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Proposal to put bars on Gold Coast beaches sparks debate

<p>Plans to introduce permanent beach bars on the Gold Coast have sparked debate among locals. </p> <p>"Selling off public beach for commercial enterprise that then excludes people that can't go afford to go in there and have a drink," one resident told<em> Nine News</em>. </p> <p>The proposal came as Queensland seeks to boost its tourism industry in anticipation of the Olympic Games in 2032.</p> <p>"We have to keep reinventing ourselves as a tourism destination and we have 55 kilometres of oceanfront," acting Mayor Donna Gates said.</p> <p>A trial was conducted for at Kurrawa beach in 2022 and it drew mixed reactions. </p> <p>"Really disliked it," one resident said. </p> <p>"I would walk past each day and see all of this area that's shaded and beautiful for people to sit, to enjoy the beach, to watch the volleyball – all of it was blocked off."</p> <p>Gates has confirmed the bars could return to beaches as early as summer next year under another three-year trial, with a view to locking in a long-term lease agreement for six months each year. </p> <p>"There will be people who don't like beach bars but they can go to a different beach," the acting Mayor said. </p> <p>"There would only be one or two initially and I think we can cope with that."</p> <p><em>Images: Nine News</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Are common heartburn products putting your health at risk?

<p>Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) such as products like Nexium and Somac have long been the go-to treatment for reflux, indigestion, and other gastric acid-related conditions. </p> <p>However, the long-term use of PPIs has sparked growing concern over their safety, leading to class action lawsuits in the U.S. and now most recently, in Australia. A prominent legal firm in Australia is exploring a potential class action against makers of common heartburn drugs, for failing to disclose the long-term health risks associated with Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs). The lawsuit brings to light the potential side effects linked to prolonged PPI use including kidney disease, bone fractures, further gastric issues and cancer. </p> <p>Channel 9 news reported “Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca settled a US lawsuit late last year, paying $630 million to almost 19,000 patients who claimed two proton pump inhibitors – Nexium and Prilosec (marketed as Losec in Australia) – caused their chronic kidney disease.” (<a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/legal-firm-eyes-potential-class-action-over-common-heartburn-drugs-used-by-millions-of-aussies/95cbe77b-22f9-402d-ae46-132a52e53dd1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">see the full article here</a>)</p> <p>With millions of Australians relying on these medications for relief, growing awareness of these risks is prompting patients to explore safer alternatives to managing gastric health. </p> <p><strong>Safer Alternatives Available </strong></p> <p>Amid this shift, attention has turned to <a href="https://www.raydel.com.au/shop" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Raydel Abexol</a> 50mg, a gentler and safer alternative to supporting digestive and gastric health. Raydel Abexol contains the active ingredient of beeswax alcohols; clinically supported long chain alcohols that have been extracted and purified from bees wax. As a crucial distinction from PPIs, which suppress the body’s natural acid production and disrupt gastric processes, beeswax alcohols work through anti-inflammatory and antioxidant pathways, promoting the protection and repair of the stomach lining without interfering with gastric acid production.</p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2024/07/RAYDEL-Abexol2_1280.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="716" /></p> <p>Registered with the Therapeutic Goods Administration of Australia (TGA), Abexol is indicated to relieve symptoms of indigestion, heartburn and abdominal discomfort while also supporting overall improved gastrointestinal health.</p> <p>Additionally, Abexol also reinforces the gastric mucosa, helping to fortify the stomach lining against triggers such as stress and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). This protective effect supports the stomach’s resilience in the face of these irritants.</p> <p>As the conversation around PPI safety continues to grow, Raydel Abexol represents a promising solution for those seeking to support their gastric health without the risks associated with prolonged use of proton pump inhibitors. Beeswax alcohols present a solution that supports the stomach’s natural healing and protective processes without the risks tied to acid suppression.</p> <p>If you would like to experience the benefits of Abexol, Beeswax Alcohols, Raydel is offering 15% off to first time customers. </p> <p>To find out more, <a href="https://www.raydel.com.au/shop" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here</a> and use the code: OSABEXOL to redeem offer. Also available at select pharmacies</p> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Images: Supplied</em></p> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with Raydel.</em></p>

Caring

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More Australians are using their superannuation for medical procedures. But that might put their financial health at risk

