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Australians lost more than $3bn to scammers in 2022. Here are 5 emerging scams to look out for

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s latest <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/system/files/Targeting%20scams%202022.pdf">Targeting Scams report</a> indicates Australians reported more than A$3 billion lost to fraud in 2022. This is about a $1 billion increase on <a href="https://theconversation.com/australians-lost-2b-to-fraud-in-2021-this-figure-should-sound-alarm-bells-for-the-future-186459">reported losses from 2021</a>. Year upon year, we’re witnessing a rise in monetary losses to fraud. Behind these figures sit millions of Australians who experience a range of financial and non-financial <a href="https://www.aic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-05/29-1314-FinalReport.pdf">harms</a>. Here’s what we’ve learned from the latest report – and some advice on what to look out for in the year ahead. <h2>2022 at a glance</h2> Of the reported $3 billion lost, about half was stolen as part of investment schemes – more than double the $701 million figure from 2021. A desire to invest in cryptocurrency has driven up these losses, with potential investors inadvertently transferring money to offenders advertising a range of falsehoods. Remote access schemes – in which a scammer convinces the victim to grant them access to their computer – jumped into second place, with $229 million in reported losses. This was followed by payment redirection scams (also known as business email compromise fraud). Those who reported directly to Scamwatch lost an average of $19,654 – an increase of 54% from the $12,742 reported in 2021. The report also shows not all victims are targeted equally; people aged 65 years and older reported the highest losses across all demographics. Indigenous Australians, people with a disability, and those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds were also overrepresented. For the first time in many years, text message was the most popular method for offenders to target victims. And while bank transfers were the most popular way to send funds to offenders, <a href="https://theconversation.com/crypto-theft-is-on-the-rise-heres-how-the-crimes-are-committed-and-how-you-can-protect-yourself-176027">cryptocurrency transfers</a> continue to increase in popularity – rising 162.4% in one year. There was, however, a reduction in fraudulent phone calls. This is likely attributable to the introduction of <a href="https://www.commsalliance.com.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/72150/C661_2022.pdf">regulatory action</a> to block known scam calls. It’s a bright spot in an otherwise dark report. <h2>Trends to look out for</h2> The Targeting Scams report demonstrates the many ways offenders seek to defraud victims. On one hand, people are becoming more aware of common scam tactics. On the other, criminals are adjusting their methods to gain the upper hand. Here are five types of relatively lesser-known frauds everyone should be aware of. 1. Romance baiting Also known as “<a href="https://news.sophos.com/en-us/2021/05/12/fake-android-and-ios-apps-disguise-as-trading-and-cryptocurrency-apps/">cryptorom</a>” or “<a href="https://krebsonsecurity.com/2022/07/massive-losses-define-epidemic-of-pig-butchering/">pig butchering</a>”, this scam is a convergence of investment fraud and traditional romance fraud approaches. The offender first initiates a relationship with the victim – through dating apps, websites or social media platforms. Once they’ve established trust, they encourage the victim to put their money into an “investment” opportunity, often cryptocurrency. The victim will then unknowingly transfer their money to the offender, who is under a different guise. This kind of romance baiting raises fewer red flags than directly asking for money, and is targeting a younger demographic compared to more traditional romance fraud. Such deceptions are coded under investment schemes. This is likely driving the surge in investment scheme losses reported in recent years, while also accounting for a lack of substantial increases in romance fraud. 2. Online shopping fraud Offenders are skilled at creating fake websites and product advertisements that look genuine. Often these fake sites will have only subtle differences from their real counterparts. Consumers may not be able to tell the difference. Criminals can directly access funds through victims’ credit card details obtained on these sites. Online shopping fraud targets a range of demographics. It’s happening on stand-alone websites, social media platforms and online marketplaces. 3. Jobs and employment fraud <a href="https://research.qut.edu.au/centre-for-justice/wp-content/uploads/sites/304/2022/02/Briefing-Paper-Series-Feb2022-Issue21-17022022.pdf">Research</a> has indicated that working from home and flexible working conditions are strong indicators of a fraudulent job listing. But in a post-COVID world, flexibility at work is often a key criterion for job seekers, if not a deal-breaker. Offenders have noticed this, and are responding by posting attractive job advertisements that offer flexibility and high incomes. Victims submit their CVs and personal credentials (setting themselves up for identity crime), or may be required to pay upfront for training or materials costs for a job that doesn’t exist. Employment scams are targeting younger people in particular, as they’re more likely to have <a href="https://australiainstitute.org.au/report/youth-unemployment-and-the-pandemic/">experienced job loss and insecurity</a> in the wake of the pandemic. 4. Recovery schemes Many fraud victims will want to take whatever action possible to recover lost funds. To exploit this, offenders will trade the details of victims with each other. They will then pose as authorities (often law enforcement, banks or private agencies) who are aware of the victim’s circumstances and promote their ability to regain the missing funds for a fee. In this way, victims who are desperate to recover losses are manipulated into paying even more money to offenders. 5. Remote access schemes Receiving a phone call from a computer technician advising of a problem with your computer and offering to fix it is a common experience for many. While this approach isn’t new, it made a strong resurgence in 2022 – particularly targeting older people. These scam calls often come through landlines and prey on people’s fear for the security of their bank details and other personal data. The fraudsters often invoke a sense of urgency about needing to rectify the “problem”, and victims are persuaded to give the offender remote access to their computer. The criminal can then access a wealth of personal information. They can gain direct entry to bank accounts to transfer funds, and can access identity credentials and other sensitive details to commit identity crime in the future. <h2>Change is needed to protect the public</h2> The threat of fraud will only increase alongside technological evolution. Experts are concerned about artificial intelligence tools such as <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/mar/08/darktrace-warns-of-rise-in-ai-enhanced-scams-since-chatgpt-release">ChatGPT</a> and image and video generators giving cybercriminals yet another tool to add to their arsenal. The latest Scamwatch report is further evidence banks and financial institutions need to implement measures to help reduce fraud losses; among these, the checking of account names against BSB numbers for all transactions. The UK has a <a href="https://www.ukfinance.org.uk/policy-and-guidance/guidance/confirmation-payee">confirmation-of-payee</a> policy that does this. The government is attempting to address the continued surge in fraud losses through the revision of its <a href="https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/about-us/our-portfolios/cyber-security/strategy/2023-2030-australian-cyber-security-strategy">cybersecurity strategy</a> and the potential establishment of a <a href="https://consultation.accc.gov.au/accc/national-anti-scams-centre-survey/">National Anti-Scams Centre</a>. These are both positive steps but it’s clear there’s a need for more work to be done. Image: Getty This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/australians-lost-more-than-3bn-to-scammers-in-2022-here-are-5-emerging-scams-to-look-out-for-204018" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Money & Banking

Breathtaking shots from the 2022 Travel Photographer of the Year

The winners of the 2022 Travel Photographer of the Year have been announced, showcasing stunning photography with a focus on conservation and sustainability. The competition, regarded as one of the world’s most prestigious photography competitions, received nearly 20,000 entries from both amateur and professional photographers in 154 different countries. The top prize went to Slovenian photographer Matjaz Krivic who submitted a stunning shot of one of the world’s last two remaining northern white rhinos. Najin, the 33-year-old rhino, was pictured with her keeper, Zachary Mutai. The picture was shot in Kenya’s Ol Pejeta Conservancy and demonstrates the impact of the Cumbre Vieja volcano’s eruption on La Palma’s landscape. As the judges commented, Krivic told their story “beautifully and sensitively. The images are tender and intimate.” “I am honoured to have my work recognised and acknowledged by the judges of the Travel Photographer of the Year competition …” Krivic said of his win. “Travel and photography has been my passion and a big part of my life since I can remember and this award inspires me to continue with my journey.” A 14-year-old Australian, who now lives in Portugal, took home the Young Travel Photographer of the Year award. Kaia Tham’s work is shot solely on an iPhone, and the judges praised this choice by commenting, “seeing the world in a different way and exploring it with a phone rather than a camera has given this young photographer’s portfolio a fresh feel and a different perspective observing the streets of Lisbon.” Two other Australians received acknowledgement for their work, securing themselves special mentions from the judges - Jason Edwards with one, and Scott Portelli with three. 2022’s People’s Choice award went to Romain Miot from France. This award is the only category in which the judges have no say on the winner - the 130 finalists are instead voted on by the general public. Miot’s work features a salt caravan in Mauritania’s Sahara Desert. Of the photograph, Miot said, “when I returned from the trip, I realised that this image of a camel owner ordering the dromedaries looked like a conductor with an orchestra.” The photos from the 2022 awards will be exhibited in May at the Royal Photographic Society as part of World Photography in Focus, ahead of the 21st Travel Photographer of the Year awards for 2023. All image credits: 2022 Travel Photographer of the Year

