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Lollipop man slapped with ban over "innocent" gesture

<p>A beloved lollipop man in Victoria has been banned from high-fiving children after receiving a complaint  from a concerned parent. </p> <p>John Goulden is a much-loved elderly lollipop man at the Mount Dandenong Primary School in Greater Melbourne, and will no longer be able to high five kids as they leave and enter the school grounds. </p> <p>Goulden, who was recently crowned one of Victoria’s top crossing supervisors, was reprimanded by Yarra Ranges Council who warned him against “initiating unnecessary physical contact” with the children.</p> <p>Outraged parents in the community have rallied behind the cherished lollipop man, with one parent, Rohan Bradley, even starting a petition to have the ban removed, saying that Mr Goulden has an “infectious joy that leaves a lasting impression on students and parents”. </p> <p>“His high fives in the morning and afternoon have become a tradition that many children look forward to, a small gesture that symbolises the warmth and friendliness of our unique community,” he said. </p> <p>“Sadly, this tradition is under threat. With our children’s happiness and wellbeing hanging in the balance, we need to take action.”</p> <p>Mr Bradley said it was not just about a simple high five but about “preserving our unique community’s spirit”. </p> <p>“We implore those in charge to let John continue to high-five his students, preserving an act that sparks joy and promotes a more positive learning environment,” he said.</p> <p>The petition has already gained more than 500 signatures as parents and students stand with the “community’s morale booster”. </p> <p>In a statement, Yarra Ranges Council confirmed they had received a complaint from a parent at the school about the crossing supervisor dishing out high fives.</p> <p>“Council’s internal policies and the Victorian Standards clearly states that unacceptable behaviours includes: Exhibiting behaviours with children and young people which may be construed as unnecessarily physical,” they told <em>9News</em>. </p> <p>“Council has reminded the contractor who is currently supervising children at the Mount Dandenong Primary School of expectations of the role regarding interactions with children.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p>

Legal

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Kyle slaps comedy legends with lifetime ban for "twisted" Trump joke

<p>US comedy-rock duo Tenacious D have found themselves at the centre of a media maelstrom during their current Australian tour. The reason? A blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment during which guitarist Kyle Gass expressed that his birthday wish at their Sydney show was: “Don’t miss Trump next time.”</p> <p>The comment quickly sent shockwaves through the media landscape, and has even managed to ruffle the feathers of the famously unshockable Kyle Sandilands. </p> <p>It all started innocently enough at Sydney’s ICC Theatre. As the band celebrated Kyle Gass' 64th birthday, Tenacious D frontman and star of the big and small screen Jack Black paused the show for the ceremonial blowing out of candles. What better time for Gass to wish for world peace, or perhaps a new guitar?</p> <p>But no: “Don’t miss Trump next time,” he quipped, referring to the failed assassination attempt that very morning on the former US President. </p> <p>As expected, the moment was captured by at least one concertgoer and shared on TikTok, where the comment section swiftly became a battlefield. “As a Tenacious D fan, no. Just no,” lamented one disappointed follower. “Hmm … the left condoning gun violence. Hypocrisy at its finest. Keep showing us your colours,” declared another.</p> <p>However, not everyone was scandalised. “My respect for Tenacious D,” reads the top comment, with another fan chiming in, “Aaand I like them even more.” </p> <p>But the real kicker came when Sandilands, on the Kyle & Jackie O show, took to the airwaves to express his utter dismay. “Someone’s promoting the assassination of another human being? Seriously?” he said. “That’s some serious, twisted s**t. And whoever that is, is banned for life.” </p> <p>Sandilands was especially flabbergasted to learn the comment came from Tenacious D. “See, those two seem like normal people, not unhinged lunatics,” he mused.</p> <p><em>Images: KIIS FM | TikTok</em></p>

Music

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Teen slapped with massive fine over "unsafe manoeuvre"

<p>A Sydney P-plater has copped a massive fine of $3,568 after he overtook another car unsafely on Campbell Hill Rd at Guildford, west of the CBD, about 8.45pm last Friday. </p> <p>The 18-year-old was fined for crossing a double white line, travelling more than 45kph over the speed limit, and “overtaking when unsafe”, police said.</p> <p>The road itself had a speed limit of 50 kph but the boy was travelling at 115 kph, according to police. </p> <p>Police have suspended the teen's provisional licence for six months and confiscated his plates for three months, but many were unhappy with the penalty. </p> <p>“The court should impose 12-month suspensions. We probably all did some dumb things when on P-plates and after obtaining a full licence, but this is bordering on criminal,” one person wrote online. </p> <p>“Until consequences are increased, these people will not decrease unsafe behaviour,” another wrote.</p> <p>The road where the teen was caught speeding has been known for various other incidences of speeding and dangerous driving. </p> <p>“Cumberland Highway Patrol officers will continue to actively target Campbell Hill Rd for speeding and dangerous driving offences given a recent spate of high-speed detections on this section of road,” police said.</p> <p><em>Images: 7News</em></p>

Legal

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Cancer survivor slapped with $15,000 water bill