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/neera-bhatia-15189">Neera Bhatia</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a></em></p> <p>A record number of Australians are accessing their superannuation early on compassionate grounds, mainly to fund their own medical procedures – or those of a family member.</p> <p>Some 150,000 Australians have used the scheme in the last five years. Nearly 40,000 people <a href="https://www.ato.gov.au/about-ato/research-and-statistics/in-detail/super-statistics/early-release/compassionate-release-of-super">had applications approved</a> in 2022-23, compared to just under 30,000 in 2018-19 – an increase of 47%.</p> <p>Some people think this flexible use of funds is a good way to ensure people can fund their own medical needs. But more transparency and better oversight is needed.</p> <h2>What are compassionate grounds?</h2> <p>Since July 2018, the Australian Tax Office has administered the early release of superannuation – meaning before <a href="https://www.ato.gov.au/individuals-and-families/super-for-individuals-and-families/super/withdrawing-and-using-your-super/super-withdrawal-options#Preservationage">retirement</a> – under certain circumstances, including compassionate grounds.</p> <p><a href="https://www.ato.gov.au/individuals-and-families/super-for-individuals-and-families/super/withdrawing-and-using-your-super/early-access-to-super/access-on-compassionate-grounds/expenses-eligible-for-release-on-compassionate-grounds">Compassionate grounds</a> for you or your dependant (such as child or spouse) are:</p> <ul> <li>medical treatment or transport</li> <li>modifying your home or vehicle to accommodate special needs for a severe disability</li> <li>palliative care for a terminal illness</li> <li>death, funeral or burial expenses</li> <li>preventing foreclosure or forced sale of your home.</li> </ul> <p>The medical treatment must be for a life-threatening illness or injury, or to alleviate acute or chronic pain, or acute or chronic mental illness.</p> <p>The treatment cannot be “readily available” through the public system. Cosmetic procedures are excluded.</p> <p>You also have to prove you cannot afford to pay part or all of the expenses without accessing your super, for example, by spending your savings, selling assets or getting a loan.</p> <p>People who can access other funding for the expense, such as via the <a href="https://theconversation.com/lists-of-eligible-supports-could-be-a-backwards-step-for-the-ndis-and-people-with-disability-236578">National Disability Insurance Scheme</a>, are ineligible.</p> <h2>Why are people using this scheme more?</h2> <p>The ATO has not explained what is driving the surge. General cost-of-living pressures may play a role. People may have fewer savings to draw on for medical procedures.</p> <p>But the treatments most commonly being accessed using superannuation – fertility treatments, weight loss surgeries and dental care – point to other systemic issues.</p> <p>There have long been issues with IVF and <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-isnt-dental-included-in-medicare-its-time-to-change-this-heres-how-239086#:%7E:text=The%20real%20reason%20dental%20hasn,has%20a%20structural%20budget%20problem.">dental care</a> not being readily available or funded in the public health system.</p> <p>Weight loss surgeries (including <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/bariatric-surgery/about/pac-20394258">bariatric surgery</a>) can help combat potentially life-threatening conditions such as heart disease. Recent <a href="https://www.monash.edu/news/articles/fewer-australians-having-bariatric-surgery-monash-university-led-report">research</a> suggests there has been an overall drop in the number of Australians having bariatric surgeries since 2016. But of those, 95% are performed through the private system.</p> <p>While early access to super can provide individuals access to critical treatment, there are issues with how compassionate grounds are defined and regulated.</p> <h2>Lack of clarity</h2> <p>As my co-author and I <a href="https://www.unswlawjournal.unsw.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Issue-442-PDF-3-Bhatia-and-Porceddu.pdf">have shown</a>, the vague wording of the <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.au/F1996B00580/2022-09-28/text">Superannuation Industry regulations</a> leaves them worryingly open to interpretation.</p> <p>For example, the meaning of “mental disturbance” is not defined.</p> <p>You may not meet the criteria of having an acute or life-threatening illness, or acute or chronic pain. But if you can show a certain condition causes you acute mental disturbance, you may qualify to release your superannuation early.</p> <p>People accessing their superannuation for IVF use this criterion, for example, by arguing they need to access funds to continue treatment and alleviate the acute mental distress caused by ongoing infertility issues.</p> <p>Two registered medical practitioners are each required to submit a report demonstrating the treatment is needed, and one must be a specialist in the field in which the treatment is required. However, the regulations do not specify clearly that the specialist should have relevant qualifications.</p> <p>In the IVF example, this means the specialist opinion can be provided by a fertility doctor rather than a mental health expert – and that person may stand to profit if they later also provide treatment.</p> <h2>A closed-loop system</h2> <p>Conflict of interest is another major issue.</p> <p>There is nothing in the regulations to stop a medical practitioner – such as a dentist – being involved in all steps and then financially benefiting. They could encourage a patient to access superannuation for a treatment, write the specialist report and then also receive payment for the treatment.</p> <p>Some clinics <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/apr/06/online-ads-promote-simple-access-to-super-to-pay-for-healthcare-despite-strict-rules">promote</a> accessing superannuation as an option to pay for expensive treatments.</p> <p>This raises important questions about the independence of the process, as well as professional ethics.</p> <p>Medical practitioners making recommendations for early release of superannuation should be doing so on genuinely compassionate grounds. But the potential for exploitation remains an ethical concern, when a practitioner can financially benefit from recommending early access to nest egg funds.</p> <p>Transparency around potential <a href="https://theconversation.com/people-are-using-their-super-to-pay-for-ivf-with-their-fertility-clinics-blessing-thats-a-conflict-of-interest-161278">conflicts of interest</a> are impossible to ensure without proper oversight.</p> <h2>What is needed?</h2> <p><strong>1. Mandatory financial counselling</strong></p> <p>The ATO <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/healthcare/worrying-trend-record-number-of-australians-raid-super-to-fund-medical-treatments-20240920-p5kc44.html">has warned</a> accessing super early is not “free money”, with a spokesperson urging people to get financial advice. But the law should go a step further and make this compulsory. That way people making decisions during an emotionally charged moment can understand any future implications.</p> <p><strong>2. Tightening of the criteria</strong></p> <p>Greater clarity in the legislation – such as defining “mental disturbance” – would help prevent loopholes being exploited.</p> <p><strong>3. Better oversight</strong></p> <p>Less health-care industry involvement would promote greater transparency and independence. An independent body of medical practitioners could assess applications rather than practitioners who could financially benefit if applications are approved. This would help alleviate perceived and actual conflicts of interest.</p> <p>Accessing superannuation early may be the only option for some people to start a family or access other life-changing medical care. But they should be able to make this decision in a fully informed way, safeguarded from exploitation and aware of the implications for their future.<!-- 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/239588/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/neera-bhatia-15189"><em>Neera Bhatia</em></a><em>, Associate Professor in Law, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </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/more-australians-are-using-their-superannuation-for-medical-procedures-but-that-might-put-their-financial-health-at-risk-239588">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Money & Banking

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Rod Stewart "puts the record straight" over family rift

<p>Rod Stewart has taken to social media to hit back at the tabloids claiming his marriage to Penny Lancaster is on the rocks. </p> <p>The 79-year-old singer explained that he "wanted to put the record straight" and disputed the reports that his marriage is in trouble. </p> <p>"There is absolutely no rift between Penny and I and no disagreement over where we should reside, in fact it's the opposite," he wrote on Instagram. </p> <p>"We moved permanently back to our beloved Britain a year ago but are fortunate to also have homes in different countries, which we love to visit."</p> <p>"Originally we did think it made sense to sell our house in LA, but having spent a wonderful time there this summer with family and friends during my Vegas residency we realised that it makes sense to keep our house there," he explained. </p> <p>"Two of my eldest children still live in Celtic House (the LA residence)."</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/p/C_QbYc5gS_u/?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/p/C_QbYc5gS_u/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Sir Rod Stewart (@sirrodstewart)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>He ended the message saying he could not be more in love with his wife after almost three decades together. </p> <p>"Penny and I could not be more in love with each other after 27 glorious years. Please trust me on this..... there's no disharmony in our marriage.</p> <p>"Rod 'a very lucky man' Stewart."</p> <p>Fans praised the rockstar for standing up to the media. </p> <p>"It was none of our business and I’m sorry you had to stand up for yourself like this. Stronger together for sure!" one wrote. </p> <p>"Very sad when you have to put out statements like this because of intrusive media speculation. Glad you're both very happy and in love," another added.</p> <p>"As if you'd be silly enough to let Penny go!!! She's absolutely incredible and you are indeed a lucky guy ❤️ you make a wonderful couple, ignore the rubbish, you know the truth and that's all that matters!" a third commented.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Relationships

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Think you’ve decided what to buy? Actually, your brain is still deciding – even as you put it in your basket