International Travel

Pat Rafter delves into “rift” between Ash Barty and US player

Aussie great Pat Rafter has opened up about the tension during Ash Barty’s match against her 2022 Australian Open final opponent, Danielle Collins. The now retired tennis star smashed the American 6-3 7-6 (7-2) which saw Barty claim her first home slam and the third of her career. Almost 12 months later, Rafter has opened up about the tension the pair had in which Barty didn’t want to lose to the American star and vice versa. “I knew with her and Danielle, they had a bit of a … what’s the word? There was no love lost anyway,” Rafter told reporters ahead of the United Cup. “Danielle’s pretty feisty. And Ash didn’t want to lose to her.” He said that there was a bit of worry when he saw Barty get “rattled” on court before getting out of her head and smashing the game. “It was pretty funny, I don’t know how much you can pick up on the on-court subtleties of it but I’m pretty aware of Ash and I understand where her mind’s at and I can see all her little movements and ticks,” Rafter continued. “I was going, ‘oh no, she’s getting rattled, she’s not good’. But she was able to pull it out which was pretty important. “I would have hated to see her get to the final and lose because she was the dominant player. I like seeing the best players win.” After her successful win, the now 26-year-old shocked the tennis world by announcing her retirement from the game. She recently got married to her longtime partner Garry Kissick and is currently working at Optus. Image: Getty

News

Hilarious winners of the worldwide 2022 Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

The winners of the 2022 Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards have been announced, with some hilarious photos capturing astounding moments of the most adorable animals. An image of a three-month-old lion cub falling out of a tree has been named the overall winner of this year's competition, with Jennifer Hadley in the Serengeti, Tanzania, capturing the moment late one afternoon. "It didn't even occur to me that he would make a go of getting down by himself in the most un-cat like fashion. I mean, how often do cats fall out of trees?" Hadley said in a press release. "No one expected this to happen and of course we were concerned for his safety but happily as cats do, he righted himself just in time and landed on all fours and ran off with his siblings. A happy ending for a hapless kitty who didn't quite know how to get down from a tree." Hadley also won the People's Choice Award for her photo of a dismissive penguin seemingly snubbing his friend, which was titled Talk to the Fin. All image credits: Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2022

International Travel

What explained the seismic 2022 federal election?

The 2022 Australian federal election was distinctive in two ways. First, it was held in the wake of a major crisis – the COVID-19 pandemic. While the salience of the pandemic had subsided by the time of the election, voters’ assessments of the Coalition government’s performance on the pandemic proved to be a major factor in their voting decision, as did the cost of living crisis it helped create. Second, almost one in three voters cast their ballots for a minor party or independent candidate, the highest since the 1930s. Of the two major parties, the Liberals fared worst, winning their lowest seat share since 1946 (the first election the party contested). But Labor didn’t reap the benefits of this Liberal decline, with the party recording its lowest primary vote since the 1930s. What explains this seismic result, and what does it tell us about the future of electoral politics in Australia? Using the just-released 2022 Australian Election Study (AES) – a comprehensive post-election survey conducted at each election since 1987 – we can answer these questions. <h2>Why the Coalition lost</h2> A perception of poor government performance played a key role in the Coalition defeat. In 2022 there were three performance explanations for the Coalition’s defeat – the economy, the pandemic, and Scott Morrison’s leadership. With rising inflation and a cost of living crisis, around two-thirds of voters thought the economy had worsened in the 12 months leading up to the election. This was the most pessimistic view of the economy in over three decades. In previous elections, voters have usually preferred the Coalition over Labor on economic issues. In 2022, however, voters preferred Labor over the Coalition on the cost of living – the single biggest issue in the election. The Coalition’s performance on the pandemic was also regarded as unsatisfactory. Just 30% of Australians thought the federal government had handled the pandemic well. Indeed, voters had much more favourable views of their state governments’ performance. Because virtually the whole period between the 2019 and 2022 elections was dominated by the pandemic, the public’s evaluations of the Morrison government’s performance were therefore closely associated with the pandemic. The third reason for the Coalition defeat was the negative opinions many voters formed of Morrison’s leadership. While Morrison was generally popular when he won the election in 2019, by 2022 he had become the most unpopular major party leader since at least 1987. Morrison wasn’t considered honest and trustworthy, two of the traits most closely associated with how favourable we view leaders. The public’s dislike of Morrison has its origins in his Hawaii holiday during the 2019-20 bushfires, and was strengthened by a perception of poor performance in the second year of the pandemic. <h2>Labor’s ‘victory by default’</h2> Labor won the election despite their record low vote and a 0.8% swing against them. Indeed one newspaper <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/anthony-albanese-wins-but-its-a-victory-by-default-for-labor/news-story/75b7d87c9b61157a16dc6d772c306deb" target="_blank" rel="noopener">described</a> it as a “victory by default”. During the election campaign, Labor adopted a “small target” strategy. While Labor fought the 2019 election on ambitious proposals for tax reform, in the 2022 election they avoided putting forward policies that would deter voters, and emphasised their policy agreement with the Coalition – even promising to keep the Coalition’s stage three income tax cuts. The effects of this change in Labor strategy are evident in the AES data. Fewer voters cast their ballots based on policy preferences than in 2019, and the proportion of voters who saw “a good deal of difference” between the parties declined from 40% in 2019 to 28% in 2022. Labor also entered the election with Anthony Albanese as leader, who was more popular than both Scott Morrison and Labor’s predecessor, Bill Shorten. The previous majority government win for Labor in 2007 was one that generally inspired voters. Indeed in 2007, Kevin Rudd was the most popular prime minister in the history of the AES, and satisfaction with democracy was at a record high at that time. By contrast, Labor’s 2022 win was more about directing attention to the Coalition’s weak performance, rather than putting forward a policy agenda that was really attractive to voters. <h2>The big movers: women and young people</h2> The 2022 election brought into sharp focus two major changes in party support that have been slowly eroding the social bases of the major parties: gender and generation. There’s a significant gender gap in voter behaviour – since the early 2000s, fewer women have voted for the Coalition than men. Labor has the opposite gender voting gap, attracting more votes from women than men (though to a lesser extent). Since 2016, the gender gap in voting has been greater than in all previous elections covered by the AES. In 2022 just 32% of women voted for the Coalition, the lowest share ever. One contributing factor to this collapse in female support for the Coalition is the treatment of women within the Liberal party. The divide between how younger and older generations of Australians vote is more pronounced than the gender gap. Millennials (the oldest of whom are now in their 40s) and Generation Z (those born after 1996) make up an increasing proportion of the electorate, greatly outnumbering Baby Boomers. These younger generations have different voting patterns to previous generations at the same stage of life, and are also much further to the left in their party preferences. Just 27% of Millennials said they voted for the Coalition in 2022. At no time in the 35-year history of the AES has there been such a low level of support for either major party among younger people. The assumption that Millennials and Gen Z will shift to the right as they age hasn’t been supported by the evidence thus far. Which generation one is in seems to have a much more significant effect on voting behaviour than one’s age. Therefore, the implication is the electorate is moving further to the left and becoming more progressive across a range of policy areas. <h2>Increasing voter volatility</h2> As the traditional social bases of the major parties have gradually changed, so too have the political ties that have bound voters to parties. Around one in four voters say they don’t have an attachment to a political party, the highest figure ever recorded in the AES. The proportion of voters who considered voting for another party during the election campaign, at 36%, has at no time been higher. This is reflected most dramatically in the proportion of voters who said they had always voted for the same party. In 1967 this figure was 72%, and in 2022 it declined to an all-time low of 37%. <h2>What now for the party system?</h2> If voters are drifting away from the major parties, who are they choosing instead and what are the implications for the party system? The “teal” independents were obviously an important beneficiary. However, most teal voters were former Labor and Green voters casting a tactical vote to unseat a Liberal candidate. The medium-term fate of the teals will depend on how far they can create a distinct political identity to hold their support together at the 2025 election. More broadly, support for minor parties and independent candidates will continue to increase. The gradual changes in voting behaviour that are taking place, and which were especially pronounced in the 2022 election, represent an existential crisis for the Liberals. With their support base declining through generational replacement, they must not only attract new voters but also stem defection to give themselves a chance of election. As the political agenda moves towards support for action on climate change, constitutional recognition for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and (perhaps) moving to a republic – all issues on which the Coalition is divided – it’s unclear where these new voters will come from. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-explained-the-seismic-2022-federal-election-the-australian-election-study-has-answers-195286" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Images: Getty