<p>An Aussie man has been slapped with a $15,645.86 water bill after the <span style="font-family: Inter, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: -0.16px; background-color: #ffffff;">Goulburn Mulwaree Council </span>claimed he had used more than 35,000 litres a day over 104 days. </p> <p>Anthony, who lives on his own in the Southern Tablelands, said that his bill is normally around $290 and that he uses about 130 litres of water a day, the average amount a person would use according to Sydney Water. </p> <p>"A 15-and-a-half thousand dollar water bill, they can go and get themselves nicked," he told <em>A Current Affair</em>. </p> <p>"I'm not paying it, no way in the world."</p> <p>The local mechanic is a cancer survivor, but the disease has made it difficult for him to communicate, so he went to a council meeting with his father, Neil, who talked on his behalf. </p> <p>"I couldn't believe it when he showed me the bill," Neil said. </p> <p>"Currently now, we're at this point in stage where we can't get any reasonable common sense from the council.</p> <p>"I said, 'It's got to be the crook meter', and she said, 'We've had a lot of meters tested and they've all come back positive. </p> <p>"And I said, 'What about this meter?' and she said, 'It'll cost you $50 to have it tested but there'll be nothing wrong with it'."</p> <p>Anthony is accused of using more than 3.6million litres of water,  which is equivalent to filling two Olympic sized swimming pools - or having five taps running all-day. </p> <p>He has received multiple emails from the local council asking him to prove his claim. </p> <p>The local mechanic also said that he received an overdue bill notice ordering him to pay it immediately. </p> <p>"I got an email saying I can have a payment plan and all the rest of it... like, get real," he said. </p> <p>"I'm not going to pay it."</p> <p>Anthony uses his own water tank to water his lawn, fill his fishpond and wash his car, and only uses town waters to wash up and shower. </p> <p>He has been asked to prepare a detailed letter of his water usage, which will be presented at a council meeting later this month.</p> <p><em>Image: Nine</em></p> <p> </p>

Money & Banking

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Tourist slapped with $225k bill after simple mistake

<p>An American tourist has revealed the moment he was charged with a $US143k (AU$225k) bill after a short holiday to Switzerland. </p> <p>Rene Remund and his wife Linda went on the trip last September.</p> <p>Prior to their travels, Remund made sure to inform his mobile phone provider, T-Mobile, that he was going overseas and as a customer of 30 years, he was told he was “covered”.</p> <p>So, with no worries at all, the tourist shared photos of his moments in the Swiss countryside with friends and family via photo messages. </p> <p>Imagine his surprise when he came home to a six-figure bill, after he racked up thousands and thousands of dollars in daily roaming costs. </p> <p>“I get this T-Mobile bill and it doesn’t bother me very much because I was reading $143,” he explained, adding it wasn’t until he went to pay the bill that he realised a few more zeros were involved.</p> <p>“I look at the bill and I say, ‘excuse me’,” he said.</p> <p>“$143,000 … are you guys crazy?”</p> <p>According to the bill, Remund had racked up 9.5 gigabytes of data while in Europe, which cost him thousands of dollars each day. While it wasn't a huge amount of data, not being covered by roaming fees will cause a user to run up a huge bill very quickly. </p> <p>“I called [T-Mobile] and the girl put me on hold for a while,” he explained.</p> <p>“She said let me check this out and I’ll get back to you. She gets back and says, yeah this is a good bill.</p> <p>“I said, ‘what do you mean it’s a good bill?’ And she says ‘well, this is what you owe’.</p> <p>“I said ‘you’re kidding me … you’re crazy’.”</p> <p>After confirming that his bill was in fact  AU$225,000, Remund hired a lawyer to argue the fact that he was covered for international roaming. </p> <p>His lawyer issued a letter to the president of T-Mobile, and they only received a reply a few days ago. </p> <p>The letter from T-Mobile allegedly said that the service provider was “sorry” for the charges, and that Remund would receive a “credit” to eliminate the entire bill. </p> <p>In an email shared to local media <em>Scripps News Tampa</em>, the mobile phone provider said that customers should always “check the travel features of their plan, such as international data roaming, before departing”.</p> <p>“If a customer is on an older plan that doesn’t include international roaming for data and calling, they’ll need to make sure they’re using aeroplane mode and wi-fi when using data to be certain the device doesn’t connect to an international network.”</p> <p><em style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #323338; font-family: Figtree, Roboto, 'Noto Sans Hebrew', 'Noto Kufi Arabic', 'Noto Sans JP', sans-serif; background-color: #ffffff; outline: none !important;">Images: ABC Action News</em></p> <p> </p>

Travel Trouble

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"Hilarious" number plate somehow slips past the censors

<p>In a world where innovation knows no bounds, one Perth driver has taken the art of personalised license plates to a whole new level, leaving us all wondering: is it plain rude, or just plain hilariously?</p> <p>The car in question, a humble Kia Sportage, seems innocent enough at first glance. But wait, what’s that? A custom plate that reads 37OHSSV? Seems harmless, right? Wrong.</p> <p>It turns out, if you dare to flip the plate upside down, you'll unveil a cheeky message that spells out none other than "a**hole" in bold, red letters. Yes, you read that correctly. Someone actually managed to sneak that past the scrutinizsng eyes of state transport officials.</p> <p>Unsurprisingly, the discovery of this plate sent the internet into a frenzy, with the post garnering over 2000 shares and nearly 1000 comments. And guess what? Almost everyone loved it!</p> <p>“This is so clever and hilarious,” exclaimed one amused user, echoing the sentiments of many.</p> <p>“That’s the best I’ve ever seen,” chimed in another, probably still laughing.</p> <p>“That is brilliant, I love it,” added a third, undoubtedly already planning their own witty plate.</p> <p>But amid the laughter and applause, there’s a serious question lingering: How did this driver manage to bypass the stringent regulations that typically govern custom plates?</p> <p>In the last financial year alone, nearly 1000 applications for personalised plates were rejected in Western Australia due to being deemed too offensive for the road. Among the rejected gems were GEN3CID, SAUC3D, and RAMP4GE. Clearly, the censors were not amused.</p> <p>And let’s not forget the demographics at play here. According to the stats, a whopping 71 percent of custom plate holders are men, with the average age hovering around 41. So, it seems that mid-life crisis isn’t just limited to buying flashy sports cars; it extends to personalised license plates as well.</p> <p>So whether you find this particular plate downright rude or ingeniously innovative, one thing’s for sure: it's got people talking. And in a world where monotony often reigns supreme, a little dose of humour and creativity on the road might just be what we need. So, hats off to you, mysterious Perth driver. You may be a bit of an a$$hole – but you’re our kind of a$$hole.</p> <p><em>Image: Facebook</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Tourist slapped with a fine while in a coma