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tijl-grootswagers-954175">Tijl Grootswagers</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092">Western Sydney University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/genevieve-l-quek-1447582">Genevieve L Quek</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092">Western Sydney University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/manuel-varlet-156210">Manuel Varlet</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092">Western Sydney University</a></em></p> <p>You are standing in the cereal aisle, weighing up whether to buy a healthy bran or a sugary chocolate-flavoured alternative.</p> <p>Your hand hovers momentarily before you make the final grab.</p> <p>But did you know that during those last few seconds, while you’re reaching out, your brain is still evaluating the pros and cons – influenced by everything from your last meal, the health star rating, the catchy jingle in the ad, and the colours of the letters on the box?</p> <p>Our recently published <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-62135-7">research</a> shows our brains do not just think first and then act. Even while you are reaching for a product on a supermarket shelf, your brain is still evaluating whether you are making the right choice.</p> <p>Further, we found measuring hand movements offers an accurate window into the brain’s ongoing evaluation of the decision – you don’t have to hook people up to expensive brain scanners.</p> <p>What does this say about our decision-making? And what does it mean for consumers and the people marketing to them?</p> <h2>What hand movements tell us about decision-making</h2> <p>There has been <a href="https://www.annualreviews.org/content/journals/10.1146/annurev-psych-010419-051053">debate within neuroscience</a> on whether a person’s movements to enact a decision can be modified once the brain’s “motor plan” has been made.</p> <p>Our research revealed not only that movements can be changed after a decision – “in flight” – but also the changes matched incoming information from a person’s senses.</p> <p>To study <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-62135-7">how our decisions unfold over time</a>, we tracked people’s hand movements as they reached for different options shown in pictures – for example, in response to the question “is this picture a face or an object?”</p> <p>When choices were easy, their hands moved straight to the right option. But when choices were harder, new information made the brain change its mind, and this was reflected in the trajectory of their hand movements.</p> <p>When we compared these hand movement trajectories to brain activity recorded using neuroimaging, we found that the timing and amount of evidence of the brain’s evaluation matched the movement pattern.</p> <p>Put simply, reaching movements are shaped by ongoing thinking and decision-making.</p> <p>By showing that brain patterns match movement trajectories, our research also highlights that large, expensive brain scanners may not always be required to study the brain’s decision evaluation processes, as movement tracking is much more cost-effective and much easier to test on a large scale.</p> <h2>What does this mean for consumers and marketers?</h2> <p>For consumers, knowing our brains are always reevaluating decisions we might think of as “final” can help us be more aware of our choices.</p> <p>For simple decisions such as choosing a breakfast cereal, the impact may be small. Even if you have preemptively decided on a healthy option, you might be tempted at the last minute by the flashy packaging of a less healthy choice.</p> <p>But for important long-term decisions such as choosing a mortgage, it can have serious effects.</p> <p>On the other side of the coin, marketers have long known that many purchase decisions are <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969698912000781">made on the spot</a>.</p> <p>They use strategies such as attractive packaging and strategic product placement to influence people’s decisions.</p> <p>New ways of studying how people’s brains process information – right up to the last minute – can help marketers design more effective strategies.</p> <h2>Opportunities for further research</h2> <p>Further research in this area could explore how different types of information, such as environmental cues or memories, affect this continuous decision evaluation process in different groups of people. For example, how do people of different ages process information while making decisions?</p> <p>Our finding – that hand movements reflect the inner workings of the brain’s decision making process – could make future studies cheaper and more efficient.</p> <p>The ability to fine-tune marketing in this way has implications beyond just selling products. It can also make public strategic messaging far more effective.</p> <p>This could include tailoring a public health campaign on vaping specifically for people aged under 30, or targeting messaging about superannuation scams more effectively at those of retirement age.</p> <p>The act of reaching for a product is not a simple consequence of a decision already made; it’s a highly dynamic process. Being aware of what influences our last-minute decision-making can help us make better choices that have better outcomes.<!-- 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/234167/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/tijl-grootswagers-954175">Tijl Grootswagers</a>, Senior Research Fellow in Cognitive Neuroscience, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092">Western Sydney University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/genevieve-l-quek-1447582">Genevieve L Quek</a>, Research Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092">Western Sydney University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/manuel-varlet-156210">Manuel Varlet</a>, Associate Professor in Cognitive Neuroscience, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092">Western Sydney University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </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/think-youve-decided-what-to-buy-actually-your-brain-is-still-deciding-even-as-you-put-it-in-your-basket-234167">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Mind

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Petition to put Gina Rinehart's portrait in Times Square goes viral

<p>When Gina Rinehart's portrait featured in an exhibition at the National Gallery in Canberra, she <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/entertainment/art/gina-rinehart-demands-for-national-gallery-to-remove-her-portrait" target="_blank" rel="noopener">demanded</a> it be taken down. </p> <p>The gallery refused, and said it would stay hanging in the gallery until the end of the end of the exhibit on July 21st. </p> <p>Rinehart's outrageous request to take down the artwork went viral on social media, and even saw her feature on Stephen Colbert's late night TV show. </p> <p>Now, comedian Dan Ilic has started a <a href="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/put-vincent-namatjira-s-work-in-times-square#/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">petition</a> to get the artwork displayed in New York City's iconic Times Square. </p> <p>Ilic told <em><a href="https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/news/2024/05/21/rinehart-times-square" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New Daily</a></em> that it is important to celebrate Australia’s art and artists, because “not many other people are”.</p> <p>“The person who was seeking for it to be removed has a unique place in Australian culture and politics, and uses their power for things that are very much in line with their interests,” he said.</p> <p>“Us, using our own power as a community to try and leverage a lot of little people’s contributions to this celebration of great Australian art, is a great thing.”</p> <p>Ilic said people approached him to launch the fundraising campaign because “I’ve become the person to do such things”.</p> <p>“I happened to go to an art event on the weekend with some people who know [artist] Vincent Namatjirawell and I asked them to check if he would like it,” he said.</p> <p>“He said it’s very funny, so we went ahead with it.”</p> <p>A 10-minute slot in Times Square costs $16,000, however Ilic is campaigning to raise $30,000 to beam Rinehart’s portrait into one of the busiest locations on the planet, with any excess money being donated to Indigenous-led youth climate network Seed Mob.</p> <p>He said, “By the very nature of that organisation, they’re at odds with a lot of what big corporations like Hancock Prospecting are all about.”</p> <p>Ilic said he was confident about passing the $30,000 goal and making the 10-minute slot a reality, after already raising over 70 percent of his goal.</p> <p>“There is an old maxim in crowdfunding: If you reach 50 per cent within the 50 per cent mark of time, you’ll get the rest,” he said.</p> <p>“We hit that earlier this morning and it’s about halfway now, so I think we’ll get the rest.”</p> <p>Ilic has previously campaigned to have features in Times Square, with one such ad highlighting Australia's lack of climate change action ahead of the COP26 meeting in 2021. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Dan Ilic - Indiegogo</em></p>

International Travel

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7 items you should never put in your dryer

<p>There are just some items that can’t take the dryer’s heat. To avoid shrinking and more these are the ones you should never put in the dryer.</p> <p><strong>1. Bathing suits</strong></p> <p>The dryer will leave the spandex of bathing suits brittle and broken.</p> <p><strong>2. Pantyhose</strong></p> <p>The delicate material of pantyhose will shrink in the heat of the dryer and the tumbling motion can cause stockings to get tangled.</p> <p><strong>3. Rubber-backed rugs</strong></p> <p>They may be small enough to fit in your dyer but the rubber-back of these mats might crumble in the heat of the dryer.</p> <p><strong>4. Bras</strong></p> <p>The heat of the dryer can damage bra’s elasticity and shape.</p> <p><strong>5. Clothes with embellishments</strong></p> <p>Embellishments can easily snag in a dryer – and also snag other items in the process.</p> <p><strong>6. Anything that warns against dryers</strong></p> <p>Double-check the care tag of your item of clothing before chucking it in the dryer. If it warns against using the dryer, it’s for good reason. It will help your clothes look new for longer and prevent shrinking and more.</p> <p><strong>7. Running shoes</strong></p> <p>The heat can ruin the cushioning, weaken adhesive and shrink the rubber.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