Legal

Happy Howlidays! Most popular pet names of 2022 revealed

The top pet names for 2022 are in, with Luna, Bella and Archie continuing to dominate lists, with a few extra names making their debuts. Luna was the top name for female cats and dogs, while Archie and Charlie are the winners for male dogs. The list was complied by Pet Insurance Australia and showed the top trending names for cats and dogs born in 2022. “It's lovely to explore these lists every year to see the current trends with pet names,” Nadia Crighton from Pet Insurance Australia said. The top name for a male dog was Milo, according to the insurer's data, while the top name for a male cat was Ollie, which ranked in seventh place for dogs. Female cats appeared to be named after pantry staples, with Pepper, Maple, Biscuit and Candy all making the list. Male cats were more likely to have names common among children, including Ollie, Archie, Charlie, Sam, Teddy and Ziggy. While female dogs continue to carry on with monikers that have been able to pass the tests of time – including Daisy, Bella, Ruby, Molly and Lola. Top male cat names: <ol> <li>Ollie</li> <li>Archie</li> <li>Charlie</li> <li>Chino</li> <li>Floyd</li> <li>Loki</li> <li>Sam</li> <li>Snowy</li> <li>Teddy</li> <li>Ziggy</li> </ol> Top female cat names: <ol> <li>Luna</li> <li>Pepper</li> <li>Maple</li> <li>Winnie</li> <li>Angel</li> <li>Audrey</li> <li>Baby</li> <li>Biscuit</li> <li>Candy</li> <li>Charlotte</li> </ol> Top male dog names: 1. Milo 2. Teddy 3. Archie 4. Charlie 5. Buddy 6. Murphy 7. Ollie 8. Alife 9. Leo 10. Ziggy Top female dog names: 1. Luna 2. Daisy 3. Bella 4. Ruby 5. Coco 6. Molly 7. Nala 8. Lola 9. Winne 10. Maggie Images: Getty

Family & Pets

Puzzles Issue 2 2022 Answers

Spring is in full swing, and while there are few things more satisfying than glimpses of sunshine and watching the flowers bloom, do NOT forget the satisfaction to be gained from a round of solid puzzles done well. To that end, Issue Number Two of the new OverSixty Newspaper is packed with tricky Crosswords, Sudokus, Word Finders and more for your entertainment and to keep that grey matter limbered up. So! Without further ado, here are the solutions to <a href="https://over60newspapers.azurewebsites.net/Over_Sixty_Winter_2022_Digital/30/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">all of the puzzles from Issue 2</a> of the FREE OverSixty Newspaper. Enjoy! Mixed-Up Crossword Answers: <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/10/O60_PuzzleAnswers_Spring2022_crossword.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="1276" /> Sudoko Answers: <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/10/O60_PuzzleAnswers_Spring2022_sudoku.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="1278" /> Rearrange Answer: We asked you to rearrange these letters to form a single word: glycerine fit SOLUTION: ELECTRIFYING Word Finder Answers: We found all of these words below in this issue's Word Finder. Did you find any more? Let us know via <a href="mailto:newspaper@oversixty.com.au" target="_blank" rel="noopener">newspaper@oversixty.com.au</a> <ol> <li>ACNE</li> <li>ACTS</li> <li>ANEW</li> <li>BANE</li> <li>BANK</li> <li>CANE</li> <li>CITE</li> <li>ENACT</li> <li>ANACTS</li> <li>FACE</li> <li>FACET</li> <li>FACETS</li> <li>FACT</li> <li>FACTS</li> <li>FANE</li> <li>FITS</li> <li>GETS</li> <li>GUST</li> <li>KEGS</li> <li>KNEW</li> <li>NEGUS</li> <li>NETS</li> <li>PICA</li> <li>PICT</li> <li>PICTS</li> <li>PITS</li> <li>RUGS</li> <li>RUST</li> <li>RUSTIC</li> <li>STEW</li> <li>SUET</li> <li>SURGE</li> <li>URGE</li> <li>VICE</li> <li>WEAN</li> <li>WETS</li> </ol> Word Circles Answer: We asked you to unscramble the letters in each circle to produce two words with similar meanings. SOLUTION: BROCHURE, PAMPHLET Word Ladder Answer: For this puzzle we asked you to turn OIL into GAS by altering a single letter at each of four steps, guided by the clues below. SOLUTION: OIL NIL (Nothing) NIP (Pinch) NAP (Doze) GAP (Aperture) GAS

Mind

The best and worst outfits from the race that stops the nation

It's the race that stops the nation and the Melbourne Cup did just that. But before punters watched the horses race, they showed off their outfits and some of them were a little worse for wear while others wowed. Christian Wilkins, the 27-year-old model son of Channel 9 presenter Richard Wilkins wore a stunning pastel green tailored silk suit worn with dark green platform heels. MasterChef judge Melissa Leong wore a satin suit, while singer Delta Goodrem was in a floral Dolce & Gabbana dress. This year’s Melbourne Cup Carnival was the first time since the pandemic halted major events around the world. Around 90,000 spectators attended the event with those unable to join in tuned in to the race. The 2022 Melbourne Cup was won by Gold Trip, ridden by Mark Zahra, with Emissary in second place. High Emocean hit the finish line at third place with fan favourite Deauville Legend finishing in fourth. Check out some of the outfits below. Images: Getty/Instagram

Beauty & Style

Pensioners slam budget that “left them behind”

Two Aussie pensioners have slammed Labor’s budget saying they have been left behind as the cost of living continues to soar. Lyn and Des Wicks from the Gold Coast recalled how Labor was meant to be helping low and middle income earners but have instead abandoned them in the 2022 Budget. Ms Wicks said she was “angry” at the government for not looking after pensioners and is worried about the future. "You don't want handouts, but - we're speaking on behalf of pensioners who are really doing it hard. We've got savings but we are dipping into it,” she told The Today Show. "It's just not fair. It's just the low income and the people, they haven't given us any hope and, you know, hope is happiness, happiness is health, you know, they are being - it's a false economy as far as I'm concerned." The couple’s biggest concern is the increase in prices of electricity and fuel which were barely mentioned in the budget. She explained that the budget did not look at those on the full pension, only those who are partially retired. Because of their health issues, Mrs and Mr Wicks are unable to take heed from the government’s advice of going back to work. "Even if I could I wouldn't, because I have worked 52 years and I think I'm entitled to a few years of retirement,” she said. Click <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/money-banking/big-winners-and-losers-of-the-2022-federal-budget" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a> for the winners and losers of the 2022 Budget. Image: Today Show

