references an age range of 16-60,” company spokesperson Simon Kenny said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The reference in the copy was intended to illustrate that people of all ages are welcome. We’ve asked the franchisee to update the copy to avoid any potential confusion.”</p> <p dir="ltr">As Joe Carolan from New Zealand’s Unite Union told the <em>New Zealand Herald</em>, “contrary to the myth that most McDonald’s jobs are [ideal for] part-time students, improvements made by the union throughout the years have seen many workers stay in these jobs into their 50s. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Older workers bring experience, stability and maturity to a workplace and we call on McDonald's to end this discriminatory ageism.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Employment law expert Max Whitehead added that the pay - $22.80 per hour - combined with the age restrictions, were a “blatant” breach of the Human Rights Act. </p> <p dir="ltr">And for those who thought the line had just been an ill-advised marketing move, Whitehead noted “if it really is to get a catchy cliche going, it’s a stupid thing to do.” </p> <p dir="ltr">Whitehead’s fellow expert, Professor Bill Hodge, had more to say on the matter of ageism too, noting that The Human Rights Act actually bans discrimination against people over the age of 60, though he saw no issue with the teenage half of the equation. </p> <p dir="ltr">“We discriminate against people 14 or 15 all the time and it’s justifiable to say ‘no, you can’t drive a car, you can’t leave school’,” he said. “On the face of it I see no obvious requirement that would exclude people over 60.”</p> <p dir="ltr">As a spokesperson for the Humans Right Campaign informed the <em>New Zealand Herald</em>, The Human Rights Act 1993 had rendered it unlawful for people to be treated differently for their age during the employment process. </p> <p dir="ltr">“It is unlawful to discriminate against employees, job applicants, voluntary workers, people seeking work through an employment agency and contract workers because of age,” the spokesperson explained. “The only exception is where, for reasons of authenticity, being of a particular age is a genuine occupational qualification for the position or employment.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Shutterstock, Facebook</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Gym slammed as “fatphobic” over detail in advertisement

<p dir="ltr">A small detail in a gym’s advertising calling for models to promote their new apparel range has sparked outrage online for being “fatphobic” and lacking size inclusivity.</p> <p dir="ltr">The gym chain shared a notice online looking for female models between a size extra small and a small.</p> <p dir="ltr">Hundreds of people called out the gym for the “sickening” size requirement, saying it is unfair to gym-goers bigger than a size eight.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, some pointed out models of larger sizes could already be included or casters are trying to find people who fit in sample sizes. </p> <p dir="ltr">The gym has explained the post was a “miscommunication” and that they were looking for models of a specific size based on the clothing their suppliers provided.</p> <p dir="ltr">“How's this for size inclusivity?” one of the gym members wrote online alongside a screenshot of the advertisement.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We are looking for male and female eCommerce models to shoot our new apparel - Melbourne based,” the message from the gym read. </p> <p dir="ltr">It said they were after medium-sized male models and female models who fit an XS or S.</p> <p dir="ltr">The woman’s post reached hundreds of people, many sharing their outrage over the ad.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Yuck they actually put this on the internet," one woman wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I hate it here. How hard is it to just support inclusivity??” another added.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Because people still don't like us fat people, especially gyms,” a third replied. </p> <p dir="ltr">Many came to the gym’s defence and didn’t see any issue with the detail asking for smaller models.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I'm a chunky girl and honestly this isn't that serious or offensive. More important things to worry about!” one woman wrote. </p> <p dir="ltr">“It's really not that deep, they are probably modelling sample sizes,” a second added.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It's also a gym so they're gonna wanna be promoting 'fitter' people more than likely,” a third responded. </p> <p dir="ltr">Sample sizes refer to clothing sent out by brands and designers for press, modelling and PR purposes. </p> <p dir="ltr">They are typically made in small sizes supposedly to save money on fabric but have been slammed for not representing average body types.</p> <p dir="ltr">Those angered by the ad were not convinced by the defenders’ reasons, with one saying, “The fact there are so many 'what ifs!' Instead of just supporting body inclusivity is mind boggling to me.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“I'm gonna need a follow up when they post photos from their model call because the amount of people in here assuming they've already shot larger sizes are sweet, but most likely wrong,” a second added.</p> <p dir="ltr">After explaining it was a “miscommunication”, a spokesperson for the gym added that it did not intend to exclude anyone or insinuate negative stereotypes.</p> <p dir="ltr">They said they had only received clothing in extra small and small from suppliers despite requesting a range of sizes. </p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-973765ca-7fff-a9e2-91dd-ca3c86a8aa80"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credit: Instagram/Shutterstock</em></p>