Home & Garden

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Tennis star "heartbroken" as injury puts life on hold

<p>Aussie tennis star Storm Hunter has suffered a devastating injury just one day before the nation's qualifying tie against Mexico. </p> <p>The 29-year-old has had to put her Olympic dream and plans to crack the world’s top 100 on hold, after she fell and ruptured her right Achilles tendon. </p> <p>The incident occurred on Thursday’s final practice session for Australia’s Billie Jean King Cup qualification tie against Mexico on Friday. </p> <p>Hunter took to Instagram to announce the bad news, with a picture of herself during one of the games.</p> <p>“I am devastated and heartbroken but incredibly grateful to be around the team and I know I have a great group of people around me that will help me get back on court as soon as possible,” she wrote. </p> <p>“Thank you so much everyone for the messages of support and love, I’m excited to stay for the tie and support our Aussie girls.”</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/p/C5pE4RDPdpG/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C5pE4RDPdpG/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by STORM HUNTER (@stormcsanders)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>In a following update, she shared a photo of herself in crutches holding a bouquet of flowers that she received from the rival team. </p> <p>"Thank you team Mexico for the flowers" she captioned the photo, with a heart emoji and the Mexican flag. </p> <p>Recovery time for a ruptured Achilles is at least four months, but can take up to a year depending on the injury. </p> <p>This means that the tennis star is set to miss the Olympic Games in Paris later this year, where she could've featured in all three disciplines.</p> <p>She was set to team up with Ellen Perez for the clash with Mexico, but has since been replaced with Daria Saville. </p> <p>“Storm went to take off for a ball and unfortunately has sustained a very serious injury, so she’s going to be getting an MRI tonight,” Team captain Sam Stosur said on Thursday. </p> <p>“Obviously the tie still continues and we’ve made a decision. Dasha’s going to go in place of her to play tomorrow, but obviously we’re all rallying behind Storm and wishing her the very, very best and the quickest recovery possible.”</p> <p>Hunter has had a career-high singles mark of 114 at the start of April, and finished 2023 as the world No.1 in doubles alongside Elise Mertens. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p> <p> </p> <p> </p>

Caring

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Spin cycle disaster: man puts winning Lotto ticket through the wash

<p>In a harrowing tale that's sure to wring out a chuckle or two, a man in his late 20s from <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Belmont, Western Australia, </span><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">narrowly escaped laundering his way out of a $2.8 million windfall – after nearly sacrificing his winning lottery ticket to the treacherous depths of his washing machine.</span></p> <p>It all started innocently enough at the Here's Luck Lottery Centre in Belmont Forum, where our hero – who very sensibly prefers to remain incognito – purchased what would turn out to be a life-changing ticket for the Saturday Lotto. Little did he know, his unassuming trousers would soon become the epicentre of a near-catastrophe.</p> <p>In a classic case of absentmindedness, our hero forgot to take his ticket out of his pants pocket before succumbing to the siren song of laundry day.</p> <p>"I forgot to take the ticket out of my trousers and put it in the washing machine," confessed the forgetful winner. "After five minutes I realised and stopped the washing machine to grab the ticket, fortunately, it was safe."</p> <p>Indeed, it was a race against the spin cycle as the man scrambled to rescue his potential fortune from a soapy demise. "I couldn’t think, I couldn’t sleep, I am still processing the win," he admitted with palpable relief.</p> <p>But our protagonist emerged victorious from this sudsy saga, managing to salvage his ticket just in the nick of time. With a sigh of relief, he made his way to Lotterywest HQ to claim his well-deserved prize.</p> <p>Lotterywest spokesman James Mooney chimed in, highlighting the importance of registering tickets to avoid potential mishaps of this magnitude. "For this player, it all came out of the wash okay, but it’s a reminder for players to register their ticket to prevent what could be a multimillion-dollar mistake," he wisely advised.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Accused mushroom killer puts home up for sale

<p>Erin Patterson, the woman charged with <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/erin-patterson-charged-with-eight-counts-of-murder-and-attempted-murder" target="_blank" rel="noopener">eight counts of murder and attempted murder</a>, after allegedly lacing meals with death cap mushrooms, has put her Melbourne property up for sale. </p> <p>In a case that has gripped the nation, Patterson is facing these charges following the tragic incident that occurred on July 29, as well as historic incidents involving her former husband.</p> <p>The major incident involved a mushroom lunch hosted in Patterson's home in Leongatha, where her former parents-in-law Don and Gail Patterson, both 70, and Gail’s sister, Heather Wilkinson, 66, died shortly after allegedly consuming a beef wellington.</p> <p>Heather's husband and Baptist church pastor, Ian Wilkinson, who also had the meal, miraculously survived, but was hospitalised in critical condition for nearly two months before being released in September. </p> <p>Patterson is also charged with four counts of attempted murder of her former partner, Simon Patterson, in separate incidences between between November 2021 and September 2022 and on the day of the lunch. </p> <p>She has consistently denied any wrongdoing. </p> <p>Now, her $1 million townhouse in Melbourne's east at the suburb of Mount Waverley has hit the market. </p> <p>She first bought the three-bedroom, three-bathroom property in 2019, and has infrequently visited it. </p> <p>It is not the house where the fatal mushroom incident took place. </p> <p>The 249-square-metre townhouse, will go to auction at 11am on Saturday and is expected to sell for around $960,000 to $1,050,000. </p> <p>Real estate agency Ray White has pitched the home to downsizers and families that want to send their children to a good school. </p> <p>“Desired for its defined dimensions and convenient placement in the Mount Waverley Secondary Catchment (STSA), this easy-care townhouse is equally suited to those starting out or downsizing as it is for families and investors,’’ the agents said.</p> <p>They also provided a description of the townhouse, which read: “Quietly tucked at the rear of only two, the residence takes great care in providing a comfortable lifestyle with the lounge room enriched with large windows, while the dining zone is accompanied by a well-equipped kitchen complete with a Bosch dishwasher.”</p> <p><em>Images: Realestate.com.au / A Current Affair</em></p>

Legal

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Why are people putting toilet paper in the fridge?