<p dir="ltr">An American tourist has been slapped with a fine while fighting for his life in a coma, after being involved in a devastating collision. </p> <p dir="ltr">Rod and Barbara Maroney, an elderly couple from Phoenix, Arizona, were holidaying in Sydney and strolling down George Street, when Rod was hit by an e-bike riding down light rail tracks. </p> <p dir="ltr">The 64-year-old retired aerospace engineer was crossing the light rail tracks in September 2023 and did not see the electric vehicle coming, with the collision causing him to fly into the air.</p> <p dir="ltr">Rod had to undergo emergency brain surgery from his injuries and then spent the subsequent weeks in a coma. </p> <p dir="ltr">Even now, in the weeks after the accident, Rod is still struggling to recover.</p> <p dir="ltr">As the 64-year-old recovered in St Vincent’s hospital, Barbara was shocked to see a fine for $86 being shoved into the letterbox of her AirBnb by NSW police.</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite the fact that E-bikes are not permitted on the footpaths of Sydney’s CBD, and are also banned on the light rail corridors, Mr Maroney was the one who was slapped with the fine. </p> <p dir="ltr">The letter stated that Rod had committed the offence of “moving into rider’s path”, despite the fact that riding a bike along light rail tracks is not permitted, NSW Transport confirmed.</p> <p dir="ltr">Barbara, who is a semi-retired lawyer herself, decided to get the help from a lawyer who contested the fine, and as a result, it was withdrawn.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Him serving me while my husband is in the hospital in a coma was outrageous,” she told <em><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/ebike-rules-regulations-in-australia-tourist-fined-coma-sydney/f4f8fcde-1698-4aa6-a1b6-a30d6a1910d0">9News</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“In the US, that would not be good service of process because my husband never lived at the Airbnb.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“If he really wanted to serve the citation, he should’ve gone to the hospital and dropped it in my husband’s unconscious lap, I guess.”</p> <p dir="ltr">After their ordeal, the couple wants authorities to take action over e-bikes in Sydney.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We shed a lot of tears at night together, both of us grieving for our loss of the man he was,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Why is Sydney’s council allowing silent, deadly bikes? Given the speed of the bike, Rod could have been killed.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“Why are e-bikes not regulated like vehicles?”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: 9News</em></p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-351f33a9-7fff-f7ec-f7a1-5efccc27e302"></span></p>

Travel Trouble

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One humble Sydney pub's big plans for Princess Mary's coronation

<p>A pub in Sydney has shared their plans to celebrate Crown Princess Mary's coronation as she ascends to the Danish throne. </p> <p>The Slip Inn, a Merivale-owned pub near Sydney's Darling Harbour, was where Princess Mary met Denmark's Prince Frederik in 2000 during the Olympic Games. </p> <p>Now, the Aussie princess is set to become Queen of Denmark following the shock announcement of the abdication of Queen Margrethe, who announced she will be handing the throne to her son as of January 14th. </p> <p>In celebration of the Princess Mary <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/crown-princess-mary-set-to-make-history" target="_blank" rel="noopener">making history</a> as the first Aussie to ever hold the title of Queen Consort, the Slip Inn have shared their plans for coronation day. </p> <p>The pub will be honouring the occasion with a Danish themed menu and decorations ahead of a busy weekend expected to attract tourists and royal punters.</p> <p>The Slip Inn is closed on Sunday, so there will be no live broadcast of the official proclamation ceremony taking place in Copenhagen, however the pub couldn’t let the day pass without paying tribute to the couple.</p> <p>Danish flags will fly throughout the venue, while Daisies, the national flower of Denmark, will adorn the venue and King and Queen thrones have been installed for people to pose on and take photos with.</p> <p>A special menu will feature hotdogs and a Scandinavian inspired cocktail titled “There’s Something About Mary”. </p> <p>The Danish-inspired menu will run at The Slip Inn for the whole month of January to celebrate the new King and Queen. </p> <p>Chief operating officer at Laundy Hotels Justin Tynan said the Sussex St pub was “the place to be” in Sydney’s thriving night-life scene of the time, and soon became the centre of royal attention after the couple disclosed it as their meeting place.</p> <p>“I think I did about 50 live crosses around the world when the news broke,” he said of the time.</p> <p>“The Danish flag still hangs out the front of the building but back in the day we put Carlsberg beer on, we put Danish food on the menu, we had buses turning up with Danish tourists just wanting to see exactly where they were.”</p> <p>“It was absolutely crazy.” </p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