Retirement Life

Big winners and losers of the 2022 federal budget

The Albanese government has shared their first budget since being in power, with little to be done to help everyday Aussies with the ongoing cost of living crisis. Treasurer Jim Chalmers said Australia cannot afford to “spray money around indiscriminately”, although there were real winners in Labor's first Federal Budget in almost a decade. Parents, students, seniors, first home buyers and Australians needing medication have been put forward in the budget, with the government assuring to spend the money needed to help Aussies doing it tough. When it comes to losers, low and middle income earners, renters and young Australians won’t be receiving any handouts from the government. Winners Australians who need medication From the beginning of next year, the minimum cost of each script will drop from $42.50 to $30, with the government picking up the difference. The Budget estimates this will save about 3.6 million Australians more than a combined $190 million a year Dozens more prescriptions will also be added to the scheme at a cost of $1.4 billion to the Budget, saving patients who need them thousands of dollars. First home buyers As Australia’s population grows, the government wants a million new homes built over the next five year. For its part, a $10 billion grant to a Housing Australia Future Fund will be set up, interest from which will be used to deliver 30,000 social and affordable homes over the half a decade. A more limited assistance scheme will help 10,000 first homebuyers in regional areas by guaranteeing up to 15 per cent of the purchase price. Seniors Homeowners aged 55 and over are eligible for a tax break on a one-off post-tax contribution to their superannuation of up to $300,000 after selling their home. The Budget also extends the asset test exemption for pensioners to downsize their homes without losing any of their payments. Age and veteran pensioners will also get a one-off $4,000 tax credit to increase how much they can earn, from $7,800 to $11,800 without having their payments cut so they can work longer hours if they choose to go back to work. Climate change efforts The government has pledged over $30 billion in climate-related spending. Some $20 billion will be allocated to rewire the nation for renewable energy takes the lion's share, along with $630 million for a new disaster ready fund. Some $1.9 billion for a Powering the Regions fund, $275 million for driving the use of electric cars, and $224 million for community batteries to support household solar are also on the climate books. Women A record $1.7 billion will be spent over six years to end violence against women and children and an initial $3.4 million will be set aside to introduce a program offering 10 days of paid domestic and family violence leave. Education for consent and respectful relationships will receive $83.5 million over six years, with $42.5 million set aside for sexual harassment at work, to implement recommendations of the Respect@Work report. Losers Low and middle income earners The government has chosen not to extend the popular Lower and Middle Income Tax Offset (LMITO) for the 2022-23 financial year. Known as 'the Lamington' scheme, the offset saved Aussies up to $1500 in tax in the last financial year - meaning taxpayers will feel the pinch once they have lodged their annual taxes. Motorists Despite public outcry, the government discontinued the 22c cut to the fuel excise implemented by the Morrison Government that cost $3 billion over six months. The cost of petrol remains above $2 a litre and shows no signs of falling. Renters Landlords have already started raising rental prices to accommodate for the price of inflation and the surge of mortgage repayments. Treasury forecasts rental costs will spike over the next couple of years, Budget documents said. Getting a rental is already extremely difficult in most capital cities and there was nothing in the Budget to specifically address the concerns of tenants. Young Australians Australia's debt levels are expected to surpass the $1 trillion mark for the first time ever and someone is going to have to pay for it. Gross government debt is expected to reach $1.004 billion in 2023-24, making up 40.8 per cent of gross domestic product or economic output. This was expected to rise to $1.091 trillion in 2024-25, comprising 42.5 percent of GDP, and $1.159 billion by 2025-26 comprising 43.1 percent of the economy, which will inevitably fall to the next generation to solve. Image credits: Getty Images

Money & Banking

Shehan Karunatilaka wins Booker prize for Sri Lankan political satire, The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida

Sri Lankan novelist Shehan Karunatilaka has won the 2022 Booker Prize for his second novel, The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida. The win couldn’t come at a better time for Sri Lanka, a country once more engaged in <a href="https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/10/06/sri-lanka-economic-crisis-protests-imf/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">political and economic instability</a>, as it suffers through one of the world’s worst economic crises, with soaring inflation, food and fuel shortages, and low supplies of foreign reserves. And of course, the government was overthrown in July, after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled following mass protests. Karunatilaka said in his acceptance speech: <blockquote> My hope for Seven Moons is this; that in the not-too-distant future, 10 years, as long as it takes, Sri Lanka […] has understood that these ideas of corruption and race-baiting and cronyism have not worked and will never work. </blockquote> <h2>Political black comedy</h2> Karunatilaka’s novel is extraordinary – and hard to pin down. It is at once a black comedy about the afterlife, a murder mystery whodunit, and a political satire set against the violent backdrop of the late-1980s Sri Lankan civil war. It is also a story of love and redemption. Malinda “Maali” Kabalana, a closeted war photographer, wakes up dead in what seems to be a celestial waiting room. The setting will be familiar to many who’ve spent time in Colombo (as I have – it’s where my husband’s family is from). We open in a busy, bureaucratic office, filled with confusion, noise, a propensity against queuing – and a healthy dose of “gallows” humour. In other words, Maali is in some sort of purgatory. Maali soon discovers he has seven days – seven moons – to solve his own murder. This isn’t easy – he is interrupted by sardonic ghosts (often with grudges, questionable motives, and a tendency towards extreme chattiness), the violent reality of war-torn Colombo, and piecing together his memories of who he was. He also has seven moons to lead his official girlfriend and his secret boyfriend to a cache of photographs, taken over time, which document the horror of the war – and incriminate local and foreign governments. Karunatilaka’s subject matter and plot highlight, question and explore Sri Lanka’s legacy – and its continued, difficult relationship with its civil war, which spanned 1983 to 2009, though the reverberations continue. And his novel’s provocative, intimate, second-person style implicates us – the readers. Karunatilaka has mastered his craft as a novelist. He never once wavers from a second-person perspective that might be unwieldy (perhaps even gimmicky) in a lesser writer’s hands. The novel tells us, “Don’t try and look for the good guys, ‘cause there ain’t none”. It realises a combined responsibility for the tragedy of that 25-year civil war, in which the country’s colonial history is also implicated. British colonialists brought Tamil workers from South India to Sri Lanka, to work as indentured labourers on their coffee, tea and rubber plantations. Their descendants’ fight for an independent Tamil state was a strong component of the civil war. <h2>Diffusing violence with humour</h2> As a novelist and lover of second-person narration and a long-time follower of Karuntailaka’s accomplished work, I couldn’t be more delighted by this Booker win. I first came across Karunatilaka through his debut novel, <a href="https://www.penguin.com.au/books/chinaman-9780099555681" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chinaman</a>, which was handed to me by my sister-in-law several years ago on a family visit to Colombo. That book taught me about cricket, but it also taught me the sardonic brilliance of Sri Lankan humour. Karunatilaka once again uses humour to great effect in The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida – to diffuse confronting moments of violence, to engage his reader, and for pure enjoyment. This novel follows a murder victim through a bloody civil war – and it’s laugh-out-loud funny. It’s also a tighter, more focused book than Chinaman: here is an author in control of his craft and what he wants to say with it. The Booker judges, too, praised the “scope and the skill, the daring, the audacity and hilarity” of the book. Karunatilaka’s winning novel took time to write. Ten years have passed since Chinaman. His skilful use of craft to tell this complicated story is testament to the idea that good books take the time they need: something that all authors know but publishers are not always willing to accept. However, Karunatilaka has been busy in that ten years, not just writing literary fiction, but writing for children – and having a family. The 47-year-old is now married with two kids. Karunatilaka is only the second Sri Lankan novelist to have won the Booker Prize. (The first was Michael Ondaatje in 1992 for The English Patient.) But last year, his countryman Anuk Arudpragasam was also <a href="https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/authors/anuk-arudpragasam" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shortlisted</a>, for <a href="https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/book/Anuk-Arudpragasam-Passage-North-9781783786961" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A Passage North</a>, another accomplished novel set in the aftermath of the civil war. I’m excited by what this means for Sri Lankan authors and the Sri Lankan publishing scene. Here is a country with stories to tell and enormous skill to tell them with: let’s hope this leads to more Sri Lankan novels achieving wide readership, success and deserved acclaim. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/shehan-karunatilaka-wins-booker-prize-for-sri-lankan-political-satire-the-seven-moons-of-maali-almeida-192722" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: thebookerprizes.com

Books

Stunning winners of 2022 iPhone Photography awards

The winners of the 2022 iPhone Photography Awards have been announced, with these talented photographers showing how the Apple smartphone can be used to the best of its ability. The annual awards, which is in its 15th year, received "thousands of submissions from all over the world", with many of this year’s winning photographs depicting "beauty rising out of isolation" and honouring "photography’s ability to build bridges across lost connections", according to the judges. Awards were given out in several categories, including abstract, animals, architecture, children, city life, environment, landscape, lifestyle, nature, other, people, portrait, series, still life, sunset and travel. The overall winner of the competition was Italian photographer Antonio Denti, who captured a poignant picture of a child and a solider in Iraq, described as a "moment of tenderness in the dusty rubble of war". Commenting on the winners, jury member Whitney Van Nes says, "With images that appreciate the sublime and the beautiful, this year’s winning photographers share a strength of spirit in the face of our unnerving world." "Congratulations to all the winners and your awareness in the moment that life is happening." All image credits: iPhone Photography Awards