<p>Recently, people on social media have been advising you to replace that box of bi-carbonate of soda (baking soda) in the back of your fridge with a roll of toilet paper.</p> <p>Does this weird trick work? We asked kitchen and appliance experts to see what the pros had to say!</p> <h4>Why put toilet paper in the fridge?</h4> <p>Ruiz Asri, editor of Honest Food Talks, says toilet paper’s absorbency is behind this hack. “Moisture in the refrigerator often contributes to mildew and unpleasant odour,” Asri says. The toilet paper absorbs excess moisture, along with foul smells. References to toilet paper in the fridge can be found as far back as 2015. But its dedicated use of it as an odour absorber seems to be more recent, with videos appearing on TikTok and Facebook.</p> <p><strong>Does it work?</strong></p> <p>Yes, to a point. While TP will absorb odours, other options are more efficient, take up less space and generate fewer odd looks from houseguests. Amy, from the parenting blog Amy & Rose, has tried the TP technique. She had some fishy smells in the fridge, and her daughter suggested that she try the toilet paper hack. So did it work?</p> <p>“In my experience, somewhat,” she says. But here’s the catch: It’s just a temporary fix.</p> <h4>Alternative fridge odour busters</h4> <p>So if you want something longer lasting that takes up less space, read on for some alternate odour-fighting strategies.</p> <p><strong>Bi-carbonate of soda</strong></p> <p>Bi-carbonate of soda (also known as bi-carb and baking soda) is the go-to solution for many households. It caught on in the 1970s, when one manufacturer promoted it as an environmentally friendly alternative to chemical cleaning. By 1994, a US newspaper reported “more refrigerators are likely to have bi-carb than working light bulbs.”</p> <p>Bi-carb is a base material, which means it neutralises acids. Because most odours are acidic, it can cut off the smell at the source. (Side note: After deodorising a fridge with bi-carb, don’t use the contents of that box for baking. Cooking can reactivate those acids and contaminate your cake.) As the bi-carb interacts with more acids, it becomes less effective. Most people will need to replace it every three months.</p> <p><strong>Black cumin seed oil</strong></p> <p>Corinne Segura, a building biologist practitioner and founder of My Chemical-Free House, has first-hand experience with fridge odours. “When food went bad in my fridge, it left a lingering foul odour,” she says. “I used black cumin seed oil, which has a deodorising effect, to clean up the smell.”</p> <p>Segura credits this to the essential oil’s ability to deodorise methyl mercaptan, a chemical that produces a rotten scent. “I mixed five drops of black cumin essential oil with 1 tablespoon of dish soap and applied it in a thick layer to all the plastic components inside the fridge,” she says. “I let it sit for two hours before washing it off. This worked well to get rid of foul odours in the fridge.”</p> <p><strong>Activated charcoal </strong></p> <p>Activated charcoal captures the particles that cause bad smells, just like toilet paper. It’s available as a powder, in pre-cut filters or as fabric you can cut to size. It functions by collecting the volatile compounds given off by smelly items, reducing odour. Swap out the charcoal every month or so to keep it effective.</p> <p><strong>Vanilla extract</strong></p> <p>For those who prefer a more pleasant scent, especially around their food, Asri offers a particularly sweet recommendation. “Soak a cotton wool ball in vanilla extract and place it in the refrigerator,” he says. “This combats bad odours and leaves your fridge smelling like a bakery.”</p> <p><strong>Crumpled newspaper and charcoal </strong></p> <p>If you want a deep-clean on your fridge or freezer at minimal expense, go with one paper product that’s even cheaper than toilet paper. Fill up a particularly stinky fridge with crushed charcoal and crumpled newspaper (you can buy unprinted newsprint paper).</p> <p>You’ll need to replace the newspaper every day for about a week, but it’s a low-cost way to deal with a foul-smelling situation.</p> <h4>UV light purifier</h4> <p>If you gravitate towards high-tech solutions, consider a fridge with a UV light filter. “Ultraviolet light can destroy bacteria, mould and other pathogens,” says Alexander Hill, a sales rep for UK-based Appliance Depot. “Some fridge purifiers use UV light to sanitise the air and surfaces inside the fridge, thus reducing the source of many odours.”</p> <p>Take that, toilet paper.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/diy-tips/why-are-people-putting-toilet-paper-in-the-fridge" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>. </em></p>

Home & Garden

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"Stop putting things off”: Turia Pitt warns followers after recent health scare

<p>Inspirational burns survivor Turia Pitt has opened up about a health scare she faced in June 2023, confessing she has struggled with her ailment for “years”.</p> <p>Giving her one million Instagram followers some insight, Pitt revealed that she had a “weird growth” on her tongue for several years that she never asked a doctor about.</p> <p>“I used to have this really weird growth on my tongue that I recently got cut out,” she said.</p> <p>The public figure warned followers to “stop putting things off” as she did before, noting, “The hardest part of any task is….starting. Like, starting the process of getting my tongue looked at,”</p> <p>“I had this little bump on it for years…and I put off getting it looked at for far too long.”</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/CtYt1F-RNoi/?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/CtYt1F-RNoi/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Turia (@turiapitt)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>While the surgery to remove the growth was presumably successful, it’s not the first time Pitt has been hospitalised due to poor health, with a freak accident involving a sewing needle that left her in “unbearable” pain in May 2022.</p> <p>She shared the story to her Instagram, revealing to fans she had stepped on the needle.</p> <p>“Once I’d recovered from the initial shock and pain (and had finished rolling around on the bed like a marinated pork chop, swearing loudly), I scoured the floor, searching for the culprit,” she wrote at the time.</p> <p>“There it was, sticking out of the carpet, like a soldier about to go into battle. ‘You absolute pr*ck;’ I said to it, casting my eye balefully over its dismembered body. All but a third remained.”</p> <p>Despite having two-thirds of the needle stuck in her foot, Pitt waited a full day before going to the hospital.</p> <p>"I was half expecting them to say 'You silly sausage, it’s just a bruise'," she wrote. "But instead they said, 'Wow, it’s really deep’."</p> <p>Lodged deeply into her foot, the needle was also resting on a nerve among her bones forcing her to undergo surgery.</p> <p>"I had an operation to remove the needle and woke up feeling like my foot was on fire,” she wrote on her blog.</p> <p>"But each hour that passed after that, I got better and better. I needed less pain medication because I was getting better, my head fog cleared, and I was no longer thinking about the pain."</p> <p><em>Image credit: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

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The risky ambulance interview that put Kochie on the map

<p>Footage has resurfaced of the moment David “Kochie” Koch cemented his role as the king of breakfast TV as he prepares to finish up his 21-year run on <em>Sunrise</em>.</p> <p>The 67-year-old has hundreds of interviews under his belt, but it was a risky interview in the back of an ambulance that thrust him into the spotlight.</p> <p>In April 2006, Kochie and his then co-host Melissa Doyle were stationed at Beaconsfield Tasmania to report on a collapsed mine that left one miner dead and seventeen trapped underground.</p> <p>The <em>Sunrise</em> hosts were competing with several other news outlets at the scene of the tragedy, but Kochie managed to secure the scoop of the century after jumping into the back of an ambulance to interview injured miner Todd Russell.</p> <p>The veteran TV presenter rushed through the security cordon and leapt into the vehicle after being invited by Russell, who coincidently was a big <em>Sunrise</em> fan.</p> <p>“So, I got into the ambulance and that's when he gave me his miners tag, which is a moment, I got to say, a moment and a symbol I will cherish forever,” Koch later told the ABC.</p> <p>“And I make no apologies for doing it.”</p> <p>In 2017, Kochie reflected on the incident on <em>Sunrise</em>, describing his interview with Russell as “touch and go”.</p> <p>“Todd says he wants that 'big, fun, son of a 'b', Koch, at the gate' when they come out in the ambulance,” he said. “It was one of the most memorable [interviews] because of that connection,” Kochie added.</p> <p>On May 29, Kochie <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/the-world-s-best-job-kochie-quits-sunrise" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced his departure</a> from <em>Sunrise</em> on air, with plans to pursue his own businesses and spend more time with family.</p> <p>Seven Network <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/the-world-s-best-job-kochie-quits-sunrise" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced Koch’s replacement</a> on June 5, which sees former Olympic sprinter Matt Shirvington joining Natalie Barr behind the news desk.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Instagram</em></p>