Relationships

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Mariah Carey slapped with multi-million dollar lawsuit over hit festive song

<p dir="ltr">Mariah Carey is facing a multi-million dollar lawsuit over her hit festive song, as another musician has come forward claiming she plagiarised an original work.</p> <p dir="ltr">Carey’s song <em>All I Want For Christmas Is You</em> has long been a staple of December, and has sold over 10 million copies since its 1994 release. </p> <p dir="ltr">However, Andy Stone, lead vocalist of Vince Vance and the Valiants, claims Carey infringed on his copyright. </p> <p dir="ltr">Stone co-wrote a song, which has the same title as Carey’s smash hit, in 1989 to which he claims Carey and her team of copying his song’s “compositional structure,” according to the complaint obtained by <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/mariah-carey-facing-20-million-lawsuit-over-all-i-want-for-christmas-is-you" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fox News Digital</a>.</p> <p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/w8HWHd0EYJA?si=IdW0GIKXEQBJqaO_" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p dir="ltr">The court documents state that Carey “directly” copied lyrics from Stone’s 1989 hit and “approximately 50 per cent” of the song is copyright infringement.</p> <p dir="ltr">Stone went on to claim that Carey and her team “undoubtedly” had access to his version of <em>All I Want For Christmas is You</em> due to its “wide commercial and cultural success.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Stone’s track charted on Billboard for years, with the band even performing the track at the White House in 1994 - the same year Carey’s festive song was released. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Carey has capitalised on the success of her infringing work,” Stone’s complaint alleged. </p> <p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yXQViqx6GMY?si=Exrq9M0AA2u5XRpB" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p dir="ltr">“<em>All I Want For Christmas is You</em> has become a ubiquitous part of popular culture, and Carey’s name has become synonymous with the season.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Stone first sued Carey over the copyright issue in June 2022 in a Louisiana court before dropping the claim five months later. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Legal

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Parents slapped with hefty fee over badly behaved children

<p dir="ltr">Two parents have been slapped with a hefty fine tacked onto their restaurant bill after their children caused a ruckus during dinner. </p> <p dir="ltr">Kyle and Lyndsey Landmann were dining at a restaurant in Georgia, USA, when they were given a $50 fine for their allegedly badly behaved kids. </p> <p dir="ltr">Two weeks after the incident, Kyle took to Google to leave a negative review for the eatery to say he was “disappointed by the experience”. </p> <p dir="ltr">“The owner came out and told me he was adding $50 to my bill because of my children’s behaviour,” he wrote. </p> <p dir="ltr">“My kids watched a tablet until the food arrived, ate their food and my wife took them outside while I waited and paid the bill.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Lyndsey went on to tell <em>Today</em> that her kids were well behaved, although they were joined by other families, with 11 children in total at the table. </p> <p dir="ltr">“The kids were sitting at one end of the table and they were being so good,” Landmann said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“'I even commented halfway through the meal, ‘I can’t believe how well-behaved they are’.”</p> <p dir="ltr">After dinner, restaurant owner Tim Richter approached the table and told the party about the additional charge on the menu, which reads, “Adult surcharge: For adults unable to parent.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“Be Respectful to staff, property, and self. No Respect, No Service.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Landmann said she was expecting a compliment for the well behaved kids, but Richter said there would be $50 added to each bill at their table. </p> <p dir="ltr">When Landmann then asked for an explanation, she claimed Richter told her they were being “too loud”.</p> <p dir="ltr">He was angry that the kids were “running around outside” by the water after dinner, even though they were chaperoned by adults, she clarified.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I was like, ‘They were quiet the whole time’. He got in our faces and told us that we belonged at Burger King and not at his restaurant. We asked to speak to the owner and he said he was the owner,” Landmann explained.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I looked around the restaurant and everybody was frozen watching this show he was putting on. He was yelling.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The 61-year-old restaurant owner said that he implemented the rule during the pandemic, but never actually charged the couple, saying, “We want parents to be parents.”</p> <p dir="ltr">However, several other Google reviews blasted the quality of the service and the owner's attitude, including one that warns diners with children to steer clear.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p>

Money & Banking

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“Maybe I shouldn’t have said it”: Kyle lets slip his Idol salary on air

