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Brave bystanders praised after mass Sydney stabbing

<p>New details have emerged after multiple people were stabbed following a car crash in Sydney's south, on Sunday. </p> <p>Emergency crews were called to the intersection of Princes Highway and Old Bush Road at about 9am after receiving several triple zero calls about a crash. </p> <p>A 58-year-old man, who was known to police for "a number of matters" and suspected of carrying out the wild attacks, was allegedly found running from the scene by officers. </p> <p>He was later pursued on foot, tasered and taken into custody, and remains in Liverpool Hospital in serious condition, as he appeared to have inflicted a number of injuries to himself before the police arrived. </p> <p>A policeman was also injured during the arrest after the alleged offender stabbed him on his arm. </p> <p>A woman in her 40s, was allegedly being assaulted by the man as he drove, and is believed to be the partner of the alleged offender. </p> <p>“They were in a domestic relationship, there is no history that we are aware of, there is no apprehended violence orders between the two but definitely domestic related,” Superintendent Donald Faulds told a press conference on Sunday afternoon. </p> <p>“We believe the female was being assaulted in the car while the male was driving the vehicle at the same time.</p> <p>“A number of witnesses mentioned the car was driving quite erratically at the time and we believe that’s when the assault was occurring in the car and as result they then collided with another vehicle.”</p> <p>The female passenger was transported to hospital and is in a critical condition. </p> <p>Three other people were also injured, after they had rushed over to the accident to help. </p> <p>It is alleged that he had a box-cutter. </p> <p>“A number of members of the community stopped to assist occupants from both those vehicles,” the Superintendent said. </p> <p>“As community members were assisting one of the females out of one vehicle, a male got out of that vehicle. He was armed with what we believe to be a box cutter.”</p> <p>One witness reportedly told radio station 2GB that he saw a man get out of the car appearing to be armed with a box cutter, yelling “I’m going to kill you”.</p> <p>A NSW spokesman said of those injured, one male patient had sustained slash wounds to his arms and his neck and has been taken to Liverpool Hospital and is now in a serious but stable condition. </p> <p>A woman in her 40s was taken to St George Hospital with multiple stab wounds and is in critical condition. Another woman was hospitalised in a serious condition with a stab wound to the abdomen. </p> <p>The police officer sustained a large laceration to his arm and is in a stable condition. </p> <p>Superintendent Faulds praised the brave bystanders who went to assist those in the crash, without knowing what was about to unfold. </p> <p>“Amazing work, they’ve just turned up thinking it was a normal motor vehicle accident so they’ve obviously have gone to render assistance to both people and then they were faced with a male armed with a box cutter, quite frightening but very brave on those peoples’ behalf,” he said. </p> <p>He has asked the community to reach out to Crime Stoppers or Sutherland Police if they have any information about the incident. </p> <p><em>Images: Nine News</em></p>

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Aussie mum with no licence or car fined thousands for traffic offences

<p>An Aussie mum has copped thousands of dollars worth of traffic fines, despite not owning a car or holding a valid driver's licence. </p> <p>Victorian woman Tamara, 32, claims that she has received 16 different infringement notices this year alone in relation to 14 different licence plate numbers, and none of them are hers. </p> <p>The incorrect fines have been sent to her from as far back as 2022. </p> <p>Several of the alleged offences captured on road safety cameras show bearded men behind the wheel. </p> <p>"Clearly, I don't have a beard. The person in the picture is a male. Anyone with eyes can see it's not me," she told A Current Affair. </p> <p>The saga has badly impacted her mental health and she has called on both the police and road officials in the state to overhaul the system to prevent other people from ending up in the same situation as her. </p> <p>The mum fears that her identity or her expired licence number may have been compromised during Optus' mass data breach two years ago.</p> <p>"I am not the driver. I don't drive a vehicle, I don't even have a licence. I have no idea what to think actually because it is unexplainable."</p> <p>"It doesn't make any sense and it shouldn't make any sense in anyone's eyes. It doesn't add up and it's clearly fraudulent."</p> <p>Lawyer Justin Lawrence agrees with the 32-year-old and said that she is entitled to challenge the fines. </p> <p>"There is a system glitch there somewhere and she's entitled to challenge those fines. The system relies on the information that it has. If the information is inaccurate, then the system can't work," he said.</p> <p>Tamara has made a formal complaint to Victoria Police in a bid to clear her name, and they are now working with Fines Victoria to "investigate the circumstances around these incidents and resolve these matters". </p> <p>"Members of the public who believe they have been falsely nominated for a traffic infringement should contact Fines Victoria," a statement from the police read. </p> <p><em>Images: A Current Affair/ Nine</em></p>