Technology

Qantas reports huge loss but even bigger revenue

Qantas CEO Alan Joyce has announced a whopping $1.9 billion loss for the 2022 Financial Year. Following almost two years of next to no flights due to the Covid pandemic, Mr Joyce explained that flights are “all full” as they push to get them out of storage. He however revealed that despite air travel resuming, his company has faced a devastating loss but quite an impressive revenue. “The Group had an underlying loss before tax of almost $1.9 billion, and a statutory loss before tax of just under $1.2 billion,” Mr Joyce said. “That brings our total losses since the start of the pandemic to more than $7 billion and takes lost revenue to more than $25 billion. “To put that in perspective, on a statutory basis, COVID cost us more money in the past three years than we made in the five years before that. “The fact we’ve been able to steer through this is remarkable. And now that we are through it, things are improving even faster than we expected.” Mr Joyce then noted the frustration felt by flyers due to delayed and cancelled flights, lost luggage, and labour shortage. He said that they are working toward improving customers’ experience as leisure flying soared to 125 per cent of pre-Covid levels and business travel to 90 per cent. “As many of you have probably experienced, strong travel demand has also brought some difficulties,” he continued. “We knew the recovery was coming and we were ready for the restart. What we weren’t ready for – after 18 months of COVID being suppressed – was such high levels of community transmission and the sick leave that followed. “The rebound in travel demand also coincided with a massive labour shortage. Of course, that shortage has been more acute in aviation because of how many people left the industry during two very uncertain years. “All of this resulted in well-publicised problems: long queues, delayed flights and misplaced bags. “It was incredibly tough for our people and deeply frustrating for our passengers. It simply wasn’t good enough, and for that, we have apologised.” Mr Joyce revealed that the company has hired more than 1,500 staff since April, with more new recruits to come in the next few months. “We’re reducing our domestic flying – in part – to give us more buffer. We are rostering more crew across fewer flights, which means we can better cover sick leave that is averaging almost 50 per cent above normal,” he continued. “We’re also investing more in technology, including an upgrade to our airport kiosks and bag drop facilities, as well as new scanners at boarding gates.” Image: Getty

Travel Trouble

Inflation is 2022’s boogeyman. How can we address rising living costs, while helping bring it down?

An entire generation has never experienced life with high inflation. But that is set to change. Countries like Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and others are <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/06/inflation-stats-usa-and-world/">reporting rising inflation</a>. In New Zealand, inflation has climbed to its <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/129293267/annual-inflation-hits-73">highest rate in 32 years</a>. Our collective inexperience with the scourge of inflation, and how to solve it, could be a real problem. For those experiencing high inflation for the first time, it is helpful to understand just what economists and politicians are talking about. Inflation is a sustained increase in overall prices. Not everything goes up by the same amount but when people are having to pay more each week, month or year for the same basket of goods and services then that’s inflation. Inflation is harmful in many ways. It works like rust – slowly eating away at the value of your money. Inflation affects all of us. It doesn’t matter what the face value of your money is – what matters is the quantity of goods and services you can buy with it. The real value of money One easy way to understand inflation is to look at what you can buy for the money you have. Suppose at the start of the year your $100 note bought you 20 cups of coffee. However, inflation pushes coffee from $5 to $6 a cup. By the end of the year, your same $100 only buys you 16 cups of coffee. The face value of your money is the same but its real value (in terms of the number of coffees you can buy) has gone down. Your money is worth less now than a year ago. This rise in costs hurts wage earners who have limited opportunity to renegotiate their wages. Inflation also hurts those on fixed incomes such as beneficiaries and superannuitants who only receive periodic adjustments. Rising inflation hurts savers who find the real value of their savings going down if returns on savings don’t keep up with inflation – which they currently aren’t. Inflation can benefit borrowers who have the same debt at the end of the year but the value of that debt is lower in real terms. Providing there is at least some inflation adjustment to their income, borrowers have to sacrifice less to repay their debt. While this sounds good, it’s not. It encourages poor borrowing decisions and discourages savings. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/474465/original/file-20220718-495-2r9amx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/474465/original/file-20220718-495-2r9amx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/474465/original/file-20220718-495-2r9amx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/474465/original/file-20220718-495-2r9amx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/474465/original/file-20220718-495-2r9amx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/474465/original/file-20220718-495-2r9amx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/474465/original/file-20220718-495-2r9amx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Young woman looking at a grocery receipt." /><figcaption>Inflation has risen to levels not seen for three decades. Consumers will feel the squeeze as their purchasing power drops. <a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/photo/checking-receipt-royalty-free-image/691853536?adppopup=true">Getty Images</a></figcaption></figure> The all-encompassing impact of inflation In a progressive tax system, inflation hurts salary and wage earners who get pushed into higher tax brackets as they receive inflation adjustments to their pay. Inflation can also cause issues at a national level. If one country’s inflation rate is higher than their trading partners then its currency falls in value. In the early 1970s, the NZ dollar was worth almost US$1.50. Our higher inflation rates of the 70s and 80s saw it fall to around US$0.50 by the mid 80s. This drop in value limits what we can buy from overseas – things like life-saving drugs will become more expensive for us if we don’t get inflation down and others do. The causes of inflation can come from good intentions Inflation is too much money chasing too few goods. If central banks push more money into circulation, there is a real risk of inflation. A big increase in demand for goods from, for example, an increase in government spending can also trigger inflation. So can supply chain disruptions that reduce the goods available (meaning the same amount of money chasing fewer goods). Unfortunately, all these triggers are currently in play as countries respond to a series of global crises. The invasion of Ukraine and ongoing COVID-19 supply chain disruptions have reduced the goods available. Governments globally have boosted spending to support their economies. But this latter factor has been put on steroids by central banks being willing to purchase government debt. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/474468/original/file-20220718-53534-kfbvw2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/474468/original/file-20220718-53534-kfbvw2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/474468/original/file-20220718-53534-kfbvw2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/474468/original/file-20220718-53534-kfbvw2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/474468/original/file-20220718-53534-kfbvw2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/474468/original/file-20220718-53534-kfbvw2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/474468/original/file-20220718-53534-kfbvw2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Man with mask pushing supermarket trolly." /><figcaption>Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has caused a cost-of-living crisis. <a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/photo/man-wearing-mask-while-shopping-in-supermarket-royalty-free-image/1235145649?adppopup=true">Getty Images</a></figcaption></figure> Unintended consequences The RBNZ bought billions of government bonds to keep interest rates low as part of its <a href="https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/library-research-papers/research-papers/library-research-brief-large-scale-asset-purchase-lsap-programme">“large scale asset purchases” programme</a>. In New Zealand, the average money growth between 1995 and 2019 was about 8% per year. This accommodates a growing population, a growing economy and a little bit of inflation (a little bit is OK). In the last two years money supply has grown by around 30% per year. Of course it’s easy to look back with the benefit of hindsight. Those who made the decisions at the time don’t have that luxury. The RBNZ is now they are having to wind back their asset purchases and raise interest rates to rein in inflation. Some argue the RBNZ has been <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/129311096/more-pain-expected-as-inflation-runs-hotter-than-a-government-can-handle">distracted and has dropped the ball on their key job</a> and we are now facing the risk the inflation genie is out of the bottle. Whether that criticism is justified or not, the RBNZ will now have to act decisively to reduce inflation. But getting inflation down is never painless. Households with mortgages will find their weekly budgets squeezed as interest rates rise. Firms will face falling demand from consumers with less to spend. Job growth will dry up – though New Zealand is in the fortunate position of starting with very low unemployment. Regardless, the RBNZ must do the job they got back in 1989 with the passing of the <a href="https://www.rbnz.govt.nz/-/media/29ada25bfa8b4e50922262618fb03e00.ashx?sc_lang=en">Reserve Bank of New Zealand Act</a>. New Zealand’s central bank is the only one that can control monetary conditions; it’s the only one that can get inflation under control. The same could be said for many of the countries facing growing inflation. If central banks don’t take decisive action, we could get a sharp reminder of just how bad inflation can be.<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/187154/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/stephen-hickson-1288490">Stephen Hickson</a>, Economics Lecturer and Director Business Taught Masters Programme, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-canterbury-1004">University of Canterbury</a> 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/inflation-is-2022s-boogeyman-how-can-we-address-rising-living-costs-while-helping-bring-it-down-187154">original article</a>. Image: Getty Images