<p>In a surprising turn of events, radio shock jock and KIIS FM star Kyle Sandilands has unintentionally spilled the beans about his substantial salary for the revamped <em>Australian Idol</em> during a recent episode of The Kyle and Jackie O Show.</p> <p>The revelation came during an interview with pop sensation Dean Lewis, where Sandilands, in a candid moment, discussed the financial perks of his television gig.</p> <p>The conversation began innocently enough, with Sandilands expressing his frustrations about the time commitment required for television work. It was then that Lewis, in a light-hearted manner, probed the radio presenter on why he had taken on the role in the first place.</p> <p>Sandilands, initially reluctant to reveal the figures, eventually gave in to the curiosity and admitted, "Listen, it's clearly over a million dollars for three months of work; you'd be a fool not to do it."</p> <p>However, Sandilands quickly followed up his revelation with a note of uncertainty about whether he was allowed to discuss his salary publicly. He admitted, "I don't know how much they're paying the others, so maybe I shouldn't have said it."</p> <p>Lewis responded with astonishment, acknowledging that it was, indeed, a substantial sum. “That is a lot of money," he said. "That’s actually epic.”</p> <p>This salary disclosure comes at a pivotal time for the <em>Australian Idol</em> franchise, as it undergoes significant changes in its judging panel and strives to recapture its former glory. For the series reboot last year, which aired on Channel 7, international music stars Meghan Trainor and Harry Connick Jr. joined the panel, giving it a fresh look. However, they did not return for the 2024 season. In their place, veteran judge Marcia Hines has made a triumphant return to the hot seat, two decades after being part of the original panel when the show debuted in 2003. This time, she joins Sandilands and Amy Shark on the judging panel.</p> <p>The rebooted <em>Australian Idol</em> faced challenges during its initial run, struggling to attain the ratings it had achieved during its heyday. Upon its premiere in January, the show consistently trailed behind its timeslot competitors, <em>Married At First Sight</em> and <em>Australian Survivor</em>.</p> <p>Toward the end of the series, it was attracting an average of approximately 409,000 viewers across the five major metropolitan areas, in stark contrast to the 835,000 viewers for <em>MAFS</em> and 536,000 for <em>Australian Survivor</em>.</p> <p>To make matters more challenging, the winning singer from the show's reboot failed to make a significant impact on the pop charts, further highlighting the hurdles that the revamped <em>Australian Idol </em>faces.</p> <p><em>Images: Australian Idol</em></p>

Money & Banking

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"His worst moment as a person": Sean Penn unleashes on Will Smith's Oscar's slap

<p>Sean Penn has become visibly angry as he recalled the infamous moment at the 2022 Oscars ceremony when Will Smith stormed the stage to slap Chris Rock. </p> <p>Penn recalled the award ceremony moment as he reflected on the Academy's decision to not let Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speak at the ceremony. </p> <p>The actor has been a strong advocate for the people of Ukraine in their ongoing war against Russia, and even traveling to the war-torn region to help in their fight. </p> <p>Speaking to <a href="https://variety.com/2023/film/features/sean-penn-slams-will-smith-slap-ai-oscars-1235720417/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Variety</em></a>, Penn shared how frustrated he was that Zelenskyy was silenced, while Smith's actions were the real problem. </p> <p>“The Oscars producer thought, ‘Oh, he’s [Zelenskyy] not lighthearted enough.’ Well, guess what you got instead? Will Smith.”</p> <p><em>Variety</em> noted that the actor was visibly infuriated speaking on the subject, even turning red during the interview.</p> <p>“I don’t know Will Smith. I met him once,” Penn said. “He seemed very nice when I met him. He was so f***ing good in <em>King Richard</em>.”</p> <p>“So why the f**k did you just spit on yourself and everybody else with this stupid f***ing thing? Why did I go to f***ing jail for what you just did? And you’re still sitting there? Why are you guys standing and applauding his worst moment as a person?” the 63-year-old said, referencing his 1987 arrest and jail stint for punching a film extra in the face.</p> <p>“This f***ing bulls**t wouldn’t have happened with Zelenskyy,” Penn added. “Will Smith would never have left that chair to be part of stupid violence. It never would have happened.”</p> <p>Penn was so shocked and infuriated by the moment that he chose to destroy his two Oscars. </p> <p>"I thought, ‘Well, f**k, you know? I’ll give them to Ukraine. They can be melted down to bullets they can shoot at the Russians,’” he said.</p> <p>When visiting Zelenskyy in Ukraine last fall, Penn showed his support by giving the leader one of his Oscars.</p> <p>At the 2022 Oscar's ceremony, Will Smith stormed the stage and slapped comedian Chris Rock after he made a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith. </p> <p>After returning to his seat, Smith shouted out, “Keep my wife’s name out your f***ing mouth!”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Movies

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Qantas slapped with class action lawsuit

<p>Qantas is staring down the barrel of a class action lawsuit, after being accused of prioritising its financial interests over its contractual commitments to customers during the COVID-19 pandemic.</p> <p>The legal action was initiated on Monday August 21 in response to the airline's failure to provide refunds totalling more than a billion dollars to its customers.</p> <p>Echo Law, the plaintiff firm, contends that Qantas deceived customers and essentially held their funds, effectively treating them as interest-free loans.</p> <p>Andrew Paull, a partner at Echo Law, asserts that Qantas acted unlawfully by introducing a flight credit program in response to border closures caused by the pandemic. Instead of promptly refunding customers for cancelled flights, the airline, in numerous instances, retained the funds for an extended period to bolster its financial performance.</p> <p>Paull notes that Qantas' own terms and conditions stipulate refunds when cancellations occur outside their control. He points out that the magnitude of the claim has grown due to Qantas' prolonged inaction in addressing these issues.</p> <p>The class action is not only aiming to secure redress for pending refunds but also seeks compensation for delayed reimbursements. Paull alleges that Qantas has been "unjustly enriched" by withholding money owed to its customers. He equates the interest accrued on these retained funds over the past three years to a substantial sum.</p> <p>This legal action marks the latest episode in a series of challenges faced by Australia's largest airline due to the pandemic's far-reaching repercussions, which severely disrupted its operations. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has expressed concern and pressured the company to simplify the refund process following a surge in customer complaints.</p> <p>Consumer advocates have also criticised Qantas for delays in refunding customers. Choice, a consumer advocacy group, even bestowed a "shonky award" upon Qantas due to reports of customers using credits being required to pay extra.</p> <p>Paull estimates that approximately $400 million in refunds remains outstanding to date. He asserts that Qantas prioritised safeguarding its financial position over honouring its commitments to customers during the pandemic, potentially misleading customers by presenting the travel credits as acts of goodwill rather than a fulfilment of contractual obligations.</p> <p>Responding to the lawsuit, a Qantas spokesperson stated on Monday that the airline had not yet received the lawsuit. The spokesperson categorically rejected the allegations, asserting that Qantas had already processed over $1 billion in refunds arising from COVID-19-related credits for customers impacted by lockdowns and border closures.</p> <p>Moreover, the spokesperson refuted claims that Qantas derived financial gains from delaying refund disbursements, highlighting the substantial revenue loss of $25 billion and $7 billion in losses due to the pandemic. (Qantas has subsequently repaid significant portions of its pandemic debts and recently reported substantial profits after receiving substantial financial support from taxpayers during the pandemic period.)</p> <p>Qantas also dismissed allegations of delayed refund payments to affected customers. The spokesperson emphasised that the airline has consistently communicated the refund process to customers when flights were canceled.</p> <p>However, Paull contends that Qantas has created formidable barriers for customers seeking to exercise their consumer rights, including unfulfilled promises of callbacks and refunds that were granted but never processed.</p>