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Heartbreaking update from rollercoaster accident two years on

<p>Two years on from a tragic accident that almost claimed the life of then 26-year-old Shylah Rodden, an investigation into the incident has been brought to a close. </p> <p>In September 2022, Shylah was hit by the moving Rebel Coaster at the Melbourne Royal Show when she allegedly walked onto the tracks to retrieve her phone.</p> <p>The incident cause horrific injuries, leaving Shylah in an induced coma for several weeks. </p> <p>The 28-year-old is still recovering from the accident, with her mother revealing that Shylah can walk and talk but is blind in her right eye and deaf in her left ear. </p> <p>“She has no sense of smell, she has difficulties swallowing, she has cognitive disabilities and impairments,” Kylie Rodden told the <em><a href="https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/shylah-rodden-rollercoaster-victim-remains-deaf-blind-two-years-after-tragedy/news-story/34ef054346b6eadb86231d7b49d2e7bb" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link-type="article-inline">Herald Sun</a></em>.</p> <p>“Most of her days are taken up with different types of therapies.”</p> <p>The mother said her daughter’s “whole life has changed” after the devastating accident. </p> <p>The update on Shylah's recovery comes after WorkSafe Victoria confirmed a lengthy investigation into the incident that injured Rodden had ended and no further action would be taken.</p> <p>“After careful consideration of the evidence, WorkSafe has determined not to take further action against any duty holder on this matter at this time,” a spokesperson said.</p> <p>Rodden’s family said they were left “disappointed” by the decision.</p> <p>“At this stage, we have only received a letter from WorkSafe advising that their investigations are complete and that they have decided not to bring a prosecution against the ride operator,” Sharlene Mehta, Rodden’s lawyer and associate with Arnold Thomas and Becker, said.</p> <p>“We have not received a copy of WorkSafe’s report so we have no knowledge of what their investigations covered, or who was interviewed as part of their investigations."</p> <p>“WorkSafe did not interview Shylah, nor her family in relation to the incident.”</p> <p>Mehta said they were told there is an option to call on WorkSafe to reconsider its findings and potentially undertake further investigation, but they will not make a decision until they get a copy of the findings.</p> <p> </p> <p>“The incident has had far-reaching impacts on Shylah. Whilst her recovery has been miraculous, Shylah’s injuries will carry lifelong impacts,” Mehta said. </p> <p><em>Image credits: 7News</em></p>

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Man arrested over horror crash that left 11-year-old orphaned