Money & Banking

Princess Charlotte joins her dad in rare video message

Princess Charlotte has joined Prince William in a rare video message as the royal father and daughter wished England's football team good luck in the Euro 2022 women's final. In the video shared by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on Instagram, William and Charlotte sent a message to the Lionesses, who later made history by winning their first major women's tournament by beating Germany 2-1. "We both want to wish the Lionesses the best of luck for tonight," William said. "You've done amazingly well in the competition and we're rooting for you all the way." Sitting on her father's lap, Charlotte chimes in with a short and sweet declaration of her own, saying, "Good luck, I hope you win. Bye!" and signing off with a wave. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cgq4TEyFBbg/?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/Cgq4TEyFBbg/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@dukeandduchessofcambridge)</a> </div> </blockquote> The women's team responded to the royal message with their gratitude for the well wishes. Queen Elizabeth later sent a message of congratulations to England, after the match went into extra time on Sunday. "My warmest congratulations, and those of my family, go to you all on winning the European Women's Football Championships. It is a significant achievement for the entire team, including your support staff," Her Majesty said in a statement. "The Championships and your performance in them have rightly won praise. However, your success goes far beyond the trophy you have so deservedly earned." "You have all set an example that will be an inspiration for girls and women today, and for future generations. It is my hope that you will be as proud of the impact you have had on your sport as you are of the result today." Prince William attended the final match at Wembley, and handed out the trophy to England's winning team. Image credits: Instagram / Getty Images

Family & Pets

The world's best restaurants for 2022 have been revealed

The cosmopolitan city of Copenhagen has had another incredible culinary year after a restaurant in the Danish capital was crowned best on the planet for the second year in a row. Geranium, which serves a meat-free, seasonally based Scandi menu, located in the unique location of the eighth floor of Denmark's national soccer stadium. It's open four days a week, a choice made by head chef Rasmus Kofoed and co-owner Søren Ledet in order to keep to an ethos of work-life balance. The two friends hugged joyfully as they celebrated winning their award at a lavish ceremony held in London's Old Billingsgate, a Victorian building that was once the world's largest fish market. Hollywood actor and CNN presenter Stanley Tucci hosted the ceremony, in a white tuxedo jacket on one of the UK's hottest days on record. Restaurants are only permitted to scoop the awards' top prize once, after which they're entered into a separate "Best of the Best" program. Members of that elite group include Geranium's Copenhagen neighbor Noma, as well as New York's Eleven Madison Park, The Fat Duck near London, Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy, and Mirazur in Menton, France. South American restaurants fared well. In Lima, chefs Virgilio Martínez and Pía León's Central climbed two places to the second spot, while Maido, which serves Japanese-Peruvian fusion, slipped down to No. 11. Brazil's A Caso do Porco – a celebration of all things porcine has climbed 10 places to No. 7. Spain's presence on the list this year was solid with Barcelona's Disfrutar at No. 3, while Madrid's Diverxo shot up to 4th place. Larrabetzu's Asador Etxebarri – where all dishes, even dessert, are flame-grilled has slipped down to No. 6. Mexico City was represented by fifth place winner Pujol this year's Best Restaurant in North America and Quintonil, which climbed all the way from last year's No. 27 has landed in a No. 9 spot. Italy's Lido 84 and Le Calandre also moved up the rankings this year. Uliassi, in Italy's Senigallia region, was at No. 12, this year's Highest New Entry. It's not until No.20 that an Asia-based restaurant makes an appearance, with Den in Tokyo earning the highest place on this year's list. In the 20 years the awards have been running, no restaurant outside Europe or North America has ever won the World's 50 Best prize. All winners so far have come from Spain, the United States, the UK, Denmark, Italy and France. Here are the world’s best restaurants: 1. <a href="http://www.geranium.dk/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Geranium</a> (Copenhagen, Denmark) 2. <a href="http://centralrestaurante.com.pe/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Central</a> (Lima, Peru) *Best Restaurant in South America* 3. <a href="http://www.disfrutarbarcelona.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Disfrutar</a> (Barcelona, Spain) 4. <a href="https://diverxo.com/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Diverxo</a> (Madrid, Spain) 5. <a href="https://www.pujol.com.mx/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pujol</a> (Mexico City, Mexico) *Best Restaurant in North America* 6. <a href="http://asadoretxebarri.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Asador Etxebarri</a> (Axpe, Spain) 7. <a href="https://acasadoporco.com.br/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A Casa do Porco</a> (São Paulo, Brazil) 8. <a href="https://www.ristorantelido84.com/en/home-2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lido 84</a> (Gardone Riviera, Italy) 9. <a href="http://www.quintonil.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Quintonil</a> (Mexico City, Mexico) 10. <a href="https://www.alajmo.it/en/sezione/le-calandre/le-calandre" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Le Calandre</a> (Rubano, Italy) 11. <a href="http://www.maido.pe/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Maido</a> (Lima, Peru) 12. <a href="https://www.uliassi.com/homepage/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Uliassi</a> (Senigallia, Italy) 13. <a href="https://www.steirereck.at/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Steirereck</a> (Vienna, Austria) 14. <a href="http://www.parrilladonjulio.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Don Julio</a> (Buenos Aires, Argentina) 15. <a href="https://www.nikoromito.com/reale/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reale</a> (Castel di Sangro, Italy) 16. <a href="https://www.restauranteelkano.com/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Elkano</a> (Getaria, Spain) 17. <a href="https://www.nobelhartundschmutzig.com/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nobelhart & Schmutzig</a> (Berlin, Germany) 18. <a href="https://alchemist.dk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alchemist</a> (Copenhagen, Denmark) 19. <a href="https://www.piazzaduomoalba.it/it/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Piazza Duomo</a> (Alba, Italy) 20. <a href="http://www.jimbochoden.com/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Den</a> (Tokyo, Japan) *Best Restaurant in Asia* 21. <a href="http://www.mugaritz.com/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mugaritz</a> (San Sebastian, Spain) 22. <a href="http://www.septime-charonne.fr/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Septime</a> (Paris, France) 23. <a href="https://www.thejaneantwerp.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Jane</a> (Antwerp, Belgium) 24. <a href="https://www.thechairmangroup.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Chairman</a> (Hong Kong) 25. <a href="http://www.restaurantfrantzen.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Frantzén</a> (Stockholm, Sweden) 26. <a href="https://tim-raue.com/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Restaurant Tim Raue</a> (Berlin, Germany) 27. <a href="https://www.hofvancleve.com/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hof van Cleve</a> (Kruishoutem, Belgium) 28. <a href="https://www.le-clarence.paris/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Clarence</a> (Paris, France) 29. <a href="https://www.st-hubertus.it/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">St. Hubertus</a> (San Cassiano, Italy) 30. <a href="https://www.aoyama-florilege.jp/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Florilege</a> (Tokyo, Japan) 31. <a href="https://www.alain-passard.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Arpège</a> (Paris, France) 32. <a href="https://www.maytalima.com/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mayta</a> (Lima, Peru) 33. <a href="https://www.atomixnyc.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Atomix</a> (New York City) 34. <a href="https://www.hisafranko.com/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hiša Franko</a> (Kobarid, Slovenia) 35. <a href="http://thecloveclub.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Clove Club</a> (London, UK) 36. <a href="http://www.odetterestaurant.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Odette</a> (Singapore) 37. <a href="https://fynrestaurant.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fyn</a> (Cape Town, South Africa) 38. <a href="https://restaurantjordnaer.dk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jordnær</a> (Copenhagen, Denmark) 39. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sornfinesouthern/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sorn</a> (Bangkok, Thailand) 40. <a href="https://schauenstein.ch/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Schloss Schauenstein</a> (Fürstenau, Switzerland) 41. <a href="http://www.la-cime.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">La Cime</a> (Osaka, Japan) 42. <a href="https://en.quiquedacosta.es/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Quique Dacosta</a> (Dénia, Spain) 43. <a href="https://www.borago.cl/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Boragó</a> (Santiago, Chile) 44. <a href="https://www.le-bernardin.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Le Bernardin</a> (New York City) 45. <a href="http://www.narisawa-yoshihiro.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Narisawa</a> (Tokyo, Japan) 46. <a href="https://belcanto.pt/index.php?lang=pt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Belcanto</a> (Lisbon, Portugal) 47. <a href="http://www.oteque.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Oteque</a> (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) 48. <a href="http://www.restauranteleo.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Leo</a> (Bogotá, Colombia) 49. <a href="https://ikoyilondon.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ikoyi</a> (London, England) 50. <a href="https://www.singlethreadfarms.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SingleThread</a> (Healdsburg, California) Image: Eatweek