TV

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Put your Star Wars knowledge to the test

<p>While May 4 is not a public holiday, for passionate Star Wars fans around the world, it may as well be. </p> <p>Whether you prefer to dress-up with friends and celebrate with a mega movie marathon - after hours spent deciding which trilogy to begin with, of course - or scroll your favourite forums to find that next snippet of news about any upcoming projects, it’s fun to have the odd fun fact to drop into conversation, whether or not your present company particularly wants to hear it. </p> <p>And now’s the time to put your knowledge to the test, with some<em> Star Wars </em>trivia to challenge and to impress - especially if you get that perfect 15/15. </p> <p>So, “may the Force be with you”, and don’t forget to scroll to the bottom for the answers! </p> <p><strong>1. What was the false working title used to mask production for <em>Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi </em>in 1982? </strong></p> <p>A: Blue Moon</p> <p>B: Blue Harvest</p> <p>C: Force Squadron</p> <p>D: Galaxy’s Edge</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>2. The term ‘Ewok’ was never said aloud in the original trilogy. </strong></p> <p>A: True</p> <p>B: False</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>3. Who delivered the line “congratulations, you are being rescued” in <em>Rogue One: A Star Wars Story</em>? </strong></p> <p>A: Cassian Andor</p> <p>B: C-3PO</p> <p>C: K-2SO</p> <p>D: Orson Krennic</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>4. How many actresses have portrayed (in the live action films) the leader of the Rebel Alliance, Mon Mothma? </strong></p> <p>A: 4</p> <p>B: 3</p> <p>C: 2</p> <p>D: 1</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>5. Which movie features the most stop-motion animation? </strong></p> <p>A: <em>The Phantom Menace</em></p> <p>B: <em>Empire Strikes Back</em></p> <p>C: <em>Return of the Jedi</em></p> <p>D: <em>A New Hope</em></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>6. Why are porgs so prominent in <em>The Last Jedi</em>? </strong></p> <p>A: Director Rian Johnson was asked by a crew member’s child to include the feathered friends</p> <p>B: The marketing team had requested something small and fuzzy for the younger audience</p> <p>C: Porgs were inspired by early concept art for BB-8 that they didn’t want to toss aside completely</p> <p>D: The island on which they filmed was home to puffins and it was easier just to tie them in </p> <p> </p> <p><strong>7. Yoda shares a voice actor with which iconic Muppet? </strong></p> <p>A: Miss Piggy</p> <p>B: Kermit</p> <p>C: Gonzo </p> <p>D: Swedish Chef</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>8. How many films does the Rebel Alliance’s Blue Squadron appear in? </strong></p> <p>A: 1</p> <p>B: 2</p> <p>C: 3</p> <p>D: 4</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>9. Which phrase can be heard in every Star Wars movie?</strong></p> <p>A: “There’s no such thing as luck.” </p> <p>B: “Rebellions are built on hope.” </p> <p>C: “I have a bad feeling about this.” </p> <p>D: “Never underestimate a droid.” </p> <p> </p> <p><strong>10. In <em>The Phantom Menace</em>, Qui-Gon Jinn used which common household item as his communicator? </strong></p> <p>A: A lint brush</p> <p>B: A torch</p> <p>C: A tin of shoe polish </p> <p>D: A razor</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>11. How many Sith can there be at any one time? </strong></p> <p>A: 8</p> <p>B: 6</p> <p>C: 4</p> <p>D: 2</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>12. What was Luke Skywalker originally going to be called? </strong></p> <p>A: Luke Stardestroyer</p> <p>B: Luke Starkiller</p> <p>C: Luke Skykiller</p> <p>D: Luke Lars</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>13. The noise from passing which object served as the inspiration for lightsaber sounds? </strong></p> <p>A: A radio</p> <p>B: A microwave</p> <p>C: A television </p> <p>D: A racecar</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>14. Which quote is correct?</strong></p> <p>A: “No, I am your father.”</p> <p>B: “Luke, I am your father.” </p> <p> </p> <p><strong>15. Who built C-3PO? </strong></p> <p>A: Luke Skywalker</p> <p>B: Jar Jar Binks</p> <p>C: Shmi Skywalker</p> <p>D: Anakin Skywalker</p> <p> </p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p> <p><strong>ANSWERS: </strong></p> <blockquote> <p>1: A, 2: A, 3: C, 4: C, 5: B, 6: D, 7: A, 8: A, 9: C, 10: D, 11: D, 12: B, 13: C, 14: A, 15: D</p> </blockquote>

Movies

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00-No: US traveller puts border security to the test with a golden gun

<p>A 28-year-old traveller from the United States has been arrested after Australian Border Force officers allegedly discovered a firearm in her luggage. </p> <p>According to a report on the ABF website, the weapon - a 24-carat gold-plated handgun - was unregistered, and the passenger was not in possession of “a permit to import or possess the firearm in Australia.”</p> <p>If convicted, she will face up to 10 years of imprisonment. And while she was arrested and charged, she was released on bail at Downing Centre Local Court, and is expected to face court again in a month’s time. She remains subject to visa cancellation, and faces the likelihood of being removed from Australia. </p> <p>As ABF Enforcement and Detained Goods East Commander Justin Bathurst explained, the discovery was made with a combination of ABC officer skills and detection technology, one that served to prevent a dangerous weapon from entering the Australian community. </p> <p>“Time and time again, we have seen just how good ABF officers are at targeting and stopping illegal, and highly dangerous, goods from crossing Australia's border," he said.</p> <p>“The ABF is Australia's first and most important line of defence. ABF officers are committed to protecting our community by working with law enforcement partners to prevent items like unregistered firearms getting through at the border."</p> <p>Photos distributed by the ABF present the image of the gun in its case, as well as a scan of the passenger’s luggage, with the gun clearly visible among the rest of her possessions. </p> <p>While travellers on domestic flights within the United States are able to carry firearms in their checked luggage - granted they are unloaded and securely locked away, and the proper authorities have been informed - Australia has much stricter laws surrounding firearms. </p> <p>In the wake of a 1996 Tasmanian tragedy, in which 35 people lost their lives to a gunman, all automatic and semi-automatic weapons were outlawed in the country. Meanwhile, in the United States, a frightening sum of 6,301 were confiscated at checkpoints as of December 2022, according to the Transportation Security Administration.</p> <p>For many, the news was broken on social media, with comments sections reflecting the shock - and disapproval - of the masses, with the occasional 007 reference thrown in. </p> <p>“Smuggling firearms into Australia is a serious offence,” wrote one on Twitter, “and should be met with the full force of the law as it endangers citizen safety.”</p> <p>“That’s a fantastic bit of security work by our airport staff,” someone commended. </p> <p>Another had one very important question, asking “how did she get it out of the US to begin with...??? TSA should have caught that at the airport before she even left. Even if it was in a checked bag, it still had to be declared.”</p> <p><em>Images: Australian Border Force</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Put down your calendar - You’re travelling in May