Body

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“A letter that someone will never forget”: Charles’ $43,000 job offer

<p dir="ltr">Charles and Camilla have put out a call for help with their royal duties, searching for a passionate wordsmith to pen responses to the thousands of letters they receive each year. </p> <p dir="ltr">Their request comes in the form of a one-year contract <a href="https://theroyalhousehold.tal.net/vx/lang-en-GB/mobile-0/appcentre-1/brand-3/candidate/so/pm/1/pl/4/opp/2849-Assistant-Correspondence-Officer/en-GB">posted to the palace’s official website</a>, for an individual to “support the important work of The King and The Royal Family”. Coincidentally, the position advertises a start date of May 2023 - the same month in which King Charles III’s coronation will take place. </p> <p dir="ltr">The royals are offering a wage slightly above the United Kingdom’s minimum wage of 10.42 GBP (~19.45 AUD) per hour, with prospective writers looking at an hourly rate of 11.79 (~22.01) on top of the advertised “benefits”.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to the job listing, the ideal candidate is someone who dreams of “drafting a letter that someone will never forget” as part of a like minded team committed to supporting the royal family and engaging with the public. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Thousands of letters addressed to The Monarch and Royal Family are received every year,” the ad explains. “Working as part of the Correspondence team, your challenge will be to ensure that each one receives a timely and well composed response.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Every day you will respond to letters sent by the public regarding social, community and national matters, drafting bespoke responses to answer varying and often unique queries.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Reportedly, the letters sent in one year to the late Queen Elizabeth II amounted to around 70,000, so it’s no small surprise that the family have opted to call in reinforcements to make sure each one receives a thoughtfully crafted response. </p> <p dir="ltr">“It's working in a team with a shared and unique purpose,” the website notes, “engaging with the public whilst supporting The King's role. This is what makes working for The Royal Household so exceptional … Recording and monitoring all correspondence, you'll be proud of the number of letters you handle and this will drive you to deliver consistently high standards.</p> <p dir="ltr">“In this way, you will help to support the important work of The King and The Royal Family.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Unsurprisingly, the ad calls for someone who is confident in their ability to process large volumes of work according to strict deadlines, and who preferably has previous experience in administrative duties. “Excellent written and verbal communication skills” are, of course, a given. </p> <p dir="ltr">The listing hints at a digital sidekick, noting that applications should “have strong IT skills” that they can apply to “bespoke systems”, as well as a “keen eye for detail” to deliver their work quickly and accurately. </p> <p dir="ltr">Most of all, however, enjoyment in a team-based environment is crucial, while an interest in current affairs couldn’t hurt - especially in such a “truly unique environment”. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Carrie Bickmore’s “seven figure” job negotiation