Food & Wine

The world's best cities in 2022 revealed

The top 53 cities in the world have been crowned, after Time Out asked 20,000 city dwellers around the world to share their opinion. The guide's <a href="https://www.timeout.com/things-to-do/best-cities-in-the-world" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener">2022 World's Best Cities Index</a> revealed that Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, has been voted the best city in 2022, due to its beauty, history and walkability. The Illinois capital city of Chicago came in second, the Colombian city of Medellin in third, Glasgow in fourth place and The Netherlands' capital of Amsterdam in fifth place. The ranking is now in its fifth year, as it calls on those who live in a city to "point people in the direction of the places that locals are raving about" and putting an emphasis on "the things that make cities great places to visit as well as to live". Edinburgh took the crown as the best city in world, with locals calling the city "ever-evolving". Time Out added about the city, "Self-expression is encouraged, with 88 per cent of locals saying it is easy to express who you are in the city. It's something that’s celebrated every summer with the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, which this year will be marking its 75th anniversary." Chicago's second place spot is largely due to the city's thriving art and culture scene, with 95% of people claiming there is always something new to do. The guide adds, "Whether you want to try world-class dining from high-end restaurants to outstanding family-run eateries, party until 4am at historic clubs, spend a day soaking up the sun along Lake Michigan, see iconic artworks or just wander among different neighbourhoods – all this is putting the city on the map for visitors." Two Aussie cities made the list, with Melbourne coming in at 15th and Sydney taking out the 46th spot. One New Zealand city also featured in the list, with Auckland coming in at 47th. Check out the entire list of the top 53 cities for 2022 below. 1. Edinburgh, Scotland 2. Chicago, USA 3. Medellin, Colombia 4. Glasgow, Scotland 5. Amsterdam, The Netherlands 6. Prague, Czech Republic 7. Marrakech, Morocco 8. Berlin, Germany 9. Montreal, Canada 10. Copenhagen, Denmark 11. Cape Town, South Africa 12. Madrid, Spain 13. Manchester, England 14. Mumbai, India 15. Melbourne, Australia 16. Taipei, Taiwan 17. London, England 18. Porto, Portugal 19. Lyon, France 20. New York, USA 21. Buenos Aires, Argentina 22. Birmingham, England 23. Stockholm, Sweden 24. Tokyo, Japan 25. San Francisco, USA 26. Delhi, India 27. Toronto, Canada 28. Lisbon, Portugal 29. Boston, USA 30. Mexico City, Mexico 31. Tel Aviv, Israel 32. Paris, France 33. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 34. Manila, Philippines 35. Athens, Greece 36. Dublin, Ireland 37. Sao Paulo, Brazil 38. Miami, USA 39. Barcelona, Spain 40. Dubai, United Arab Emirates 41. Rome, Italy 42. Los Angeles, USA 43. Accra, Ghana 44. Singapore 45. Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates 46. Sydney, Australia 47. Auckland, New Zealand 48. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 49. Johannesburg, South Africa 50. Istanbul, Turkey 51. Bangkok, Thailand 52. Hong Kong 53. Doha, Qatar Image credits: Getty Images

International Travel

It’s 2022. Why do we still not have waterproof phones?

While manufacturers have successfully increased the water-repelling nature of smartphones, they are still far from “waterproof”. A water-resistant product can usually resist water penetration to some extent, but a waterproof product is (meant to be) totally impervious to water. Last week, Samsung Australia was <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/samsung-australia-to-pay-14m-penalty-for-misleading-water-resistance-claims" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fined A$14 million</a> by the Australian Federal Court over false representations in ads of the water resistance of its Galaxy phones. The tech giant admitted that submerging Galaxy phones in pool or sea water could corrode the charging ports and stop the phones from working, if charged while still wet. Similarly, in 2020, Apple was fined <a href="https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/apple-fined-12m-dollars-by-italy-over-iphone-water-resistance-claims/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">€10 million</a> (about A$15.3 million) in Italy for misleading claims about the water resistance of iPhones. It’s very common for phones to become damaged as a result of being dropped in water. In a 2018 survey in the US, <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/959492/us-top-common-smartphone-damage-cause/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">39%</a> of respondents said they’d dropped their phones in water. <a href="https://www.consumeraffairs.com/news/damaged-devices-a-fact-of-life-for-most-smartphone-users-100614.html">Other</a> <a href="https://www.consumeraffairs.com/news/damaged-devices-a-fact-of-life-for-most-smartphone-users-100614.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">surveys</a> have had similar results. So why is it in 2022 – a time where technological marvels surround us – we still don’t have waterproof phones? Waterproof vs water-resistant There’s a <a href="https://www.iec.ch/ip-ratings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rating system</a> used to measure devices’ resistance against solids (such as dust) and liquids (namely water). It’s called the Ingress Protection (IP) rating. An IP rating will have two numbers. In a rating of IP68, the 6 refers to protection against solids on a scale of 0 (no protection) to 6 (high protection), and 8 refers to protection against water on a scale of 0 (no protection) to 9 (high protection). <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471066/original/file-20220627-13-hyrp6k.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471066/original/file-20220627-13-hyrp6k.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471066/original/file-20220627-13-hyrp6k.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471066/original/file-20220627-13-hyrp6k.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471066/original/file-20220627-13-hyrp6k.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471066/original/file-20220627-13-hyrp6k.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471066/original/file-20220627-13-hyrp6k.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471066/original/file-20220627-13-hyrp6k.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Chart showing International Electrotechnical Commission's IP Ratings Guide" /></a><figcaption>The International Electrotechnical Commission is the body behind the IP ratings guide. International Electrotechnical Commission</figcaption></figure> Interestingly, the benchmark for the water-resistance rating varies between manufacturers. For example, Samsung’s IP68-certified phones are <a href="https://www.samsung.com/global/galaxy/what-is/water-resistant/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">water-resistant</a> to a maximum depth of 1.5m in freshwater for up to 30 minutes, and the company cautions against beach or pool use. Some of <a href="https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT207043" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Apple’s iPhones</a> with an IP68 rating can be used at a maximum depth of 6m for up to 30 minutes. Yet both <a href="https://www.samsung.com/au/support/warranty/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Samsung</a> and <a href="https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT207043" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Apple</a> are unlikely to consider repairing your water-damaged phone under their warranties. Moreover, IP rating testing is done under <a href="https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251513569" target="_blank" rel="noopener">controlled</a> laboratory conditions. In real-life scenarios such as boating, swimming or snorkelling, factors including speed, movement, water pressure and alkalinity all vary. So, gauging a phone’s level of water resistance becomes complicated. How are phones made water-resistant? Making a phone water-resistant requires several components and techniques. Typically, the first <a href="https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/how-does-waterproofing-work-apple-iphone-7-samsung-galaxy-s7-sony-xperia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">point of protection</a> is to form a physical barrier around all ingress (entry) points where dust or water could enter. These include the buttons and switches, speakers and microphone outlets, the camera, flash, screen, phone enclosure, USB port and SIM card tray. These points are <a href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?arnumber=8671469" target="_blank" rel="noopener">covered and sealed</a> using glue, adhesive strips and tapes, silicone seals, rubber rings, gaskets, plastic and metal meshes and water-resistant membranes. After this, a layer of ultra-thin polymer <a href="https://www.conformalcoating.co.uk/index.php/materials/nano-coatings/%22%22" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nanocoating</a> is applied to the phone’s circuit board to help repel water. Nevertheless, a phone’s water resistance will still <a href="https://www.phonearena.com/news/phone-not-waterproof-water-resistant-forever_id115587" target="_blank" rel="noopener">decrease</a> with time as components age and deteriorate. Apple <a href="https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT207043" target="_blank" rel="noopener">admits</a> water- and dust-resistance are not permanent features of its phones. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471544/original/file-20220629-19-pektlc.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471544/original/file-20220629-19-pektlc.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471544/original/file-20220629-19-pektlc.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471544/original/file-20220629-19-pektlc.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471544/original/file-20220629-19-pektlc.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471544/original/file-20220629-19-pektlc.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471544/original/file-20220629-19-pektlc.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471544/original/file-20220629-19-pektlc.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Phone gets flushed in a toilet bowl" /></a><figcaption>Many people drop their phones down the toilet – be careful! Shutterstock</figcaption></figure> Cameras are not entirely impervious to water, but some can tolerate submersion a lot better than smartphones. Often that’s because they’re relatively simpler devices. A smartphone has much more functionality, which means internal components are more sensitive, fragile, and must be built into a smaller casing. All of these factors make it doubly difficult to afford phones a similar level of water resistance. Adding water resistance to phones also <a href="https://inshorts.com/en/news/waterproof-phones-would-cost-2030-more-xiaomi-1466431118612" target="_blank" rel="noopener">increases their price</a> for consumers (by 20% to 30%, according to Xiaomi’s co-founder). This is a major consideration for manufacturers – especially since even a small crack can render any waterproofing void. Keeping devices dry Apart from nanocoating on the internal circuit boards, applying <a href="https://www.techradar.com/au/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/why-aren-t-all-our-smartphones-waterproof-right-now-1327692" target="_blank" rel="noopener">water-repellent coating</a> to the exterior of a phone could boost protection. <a href="https://www.p2i.com/solutions/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Some</a> <a href="https://www.hzo.com/solutions/protection-capabilities/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">companies</a> are working on this technology for manufacturers. Future phones <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S003039922031327X" target="_blank" rel="noopener">might also have</a> circuitry that’s fabricated directly onto (waterproof) silicone material using laser writing techniques, and further coated with water-repellant technologies. For now, however, there’s no such thing as a waterproof phone. If your phone does find itself at the bottom of a pool or toilet and isn’t turning on, make sure you take the best steps to ensure it dries out properly (and isn’t further damaged). You can also buy a waterproof case or dry pouch if you want to completely waterproof your phone for water activities.<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/185775/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ritesh-chugh-162770" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ritesh Chugh</a>, Associate Professor - Information and Communications Technology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/cquniversity-australia-2140" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CQUniversity Australia</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/its-2022-why-do-we-still-not-have-waterproof-phones-185775" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>. Image: Getty Images