<p dir="ltr"><strong> 1. Paris, France</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">May brings mild weather as spring blossoms, so it’s the perfect month to explore the pretty city. La Nuit des Musées falls on the third Saturday of May and allows visitors free entry to the city’s museums, which stay open late for the occasion. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>2. Hokkaido, Japan</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Believe it or not, you can travel to Japan past April and see the cherry blossom season in full swing! If you’ve missed the April mark then head up north to Hokkaido where the Sakura flower blooms a month later. Matsumae Park is one of the best places to spot them, with around 250 varieties of cherry blossom and 10,000 trees. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>3. Wales</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">While we can’t promise perfect weather for Wales, there may be a hint of sunlight to keep you warm amongst the drizzle. May is the perfect month for climbing Snowdon, exploring Portmeirion and if you’re up for the challenge - walking the entire Wales Coastal path. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>4. Memphis, USA</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">The cleverly named Memphis in May festival is a month-long festival that honours a specific foreign country every year and celebrates through live events, exhibitions, screenings, performances and art. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>5. Nepal</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">The weather couldn’t be any more pleasant in Nepal in May! Two of the country’s largest festivals take place during the month too. Tiji festival is a celebration of the (presumed) triumph of good over evil, while Buddha Jayanti commemorates the life and times of Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credit: Shutterstock</em></p>

International Travel

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“Sam has plans afoot”: Ratings smash puts Sam Armytage in the driver’s seat

<p><em>Farmer Wants a Wife</em>'s Samantha Armytage has enjoyed early success with her new hosting gig, with the reality series seeing a wave of success in the ratings department for its first few episodes.</p> <p>The 2023 season premiere alone drew in approximately 1.08 million viewers, leading many to believe that Armytage has made leaps and bounds towards reasserting herself as a valued member of the team over at Seven.</p> <p>“She’s now in a place to get just about anything she wants from hereon in,” a source told New Idea, before noting that Armytage was driven by ambition, and was already looking ahead to her next steps with the network.</p> <p>“Sam has plans afoot,” they explained. “She's cleverly stayed on the network's radar, knowing if she landed and nailed a lead role like in <em>FWAW</em> [<em>Farmer Wants a Wife</em>] then doors would open.”</p> <p>Sam, who had parted ways with Seven’s breakfast show <em>Sunrise</em> in 2020, had a tough battle ahead when she took over from beloved former <em>FWAW </em>host Natalie Gruzlewski. Even though Armytage had previously appeared on the show in a guest capacity, fans were shocked by the news, and struggled to come to terms with the upcoming shift.</p> <p>According to <em>New Idea</em>’s insider, this applied in part to Gruzlewski too, with them explaining that “no one saw this coming, least of all Nat. She didn't know the full extent of the role changes until recently - it was a bolt out of the blue!</p> <p>“Sam has sold herself as the better choice because she maintains she is married to a farmer, grew up on a farm, and therefore is more relatable. Although that remains to be seen.”</p> <p>And it was an obvious change from the first 15 minutes of the new season, with Gruzlewski only seen in a handful of frames, while Armytage took centre stage interviewing the latest batch of hopeful contestants. </p> <p>The same source reported that Armytage is a “management favourite”, suggesting that the lineup shakeup was all part of an effort from the network to elevate Armytage’s professional profile again. </p> <p>They also explained that Gruzlewski was “taking the demotion in her stride”, all while demonstrating the good quality that fans had come to know from her.</p> <p>“Nat is no diva and was always a crowd favourite, the farmers and the women almost always warmed to her,” they said, before noting that there was a very real sense “this might end up being Nat’s final season” in light of the changes. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

TV

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Should I put more money into my super? What are the benefits and can I take it out before retirement if I need it?

<p>Superannuation is never far from the headlines lately, with the government recently calling for <a href="https://treasury.gov.au/consultation/c2023-361383">views</a> from the public on what the objective of super should be. </p> <p>The basic idea behind super is you set aside a portion of your pay over your working life, so you can build up a nest egg to see you through your retirement years. </p> <p>But what if you’re worried you might not have enough super by the time you retire? Yes, you could top up your super now and watch the nest egg grow through the magic of <a href="https://moneysmart.gov.au/saving/compound-interest">compound returns</a>– but what are the downsides?</p> <p>If you’re considering putting more money into your super, and want to know more about how the whole system works, here are the basics.</p> <h2>What are the rules about putting more money into my super?</h2> <p>First, make sure you know where your superannuation actually is and how much you’ve got so far. This <a href="https://www.ato.gov.au/forms/searching-for-lost-super/">page</a> from the Australian Tax Office explains how to search for any lost super.</p> <p>The next thing to know is there are <a href="https://www.ato.gov.au/individuals/super/in-detail/growing-your-super/super-contributions---too-much-can-mean-extra-tax/?page=2#Understanding_contribution_caps">limits</a> to how much you can contribute into superannuation. </p> <p>There are two types of super contributions you can make.</p> <p>The first category is called “<a href="https://moneysmart.gov.au/grow-your-super/super-contributions">concessional contributions</a>”. These are taxed at 15%, which may be lower than the tax you’d otherwise have to pay on that money. So making these super top-ups can not only grow your nest egg, but save you tax.</p> <p>The amount of concessional contributions you can make is A$27,500 per annum. That figure includes all the super your employer puts in your super account and any extra contributions you make under a salary sacrifice scheme or where you are claiming an income tax deduction.</p> <p>The second category, known as “non-concessional contributions”, means money you pay into your super withoutclaiming a tax deduction. This could be, for example, money from savings, an inheritance or a lottery win.</p> <p>There is a limit of $330,000 over three years (or $110,000 per year), for these contributions.</p> <h2>What are the benefits of topping up my super?</h2> <p>Two words: compound returns.</p> <p>Compound returns are where you earn returns not only on the original investment you put in, but also on any returns on that investment. As the government’s <a href="https://moneysmart.gov.au/saving/compound-interest">Moneysmart</a> website puts it, “you get interest on your interest”.</p> <p>Over the years, this means you could earn a lot more than you would if you didn’t top up your super. </p> <p>How much more? Well, it depends on the investment return and fees of your fund.</p> <p>But as an example: thanks to compound returns, putting an extra $100 per month into your super from age 30 could <a href="https://www.calc.help/industrysuper/add-extra-to-your-super">mean you retire</a> with an extra $65,000 in your account (here, I’ve assumed investment returns of 7.5%, accumulation inflation of 4% and salary inflation of 4%).</p> <p>And the longer it is there, the more it will grow – so starting top-ups early might pay off. </p> <p>This is particularly important for <a href="https://theconversation.com/spirals-and-circles-snakes-and-ladders-why-womens-super-is-complex-103763">women</a>, whose super balances may look a bit feeble if they take parental leave or cut their hours while raising a family.</p> <p>Then there’s the tax benefits of super top-ups. If you would normally pay a net tax rate higher than 15% on investments such as shares, your money will grow more quickly inside superannuation than shares.</p> <p>You may also be eligible for government co-contributions that add to your balance if you make a non-concessional contribution during the year and your income is less than $57,016.</p> <h2>So what’s the downside? Can I access my superannuation before retirement?</h2> <p>Basically, no. You must meet a “<a href="https://www.ato.gov.au/individuals/super/in-detail/withdrawing-and-using-your-super/withdrawing-your-super-and-paying-tax/?page=2#Conditionsofrelease">condition of release</a>” before being able to access your superannuation.</p> <p>The most common is retirement, defined as reaching the age of 65 or leaving work after reaching “preservation age” (which is 60 for anyone born after July, 1964).</p> <p>There are some <a href="https://www.ato.gov.au/Individuals/Super/Withdrawing-and-using-your-super/Early-access-to-your-super/">special circumstances</a> where you may be able to access your superannuation early.</p> <p>These are very narrow, and include serious financial hardship or necessary medical treatment that cannot be funded any other way. </p> <p>Death or terminal illness also qualify for release.</p> <h2>But what if I need a deposit for a house?</h2> <p>This is a dilemma for non home-owners. After compulsory superannuation guarantee deductions and HECS-HELP, it may be hard to save a deposit.</p> <p>One of the few circumstances where you access your superannuation early is through the <a href="https://www.ato.gov.au/individuals/super/withdrawing-and-using-your-super/first-home-super-saver-scheme/">First Home Super Savers Scheme</a>. </p> <p>If you make voluntary contributions, you may be able to withdraw these contributions for a home deposit. </p> <p>However, this scheme is very tightly regulated. You can read more about the rules for this scheme <a href="https://www.ato.gov.au/individuals/super/withdrawing-and-using-your-super/first-home-super-saver-scheme/">here</a>.</p> <h2>So… should I put more money into my super?</h2> <p>It depends. If you do, make sure you understand you will not be able to access that money until retirement.</p> <p>If you own your home (or intend to rent until retirement) you may want to put more into superannuation while you can afford it, knowing it is contributing to a secure retirement. </p> <p>But if home ownership is your goal, you should think carefully about choosing between superannuation and saving for a home deposit.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared in <a href="https://theconversation.com/should-i-put-more-money-into-my-super-what-are-the-benefits-and-can-i-take-it-out-before-retirement-if-i-need-it-201950" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>