<p dir="ltr">Carrie Bickmore could be heading into the South African jungle for her latest job.</p> <p dir="ltr">After finishing up on <em>The Project</em> in December 2022, the presenter is rumoured to be negotiating a hefty salary for a potential role on <em>I’m a Celebrity… Get Me out of Here!</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Carrie has been absent from any on-air roles since her departure from the panel show, and is using her friendly connections at Network Ten to secure the new deal.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 42-year-old is rumoured to have the full support of the show's co-host Dr Chris Brown, who is long-time friends with Bickmore and her producer ex-partner Chris Walker.</p> <p dir="ltr">Bickmore and Brown have allegedly been attending secret meetings with executives at Network Ten since the beginning of the year, with inside sources saying producers are willing to pay her “up to $1 million” for the gig, according to reports from <em><a href="https://www.newidea.com.au/carrie-bickmore-im-a-celeb" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New Idea</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It's been about three months of closed-door negotiations at Network Ten and while nothing has been locked in yet, TV executives are willing to wait until the very last minute if they have to,” an insider said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“They have thrown a lot of money at Carrie to get her on board,” they added.</p> <p dir="ltr">If Bickmore does secure the seven-figure payday, she will become the second highest-paid contestant to appear on the show, behind the late cricketer Shane Warne, who earned $2million for his stint in the jungle in 2016.</p> <p dir="ltr">Dr Chris has long been a public friend and supporter of Bickmore, sharing a heartfelt message after her final appearance on <em>The Project</em> last year.</p> <p dir="ltr">He wrote at the time, “Your time on<em> The Project</em> not only gave us all a masterclass in how to host with realness, humour, humanity…and a casual Qantas integration but it also gave me an amazing friend. Thank you. What a delight you are!”</p> <p dir="ltr">The newest season of <em>I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!</em> will premiere on Sunday April 2nd, with co-hosts Brown and Julia Morris at the helm.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Instagram</em></p>

TV

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Desperate measures: Shed advertised as three-bedroom rental

<p dir="ltr">As Australia’s housing crisis continues, prospective tenants have been left desperately searching for accommodation.</p> <p dir="ltr">Some homeowners have taken the chance to exploit the anguish of renters by listing their own version of “budget” accommodation to make a few bucks on the side.</p> <p dir="ltr">The latest makeshift housing solution comes from a landlord in Melbourne who has listed their garden shed a three-bedroom rental.</p> <p dir="ltr">The homeowner claims the shed boasts enough room for three bedrooms and a bathroom, while photos of the “property” show a singular room, adorned with astroturf.</p> <p dir="ltr">The listing, which is believed to have been shared on Facebook, was priced at $350 per month, with pictures showing one open-plan "room" with a large mattress shoved in one corner of the shed along with what appears to be a desk.</p> <p dir="ltr">The walls have no form of insulation and pieces of wood can be seen balancing in the rafters overhead.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Facebook listing was seen by an outraged man, who reposted the ad to a group which warns prospective renters about subpar rental properties.</p> <p dir="ltr">He said he was left "speechless" by the advertisement, which he described as "sweatshop style accommodation".</p> <p dir="ltr">"These sheds will be a sauna in summer, freezing in winter and attract all sorts of vermin. People will get severely sick. This should never, ever be an acceptable substitute for housing," he wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I feel like this has to be someone actually genuinely joking?" one person said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Disgusting, the nerve this person has," another raged.</p> <p dir="ltr">The listing comes amid unprecedented pressure on the Australian rental market, with record-low vacancy rates pushing prices sky-high.</p> <p dir="ltr">Tenants have little choice but to pay up, with the national vacancy rate at just 0.9 per cent.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p>

Money & Banking

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"I'm lovin' it": McDonald's face public outcry over unfortunately placed ad