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Greta Thunberg slapped with first conviction over climate protest

<p dir="ltr">Greta Thunberg has been fined by a court in Sweden after she refused to obey the orders of Swedish police officers at a climate change protest. </p> <p dir="ltr">The 20-year-old activist pleaded not guilty to the charges, saying she disobeyed the direct police order to leave a climate protest as an act of necessity. </p> <p dir="ltr">“My actions are justifiable,” Thunberg told the court in Malmö, according to local media outlets.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I believe that we are in an emergency that threatens life, health and property. Countless people and communities are at risk both in the short term and in the long term.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Thunberg was part of a group of protesters that blocked the road for oil trucks trying to gain access to Malmö harbour. </p> <p dir="ltr">She was charged for failing to leave when ordered to do so by police.</p> <p dir="ltr">Thunberg has been slapped with a fine for breaching the order, although it is not clear how much she will have to pay, as the fine will be based on her reported income. </p> <p dir="ltr">Thunberg became the face of the youth climate protest movement in 2018, when she began skipping school each Friday at the age of 15 to stage solo climate protests outside the Swedish parliament in Stockholm, holding up a sign reading, “Skolstrejk för klimatet” (school strike for climate).</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite regular school strikes and protests losing some momentum with the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, Thunberg has continued to travel the world joining climate protests and speaking at international summits, urging world leaders to act on the climate crisis.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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Magpie murderer slapped with massive penalty

<p>A Victorian man has copped a $2,349 penalty after inflicting “callous” acts on magpies.</p> <p>His sentence comes after an investigation by Victorian authorities who were tipped off that birds were being shot at a property in the state’s Sunraysia region. After inspecting the property in 2021, investigators discovered four dead magpies as well as two so severely injured they had to be euthanised.</p> <p>The 57-year-old was placed on a good behaviour bond after appearing at the Mildura Magistrates Court. He admitted to 10 offences of wounding and inflicting aggravated cruelty on the native birds.</p> <p>While Victoria does allow wildlife to be killed by property owners, they must apply for a permit before they start shooting.</p> <p>After the sentence was handed down, the state’s Conservation Regulator Glen Smith warned offenders would be prosecuted.</p> <p>“Magpies are an iconic native bird and they are protected in Victoria. There is no excuse for unlawfully killing or injuring them," he said.</p> <p>“The Conservation Regulator takes wildlife crime extremely seriously and this court result should act as a warning that we will pursue penalties for offenders.”</p> <p>These “callous” acts on the native birds come soon after another Australian man was found guilty of <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/man-who-killed-350-kookaburras-ordered-to-pay-fine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shooting and killing</a> a staggering 350 kookaburras.</p> <p>Anyone with information about wildlife crime can report it anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Shutterstock</em></p>

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Jackie O’s huge slip-up at Kyle's nuptials