<p>A British man has been arrested over a horror crash that left an 11-year-old girl orphaned. </p> <p>Shannen Morgan and Shane Roller have died alongside their two young daughters Rubie, 9, and Lillie, four, when their car collided with a motorbike as the family were travelling home from a walk on Sunday. </p> <p>Christopher Barton, 56, and his wife Janine, 48, who were on the motorbike were also both killed.</p> <p>The couple's son, Lewis, 21 has now been left without his parents, along with Shane and Shannen's 11-year-old daughter Poppie. </p> <p>Shocking pictures taken after the horror crash between Barnsley and Wakefield in northern England, showed the burnt out wreckage of the family's car, who were all declared dead at the scene. </p> <p>Police have confirmed a man has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, according to <em>The Sun</em>. </p> <p>Poppie managed to escape the tragic accident because she had gone to a friend's house for dinner, and Lewis was on holiday in Thailand when he found out about his parents death. </p> <p>The 11-year-old was being looked after by family friend, Paul Hepple, at the time, and he said that they were just tucking into a roast dinner when the phone rang with the devastating news. </p> <p>“Her mum actually contacted us and asked if we could watch her because she didn’t want to go on the walk that they went on,” he told <em>Mail Online</em>.</p> <p>“She was with our daughter having fun. And on their way home, that’s when the accident happened.</p> <p>“We were having Sunday dinner as a family, and Poppie's aunty was with us and obviously, Poppie was as well. And then she got a phone call and she ended up leaving really quickly to go and see what happened.”</p> <p>Hepple, has set up a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-poppie" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> page for Poppie and has raised almost £380,000 (about $745,000 Australian dollars) to put towards her education, emotional support and future care. </p> <p>The family friend has described Poppie as a “bright and resilient young girl” who has turned to Taylor Swift’s music to find comfort after she “lost her whole world in an instant”.</p> <p>“Despite her unimaginable loss, she shows incredible strength every day,” he wrote on the fundraiser.</p> <p>“Poppie now faces an uncertain future. With her immediate family gone, she needs support to ensure she has a stable, loving environment where she can heal and grow.”</p> <p>Shannen and Shane's devastated friends and family have shared their tributes on social media, vowing to look after Poppie. </p> <p>Shane’s brother Callum said he was “lost for words”, adding: “I’m absolutely heartbroken. I’m gonna miss all of you! You all had a heart of gold. My heart is ripped into a million pieces!”</p> <p>Shannen's friend Chelsea Element wrote: “You are and always will be one of my closest friends.</p> <p>“There are no words to describe the utter loss this has created for family/friends and the community around us. I hope you’re at peace Shannen Morgan and Shane Roller, with your beautiful girls.</p> <p>“Everyone will always look after Poppie, she will never want for anything she has the love of everyone.”</p> <p>Her cousin Beth Brittain said: “My heart just hurts my brain won’t accept what’s happened.</p> <p>“Shannen you were always my extra sister not just my cousin, we grew together. I just can’t speak. No words. Sleep tight my little Roller family your memory will live on for eternity.”</p> <p>Christopher and Janine’s son Lewis, is believed to have flown home immediately after finding out about his parents death. </p> <p>The couple had recently celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary, according to West Yorkshire Police, and they were just 20 minutes from home when the devastating accident occurred. </p> <p>In a tribute released through the police, the couple were described by their son as “a loving, caring mum and dad who always put me before everything else”.</p> <p>Superintendent Alan Travis of Wakefield District Police has urged anyone who has dashcam, doorbell or CCTV footage of the car to contact them and assist with their investigation. </p> <p>They have also issued a public plea for anyone who saw a grey coloured Porsche 911 at the time of the crash to come forward. </p> <p>“This is an absolutely tragic incident which has resulted in the loss of six lives," the Superintendent said. </p> <p>“Our thoughts go out to the families of those who have died who we are working with to provide support at this time.”</p> <p><em>Images: news.com.au</em></p> <p> </p>

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Father remembered for "instinctive act of bravery" before train tragedy