Technology

Puzzles Winter 2022 Answers

You know what they say! A puzzle a day keeps the brain fog away ... Actually they don't say that. But they should, and perhaps now they will because it's totally true. To that end, we've crammed the new OverSixty Newspaper with Crosswords, Sudokus, Word Finders and more for your entertainment and to keep that grey matter limbered up. So! Without further ado, here are the solutions to <a href="https://over60newspapers.azurewebsites.net/Over_Sixty_Winter_2022_Digital/30/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">all of the puzzles from the Winter 2022 issue</a> of the FREE OverSixty Newspaper. Enjoy! Mixed Up Answers: <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/06/O60_PuzzleAnswers_Winter2022_crossword.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="1276" /> Sudoko Answers: <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/06/O60_PuzzleAnswers_Winter2022_sudoku.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="1278" /> Rearrange Answer: We asked you to rearrange these letters to form a single word: tuna hair ratio SOLUTION: AUTHORITARIAN Word Finder Answers: We found all of these words below in this issue's Word Finder. Did you find any more? Let us know via <a href="mailto:newspaper@oversixty.com.au" target="_blank" rel="noopener">newspaper@oversixty.com.au</a> <ol> <li>ACRES</li> <li>AROSE</li> <li>CARES</li> <li>CAROL</li> <li>CARTING</li> <li>CARTON</li> <li>CATION</li> <li>CATLING</li> <li>CRAGS</li> <li>CRATING</li> <li>CREATING</li> <li>CREATION </li> <li>CURES </li> <li>EATING</li> <li>FLOAT</li> <li>FLOATING </li> <li>FLOGS</li> <li>FLORA</li> <li>FLORAE</li> <li>FLORAS</li> <li>FROGS</li> <li>GATOR</li> <li>GOITRE</li> <li>GORES</li> <li>HURTING</li> <li>HURTLING</li> <li>IGNORE</li> <li>IGNORES </li> <li>INGOT </li> <li>IOTAS </li> <li>LIGATURE</li> <li>LINGO</li> <li>LINGS </li> <li>LITRE</li> <li>LITRES</li> <li>LOACH</li> <li>LONGS </li> <li>LORES</li> <li>LOSER</li> <li>NITRO</li> <li>OLIGARCH</li> <li>RACES</li> <li>RATING</li> <li>RATINGS</li> <li>RATION</li> </ol> Word Circles Answer: We asked you to unscramble the letters in each circle to produce two words that are opposite in meaning to each other. SOLUTION: ASSEMBLE, DISPERSE Word Pyramid Answer: For this puzzle you were given a number of clues. The first answer had two letters, the second three letters, the third four – and so on. Each answer consisted of the same letters as the previous one with the addition of one letter. SOLUTION: Concerning (RE) Rage (IRE) Father (SIRE) Steeple (SPIRE) Desire eagerly (ASPIRE)

Mind

“I didn’t expect that”: Celebrity Apprentice 2022 winner crowned

In a nail-biting grand finale, the winner of Celebrity Apprentice 2022 has been crowned. Tuesday night’s episode saw Benji Marshall and Darren McMullen go head-to-head to fundraise for their chosen charities, with Benji Marshall claiming victory. The two stars were given 24 hours to plan and host an epic charity event. Marshall took a risk to host a free concert - which he was advised against doing - while McMullen opted to throw a high-class charity night. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> And the winner of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CelebrityApprentice?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CelebrityApprentice</a> 2022 is... <a href="https://t.co/wDB73zBBPv">pic.twitter.com/wDB73zBBPv</a> — #CelebrityApprentice Australia (@CelebApprentice) <a href="https://twitter.com/CelebApprentice/status/1539206379470131200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 21, 2022</a></blockquote> As risky as Marshall’s decision was, it ultimately paid off, with the former footy star raising a whopping $387,105 for Souths Cares, which supports disadvantaged and marginalised youth and their families through education, training, health and employment. “Listen, Benji, you came in here as an ex-football player one year on and you’re already back in a final. So the theme of your event was ‘dream big’,” Lord Alan Sugar said to him before the winner was announced. Marshall replied: “The reason why I love being involved with this charity is the kids remind me of me when I was a kid. I feel very connected to them. “The biggest thing I wanted to get out of this event was to inspire kids to dream as big as you want. Believe in yourself, work hard and you’ll be surprised at what can happen.” When it was pointed out how he could have raised money through selling tickets, merchandise, and sponsorship deals - instead opting to give it all away for free - Marshall agreed that it may have been a “bad business decision” but that he couldn’t help it. “To be fair, I probably took a lot of bad business decisions in terms of I could have raised more money, but I just could have missed this opportunity to give her kids stuff for free,” Marshall said. Meanwhile, McMullen’s total earnings of $172,617 for Feel the Magic, which provides early intervention grief programs for kids aged seven to 17, saw him admit that he couldn’t secure the VIP guests he wanted to. “I couldn’t do what I was great at, which is getting black book contacts and raising money,” McMullen said. “Yeah. So ultimately I certainly tried my best, but, there were a lot of phone calls not answered.” Lord Sugar ultimately declared Marshall the winner. “Benji, I am delighted to say that you are the winner of Celebrity Apprentice. With the additional $100,000, you have raised $487,105 - that’s a lotta-lotta money,” he told Marshall. “Well done, that’s going to do a lot of good.” "I didn't expect that. I honestly didn't think I'd last that long because I don't really have a lot of experience in business," Benji told <a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/celebrity-apprentice-australia/2022-winner-exclusive-benji-marshall-grand-final-charity-event-money-raised-souths-cares/a6fefeb6-7fd9-4493-a046-5155a3e1ade2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9Entertainment</a>. <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/CfELbuoJvkC/?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/CfELbuoJvkC/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Benji Marshall (@benji6marshall)</a> </div> </blockquote> Taking to social media overnight, Marshall thanked those who helped him pull the event together and reflected on raising the funds during the Omicron wave of COVID-19. “Wow. I am soo proud to have been able to represent @souths_cares and raise plenty of money and awareness for an amazing charity,” Marshall wrote. “To put together an event in the middle of when omicron first hit was tough. And all in one day. It would not have been possible without all the people that helped out along the way. Big thank you to my crew (Will McMahon, Woody Whitelaw, Bronte Campbell, and Vince Colosimo) for coming back and helping the bro out. You guys were the real mvps!!!” Marshall thanked the sponsors, friends and family who donated, and the musicians who performed for free, including Guy Sebastian, The Wiggles, Isaiah Firebrace, and Noora H. He also praised McMullen’s efforts in the finale. “You are a weapon Dazza and a worthy recipient of the title celebrity apprentice winner as well,” Marshall wrote. “Love ya.” Image: benji6marshall (Instagram)

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