<p>Jackie ‘O’ Henderson has confessed to making a blunder at her beloved co-host Kyle Sandilands’ <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/all-the-highlights-of-kyle-s-big-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener">star studded wedding</a>.</p> <p>The 48-year-old arrived late to the ceremony, saying she had lost track of time and missed the announcement asking guests not to use their phones.</p> <p>This was to ensure top-tier quality of the lavish wedding's video and photos.</p> <p>Henderson, unaware of the request, saw “one other guy” filming on their phone, so did the same.</p> <p>She wasn’t asked to stop filming but admitted to feeling “embarrassed” about it afterwards.</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/CrpvBe-rSpx/?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/CrpvBe-rSpx/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Jackie O (@jackieo_official)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Eager to recount the night, Henderson also mentioned the reported “conflict” with Kyle’s brother Chris Sandilands.</p> <p>She had been filming guests walking into the glamorous marquee, which Kyle referred to as a ”tent”, to shield them from the torrential rain.</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/CrnXQ5prD4J/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CrnXQ5prD4J/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Jackie O (@jackieo_official)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Chris was one of the first guests to arrive and Henderson asked him, "Chris Sandilands, how beautiful is this?”.</p> <p>"It's amazing, right? Maybe you should spin around and actually look at it,” he responded.</p> <p>Henderson is then heard saying, "OK, OK, OK,” before filming other guests.</p> <p>Speaking to the Kyle & Jackie O show after the wedding, Chris explained, "I wasn't being nasty to Jackie, I never am nasty.”</p> <p>"He comes across as such a prick, but he's never a prick," Henderson remarked.</p> <p>Chris also shared on-air some of the less-than-planned moments of the night, including dripping on one of the tables and a fire caused by candles that had burned all the way down.</p> <p>Kyle and his partner of almost four years, Tegan Kynaston, 37, got married at Swifts, a $60 million heritage-listed Gothic Revival mansion at Sydney’s Darling Point.</p> <p>Speaking on KIIS 1065 after the wedding, Henderson said, "It was beautiful, very beautiful. The chapel was stunning, Tegan looked incredible, incredible! And it was just very emotional.”</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/CrndyVsPQou/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CrndyVsPQou/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Kyle and Jackie O (@kyleandjackieo)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Henderson shared that when the pair’s son Otto, who was matching with Kyle in a navy suit featuring the Sandilands family crest, walked down the aisle, emotion struck and the groom “got a bit teary.”</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/CrnARD6vjuW/?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/CrnARD6vjuW/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Kyle and Jackie O (@kyleandjackieo)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>"It was a beautiful ceremony," she said on the show.</p> <p>"It's just this amazing celebration here, everyone is so happy for them, and it's just a really really good vibe tonight."</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/CrrLFJdyD_R/?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/CrrLFJdyD_R/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Kyle and Jackie O (@kyleandjackieo)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><em>Image credit: Instagram</em></p>

Relationships

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Kyle Sandilands lets slip INSANE cost of wedding so far

<p dir="ltr"> In a twist that everyone saw coming, Kyle Sandilands’ wedding bill is set to be a very, very expensive affair. </p> <p dir="ltr">He and fiancée Tegan Kynaston made headlines early in 2023 when they revealed their <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/jaw-dropping-kyle-s-outrageous-wedding-registry-revealed">outrageous wedding registry</a> - it was hard to believe that anyone could need a $429 room spray - and don’t seem to have slowed down since. </p> <p dir="ltr">While chatting to Jackie O Henderson - his co-host on Australia’s number one radio show <em>The Kyle &amp; Jackie O Show</em> - he detailed exactly how much they’d spent so far on their 130-person event. </p> <p dir="ltr">“The bills were all coming in,” the 51-year-old shock jock said, after discussing how the pair had met with their wedding planner, and Kyle had realised just how much their nuptials were costing them. “They’re fine, they’re manageable.” </p> <p dir="ltr">“There’s many pages of things,” he went on, “and I’m glancing through and I’m going to the end like ‘what’s the cost of this thing?’ </p> <p dir="ltr">“It didn’t have a total - there’s still a few things to add - but I did notice the flowers are quite expensive.</p> <p dir="ltr">“$150,000 for flowers.” </p> <p dir="ltr">And although it was revealed that each guest was to receive a bouquet of flowers to take home with them, Jackie - understandably - couldn’t believe what she was hearing. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Kyle, that’s more than I spent on my whole wedding,” she said of her own $80k celebration in 2012, “like double.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Kyle had more to add, going on to reveal that he and Tegan intended to spend a whopping $100,000 on catering ($35,000 on caviar alone). And, of course, the custom linen napkins embroidered with his ‘personalised’ family crest for each of their guests added just a drop in the budget bucket - the co-hosts believed they must cost anywhere between $10,000 to $15,000.</p> <p dir="ltr">Of the caviar, at least, Jackie could agree the price was right, telling Kyle “that’s worth it. I always think when you do that little sprinkle, that’s stuff that you remember.”</p> <p dir="ltr">While the couple might have had an opportunity to bring their costs down with their entertainment - with the likes of Guy Sebastian set to perform for free - they decided not to branch out, and coughed up some more money for exactly what they wanted: “the best musicians”. </p> <p dir="ltr">“You’ve gotta fly in the drummer from Melbourne, and the guitarist needs transfers and an overnight stay,” Kyle explained to Jackie, “they’re coming from all over the country. The best musicians.</p> <p dir="ltr">“So I think where the band gets expensive … Guy is performing in the marquee, then inside the disco venue - it’s all in the one mansion. Instead of unplugging the keyboard and dragging it inside, I’ve got two setups.” </p> <p dir="ltr">While the couple are “already up to $250,000 and we’ve only got flowers and food”, it doesn’t seem as though they have any intention of slowing it down, or observing any sort of budget. Especially not if Kyle continues as he has been, having so far “just approved everything just so I could get back to [watching] television.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

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"Sheer terror": Pensioner slapped with five-figure government fine