<p>McDonald's has faced the wrath of angry locals in Cornwall, UK, after a poorly placed advertisement was called out for being "tasteless". </p> <p>The advertisement in question was for the fast food franchise's new McCrispy burger, which was placed in a prime position on the side of a bus stop. </p> <p>However, what the company didn't realise was that the sign right next to it pointed to Penmount Crematorium across the road, in an unfortunate yet humorous coincidence.</p> <p>Local media outlet <a href="https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/mcdonalds-remove-tasteless-sign-opposite-8133444" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>CornwallLive</em></a> was the first to report on the poorly placed ad, and asked local residents if they thought the sign should stay or go. </p> <p>"Fell off the chair laughing," one commenter who saw the picture online said.</p> <p>"I'm lovin' it," wrote another, in reference to the popular McDonald's slogan.</p> <p>"I only recently lost 2 loved ones &amp; to be honest if I'd seen that sign near the crematorium I would have smiled. I don't find it offensive at all," said another.</p> <p>"My parents are in this crematorium. My old man had a brilliant sense of humour, so I'm sure he would have chuckled at this!" another added.</p> <p>One concerned local said, "I think how funny it is will probably depend on how long ago you followed the crematorium sign wearing a black tie."</p> <p>One woman, who's mother-in-law was cremated at the crematorium, said, "Although I can see the funny side, it is tasteless and I'm sure some grieving family members won't like to see it when visiting Penmount for the funeral and cremation of a loved one."</p> <p>Cornwall Council, who are in charge of both the crematorium and the bus shelter, have yet to comment on the matter, while McDonald's are taking the concerns about the ad seriously. </p> <p>A spokesperson told <em>CornwallLive</em>, "We were unaware of the road sign in the vicinity of this bus stop. However, in light of the concerns raised by CornwallLive, we have asked for our advertisement to be removed."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Twitter</em></p>

Caring

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"We're offering plenty": Kiwis targeted for job no Aussies want

<p>A Perth mining company has resorted to looking for workers from New Zealand after Aussies have continued to turn down roles that offer up to an enticing $300,000 salary per year – and that's for roughly six months of work in any standard 12 months.</p> <p>As a result, Mineral Resources has launched a brand new advertising campaign, geared up to attract Kiwi tradies, guaranteeing “a great pay packet”.</p> <p>“We’re offering plenty,” Mineral Resources CEO Mike Grey told NZ programme AM.</p> <p>“The incentives are amazing, and I have no doubt that our salaries double [New Zealand salaries]; in some examples, they triple.”</p> <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/ClX7JZZv16i/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;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/ClX7JZZv16i/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Mineral Resources (@mineral_resources)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The mining business is on the hunt for new workers to fill a range of roles including: construction, mining, operations, unskilled labour and administration.</p> <p>The firm is also recruiting higher-paying roles such as mining engineers.</p> <p>One of the highest paying jobs on offer is for construction supervisors and superintendents who can earn up to $300,000 a year.</p> <p>Workers will be required to work on a fly-in, fly-out basis. They would be flying out of New Zealand to work the mines in Perth, with roughly half of the workforce only working for six months per year.</p> <p>It’s not the first time Australian mines have struggled to find workers for highly-paid roles. Earlier in 2022, mining services firm Thiess offered new staff members a $10,000 sign-on bonus and a $5000 bonus for a successful referral.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Clever Bunnings and Kmart scams to be wary of

<p dir="ltr">Aussies have once again become targets to scammers offering them a job at Bunnings or Kmart that pays extremely well. </p> <p dir="ltr">Scammers are taking to Facebook targetting desperate job seekers asking for their personal details via WhatsApp. </p> <p dir="ltr">The ad is offering $48 and $75 for part-time or full-time work and attempts to appeal to those who have no experience, same day pay, and the opportunity to complete training on the phone.</p> <p dir="ltr">Bunnings confirmed that they are aware of the scam and are working on taking it down, advising job seekers to be wary.</p> <p dir="ltr">“One of the latest scams is a Facebook post asking for your personal details via WhatsApp to apply for a job with us,’ the retailer said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Another one is an email with an offer to win a Bunnings gift card if you click a link. We place a lot of time and effort into recruiting our amazing team, and we’re in no way associated with this activity.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We also don’t ask for personal information or banking details in unsolicited communications.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Kmart also confirmed they are aware of the scam and are warning customers to not fall for it, instead to apply on the website.</p> <p dir="ltr">The ACCC’s Scamwatch explained that the ads are some of the easiest ways for scammers to steal money. </p> <p dir="ltr">“If you provide your bank account details, the scammer may use them to steal your money or commit other fraudulent activities,” their website reads.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Be suspicious of unsolicited ‘work from home’ opportunities or job offers, particularly those that offer a ‘guaranteed income’ or require you to pay an upfront fee.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Facebook</em></p>