Retirement Income

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“Kids are not accessories”: Influencer slammed for putting baby in danger

<p dir="ltr">Influencer Camila Coelho has been slammed for putting her 7-month-old in danger, after posting multiple photos and a video of her standing with her infant son on a Paris balcony. </p> <p dir="ltr">Coelho, who boasts over 9 million followers on Instagram, has remained silent on the backlash, despite worried followers telling her to stop. </p> <p dir="ltr">The first photo was posted on February 27 with the caption: "Kai’s first time in PARIS. so happy to be back (for PFW) & spend my birthday tomorrow here with him and hubby!" </p> <p dir="ltr">In the photo Coelho can be seen wearing a ribbed pink turtleneck jumper, a matching pink coat and boots and a denim miniskirt.</p> <p dir="ltr">Her adorable son, donning an all-grey outfit, was pictured standing on the edge of the balcony with Coelho’s arms around him. </p> <p dir="ltr">The fashion blogger’s followers immediately condemned her actions, with one saying: "Please remove these photos! Kids are not accessories!" </p> <p dir="ltr">“Babies and balconies don’t go together. People will naturally get triggered. You are my favourite fashion blogger and I’m sure you were in control, but there will be other wannabe bloggers who will try to recreate this image and potentially put their babies at risk. It takes a second for an accident to happen. It’s not worth the risk or pic,” commented another. </p> <p dir="ltr">“How far can you go for likes? Yes, you are in Paris and yes, you have a view. No need to put a baby on the edge of a balcony,” wrote another.</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/p/CpIkwcGNRZP/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CpIkwcGNRZP/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by CAMILA COELHO (@camilacoelho)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">In the same series of photos, Coelho can be seen lifting her baby up and holding him a little too close to the edge. </p> <p dir="ltr">“For the sake of his life it’s not necessary to lift him up on the edge of the balcony,” commented a follower. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Really? So dangerous just for a photo,” commented another. </p> <p dir="ltr">A few days later, Coelho added fuel to the fire by posting a video from the same balcony, where she is seen sipping tea on a chilly morning with Kai perched in her arms, close to the edge.</p> <p dir="ltr">Her followers couldn’t help but express their disappointment. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Dear Camila, I love you as a woman, how you act in everything, but this is now the second time that you come into the picture with Kai on the edge balcony,” wrote one follower. </p> <p dir="ltr">"Disappointing....I'm starting to think you're just trolling people. but of course everything for the many likes," wrote another. </p> <p dir="ltr">The video has since been deleted, but the photos are still up on Coelho’s Instagram.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Lara Worthington puts wedding dress mystery to rest

<p>When Lara Worthington - née Bingle - married actor Sam Worthington in 2014, it was a very private affair. </p> <p>The ceremony was held in Melbourne, and no more than 10 guests witnessed the exchanging of vows - which, apparently, they wrote themselves. The couple didn’t even hire an external caterer for their reception, with Lara’s mum overseeing the food instead. </p> <p>As the model explained to <em>Marie Claire</em>, “my mum instilled in me that it’s important to maintain a little bit of mystery. I think it’s hard in this day and age to achieve.”</p> <p>“We tend to try to keep our lives as normal as we can,” she made a point to add. “I don’t think about that stuff [the tabloids] ever. I don’t make it my reality.”</p> <p>And while many respect the couple’s desire to keep their private life to themselves, one detail about the day has eluded fans of the couple for almost a decade, begging the question “Lara, where the bloody hell’s your dress?” </p> <p>With no photographers at the event, and no magazine spread typical of a celebrity wedding, speculation is all anyone has had to work with. That, and a post from right after the event, when Lara uploaded a picture of herself in a charging room wearing a white Louis Vuitton gown. </p> <p>In the years since, Lara had kept tight-lipped, until <em>Marie Claire</em> finally got the answer out of her - the infamous dress seen on the then-7-months-pregnant Lara was, in fact, her wedding gown. </p> <p>“I bought it in London a couple of days before we were about to get married,” she explained. “It was lucky they had something to fit me because I was seven months pregnant with Rocket at the time. I don’t recommend being pregnant and getting married. </p> <p>“I still have the dress and would never part with it.”</p> <p>Lara - who has since moved to New York with her family, husband Sam and their three beloved children - is rumoured to have been able to secure the dress through certain connections forged as “Australia’s fashion darling”.  </p> <p>And while fashion is something that Lara clearly holds close to her heart - having explained in her interview that “fashion is something that, without saying anything, you can show your personality through” - her new life in America seems every bit as special. </p> <p>“I love the culture of living in New York with the boys,” she confessed. “We don’t have a car, so they ride their scooters home from school, which is a nice change from the LA bubble. </p> <p>“We often stop at museums or an art gallery on the way home from school, which I love because I didn’t get to experience that when I was growing up. The boys love the Museum of Natural History, although they’re also like, ‘we’ve been there five times now, can we not?’”</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

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