<p>Pensioner Rosemary Gay opened up about the “sheer terror” she faced upon receiving a letter from the government demanding she pay back the $65,000 Robodebt bill they claimed she had been overpaid. </p> <p>Rosemary’s nightmare began on September 19, 2016, when the letter arrived, an event that Rosemary confesses “turned my life upside down and created an enormous emotional and mental strain on me."</p> <p>The letter detailed that she was required to pay the total of $64,999.17 in overpaid welfare benefits. Centrelink claimed this was because her declared amounts did not reflect what she actually earned during the period of July 9, 2010, to 6 October, 2016.</p> <p>“It turned my life upside down,” Rosemary told the Robodebt Royal Commission on Monday, “I’ve never earned that much money, how could I owe that much money? And the fact I was to come up with it within a matter of three or four weeks, it was sheer terror.”</p> <p>The emotional 76-year-old admitted that she feared she would have to sell her home to cover the debt, and detailed the bleak path she saw before her, “all I could see was that I may be faced with selling my home and losing everything that I had worked for in my 70 years, and I just saw it all going away instantly.”</p> <p>After contacting Centrelink, Rosemary confirmed that what she had reported was the same as what was on the paperwork. She admitted to assuming that would “be the end of it.”</p> <p>Officials at Centrelink eventually told Rosemary that it came down to a “glitch”, and after a review, the total of her debt was reduced to $6,600. </p> <p>Of her Robodebt experience, Rosemary said, “it was a very dark period of time for me and one that is very difficult to re-live. My mental health and physical health, at that stage, were at a very low ebb.”</p> <p>A second review brought a new letter to Rosemary in December 2016, this time stating that her debt had been reduced to $120. </p> <p>Finally in 2020, Rosemary was informed by Centrelink that she would be refunded the $120, with the Coalition government winding up the unlawful scheme - ruled as such by the Federal Court in 2019. It is suspected that more than 381,000 people were affected, and that over $750m was wrongfully recovered from the victims. </p> <p>“I was shocked and angry by this time to think they could initially cause such a traumatic experience to anybody accessing support from a pension,” Rosemary told the Royal Commission, “it will continue to remain with me forever. It’s just something I will never get over and it has had a huge impact on my physical and mental wellbeing … </p> <p>“That they could turn someone’s life upside down and still get it so wrong over and over again.”</p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Michael Slater slapped with new assault charges

<p dir="ltr">Cricket legend Michael Slater has been slapped with new assault charges just weeks after a former partner revealed the <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/michael-slater-s-alleged-text-messages-revealed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">disturbing text messages</a> she claims he sent her. </p> <p dir="ltr">The 52-year-old is accused of allegedly assaulting a 36-year-old man at Frenchs Forest on Sydney’s northern beaches on July 18 - four days after he was charged for breaching his bail. </p> <p dir="ltr">Police were called to the scene where he was then charged with two new counts of common assault and one count of attempt to stalk or intimidate intend fear of physical or mental harm.</p> <p dir="ltr">Slater’s solicitor James McLoughlin, told Manly Local Court on Wednesday that his client would plead not guilty to all the new charges.</p> <p dir="ltr">Earlier on July 14, police rushed to his Manly home following concerns for his welfare and he was taken to hospital.</p> <p dir="ltr">The cricketer was charged for breaching his bail after police attended his home following concerns for his welfare. </p> <p dir="ltr">He was granted strict conditional bail, and must stay away from alcohol and drugs, and be on good behaviour.</p> <p dir="ltr">In May 2022, Slater was charged with assault and stalking/intimidating a 35-year-old woman following an alleged incident in manly on April 26, which he plead not guilty to. </p> <p dir="ltr">Slater is currently in a mental health facility in Sydney and is not allowed to contact those who made a complaint against him due to apprehended violence orders. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Legal

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"Stop slapping him!": Carriage horse collapses in busy street

<p dir="ltr">The horrifying moment a carriage horse breaks down in the middle of a busy New York City street has angered animal activists.</p> <p dir="ltr">Heartbreaking footage shows the horse's knees buckling, possibly due to the weight of the carriage it's been pulling all day in the heat, when it fell to the ground. </p> <p dir="ltr">The driver could be seen shouting multiple times at the horse, known as Ryder, to “get up” and slapping it to get up. </p> <p dir="ltr">“What if I slapped you around like that, bro?” one person can be heard saying. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Stop slapping him,” another woman called out.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m trying to get him up, alright,” the driver said, as he once again whipped the horse with the reins.</p> <p dir="ltr">The driver then removed the carriage with the help of an onlooker as police arrived and sprayed Ryder with water. </p> <p dir="ltr">Ryder then attempted to get up several times but failed until an adrenaline shot was administered.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">BREAKING: This horse COLLAPSED while pulling a carriage in NYC, likely from heat exhaustion, and has been down for over an hour.</p> <p>Horses don’t belong in big cities where they’re put in constant danger because of cars, humans, weather, and more. <a href="https://t.co/vXBVRJRjPB">pic.twitter.com/vXBVRJRjPB</a></p> <p>— PETA (@peta) <a href="https://twitter.com/peta/status/1557504250359361537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">After an hour or so, the horse was back on its feet and was taken to an unknown location to be looked at. </p> <p dir="ltr">Tony Utano, President of Transport Workers Union Local 100 slammed those who attacked the driver for jumping to conclusions saying the horse, Ryder, was suffering from EPM. </p> <p dir="ltr">“We thank everyone for their concern about Ryder, one of the beloved Central Park carriage horses,” he said. </p> <p dir="ltr">“The veterinarian believes Ryder has EPM, a neurological disease caused by possum droppings. </p> <p dir="ltr">“This is another example why people shouldn't rush to judgement about our horses or the blue-collar men and women who choose to work with them and care for them.”</p> <p dir="ltr">However, this did not stop animal rights group PETA from calling out the practice, which constantly puts horses in danger.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This horse COLLAPSED while pulling a carriage in NYC, likely from heat exhaustion, and has been down for over an hour,” PETA wrote.  </p> <p dir="ltr">“Horses don’t belong in big cities where they’re put in constant danger because of cars, humans, weather, and more.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Many other supporters have called for the ban of carriage horses to be replaced with electric vehicles. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Twitter</em></p>

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