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Viewers slam Kath and Kim for “false advertising”

<p dir="ltr">Viewers have been left disappointed with the reboot of <em>Kath and Kim</em> after months of promoting the return of the Aussie show. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Kath &amp; Kim: Our Effluent Life</em> aired on Channel 7 on November 20 with fans gearing up for the show’s exciting 20th anniversary. </p> <p dir="ltr">However, within minutes of the show airing, social media was flooded with messages of “disappointment” because only 10 minutes of new footage was aired. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Well this is disappointing. I thought it was a new episode #KathandKim,” someone wrote. </p> <p dir="ltr">“This episode is like watching the bonus content you get when you buy a special edition DVD from Sanity #kathandkim #oureffluentlife,” another commented.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Anyone else feeling cheated that we're not getting a whole new episode,” another wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 20th anniversary reboot, which showed never-before-seen bloopers and moments from the previous seasons, went on for 74 minutes.</p> <p dir="ltr">There were special appearances from Kylie Minogue, Michael Bublé, Adam Gilchrist, Ricky Ponting, Eric Bana, Mick Molloy, Tony Martin, Richard E Grant, Barry Humphries, and Julia Gillard.</p> <p dir="ltr">Channel 7 did make it clear however that the show will only include around 10 minutes of new footage.</p> <p dir="ltr">Avid fans defended the screening, pointing out that it was evident from the beginning that the 20th anniversary episode would not be something new. </p> <p dir="ltr">“The only people complaining about #kathandkim are the ones who chose not to read anything about it prior to tonight. It was never advertised as a new episode. It was always going to be a celebration of the show’s history,” someone pointed out. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I feel like I'm the only person in Australia who picked up this was going to be a greatest hits/behind the scenes special, not a brand new episode #kathandkim,” another wrote. </p> <p dir="ltr">“If you are one of the morons complaining about the #kathandkim retrospective, if you had half a brain you'd be dangerous. It was always promoted and advertised as a retrospective, it's not their problem you're dumb,” someone else commented.</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite all the anger, 786,000 Aussies tuned in to watch the show. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Channel 7</em></p>

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Mum's list of insane babysitter requirements sparks debate

<p>A man on TikTok has clapped back at a very strange babysitter's list of requirements, posted by a mother in a local bulletin.</p> <p>In a video shared to social media, Collins O aka @thatboycollins revealed the list and pointed out how extreme and unrealistic the requirements really are. *</p> <p>"Babysitter needed ASAP," the ad read. "I need someone to look after my four kids (aged two, three, five and seven) from noon to 6 pm Monday to Friday.”</p> <p>The prerequisites laid out by the mother require applicants to "be a great cook and avid cleaner", "be over 25-years-old" and have a minimum education of a "master's degree”.</p> <blockquote class="tiktok-embed" style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@thatboycollins/video/7154155085965495598" data-video-id="7154155085965495598"> <section><a title="@thatboycollins" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@thatboycollins?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@thatboycollins</a></p> <p>Why did Tiktok take this down..😂</p> <p><a title="♬ original sound - Collins O" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-7154155088645212971?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">♬ original sound - Collins O</a></section> </blockquote> <p>The requirements became more restrictive as the list went on, saying that applicants couldn't have "social media accounts", adding "I don't need my kids seeing that". It also stated "no drinking, no smoking, not even vaping!" and "no tattoos or piercings.”</p> <p>In order to get the job, applicants needed to have "five professional references" and stated that a "background check and drug test [would] be carried out."</p> <p>Collins was blown away by the audacity of the mum, and so were viewers. It was then revealed that the job only pays a shocking $200 per WEEK.</p> <p>At the bottom of the page, a sentence prompted applicants to contact 'Tammy' to apply for the job.</p> <p>"Tammy, with all due disrespect, go to hell," Collins joked. Amassing a huge 300,000 views, it seems the audience agreed with him too.</p> <p><em>Images: TikTok</em></p>

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