<p>A family outing has ended in tragedy when a pram carrying twin girls rolled onto the train tracks at Carlton railway station in Sydney.</p> <p>CCTV footage showed the family heading off on their outing just several minutes before tragedy struck.</p> <p>They were walking down the footpath, with the father holding the pram and the mother pulling a trolley bag, before waiting to cross the road to the train station. </p> <p> The parents had arrived on the platform via an elevator and taken their hands off the pram for a "very, very short period of time" when it began to roll, according to NSW Police Superintendent Paul Dunstan. </p> <p>The 40-year-old father is being remembered for his bravery, after he jumped onto the tracks to try and save his twin daughters.</p> <p>Horrified witnesses also tried to flag the train down, but unfortunately it was too late. Emergency services were called to the station at around 12:25 pm.</p> <p>The father and one of the two-year-old girls were killed, and the girls' mother who witnessed the accident unfold was left "incredibly traumatised" according to the Superintendent.</p> <p>Dunstan told reporters several hours after the tragedy that responding officers could hear crying from underneath the train.</p> <p>“Police climbed under the train and rescued one of the children, who was thankfully unharmed, and reunited her with the mother," Dunstan said.</p> <p>“Sadly, the other child, a two-year-old female, and her father who attempted to save the child, have passed away as a result of this incident.”</p> <p>“Whether it’s a gust of wind ... we’re not quite sure. But it appears that the pram has instantly started to roll in the direction of the train lines.”</p> <p>The father has been praised for his "brave and heroic" act. </p> <p>“He’s gone into parent mode and tried to save his two young daughters that have fallen onto the tracks and in doing so it’s cost his life, but it’s an incredibly brave and heroic act,” Dunstan said.</p> <p>The other daughter, who had survived, had fallen between the tracks and was "lucky" to have escaped injury, Dunstan added.</p> <p>The train was heading from Cronulla to the City and wasn't due to stop at Carlton.</p> <p>A police investigation is underway and the National Rail Safety Regulator had also been informed.</p> <p>Premier Chris Minns described the incident as a “terrible, terrible tragedy”.</p> <p>“This is a very confronting and sad day for the St George community,” he said.</p> <p>“I hope over time they can gain some small solace knowing that the father died from an extraordinary, instinctive act of bravery.</p> <p>“That’s not going to bring him or his little daughter back. But it shouldn’t go unremarked upon in the face of a terrible, terrible accident, he gave his own life to try and save his children.”</p> <p><em>Images: Channel 9</em></p>

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Rising star footy player dies at just 18

<p>Rising football star Nick Campo has tragically died just two days after his 18th birthday. </p> <p>The South Fremantle player was in the backseat of a ute when it crashed and rolled just before midnight in Perth, before the ute smashed into an oncoming SUV. </p> <p>Two of Campo's teammates, Tyler Rowe and Josh Jackson, were also in the ute and were taken to hospital with injuries. </p> <p>Cameron Britt, CEO of South Fremantle, said the club was in "deep shock" following the sudden tragedy.</p> <p>"South Fremantle Football Club is deeply saddened by news of a car accident overnight involving several of our Colts players, resulting in the tragic death of South Fremantle footballer Nick Campo," he said.</p> <p>"We are a club in deep shock, focused upon supporting our players, staff and their families in these tragic circumstances."</p> <p>Campo's parents have also shared their heartbreak following the accident, saying their lives had been "ripped apart" by the sudden loss. </p> <p>"In the early hours of this morning our beautiful son Nick passed away after he was involved in a tragic car accident," they said on Facebook.</p> <p>"Our lives have been ripped apart, 18 years old, a future with so much hope taken away, we are praying others in the car involved will be ok."</p> <p>In Kalgoorlie, where Campo spent his childhood, his former club described him as "a popular friend to many" with a "life full of promise that was taken way too soon".</p> <p><em>Image credits: Nine </em></p>

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Just 15 centimetres of water can float a car – but we are failing to educate drivers about the dangers of floodwaters

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/amy-peden-1136424">Amy Peden</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kyra-hamilton-331594">Kyra Hamilton</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828"><em>Griffith University</em></a></em></p> <p>Every year in Australia, people driving into floodwaters drown and many more are <a href="https://www.ses.nsw.gov.au/disaster-tabs-header/flood/">rescued</a>. Do <em>you</em> know what to do when there’s water on the road?</p> <p>We searched all state and territory learner and driver handbooks for information about floodwaters, including signage. Our findings, published in the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022437524000860?via%3Dihub">Journal of Safety Research</a>, are disturbing.</p> <p>Across half of Australia’s states and territories, the driver handbook ignores flooding. That’s a missed opportunity, considering the handbook contains road rules and provides advice on how to navigate safely. While some states fail to provide any flood-related information, others give detailed practical guidance. Only the New South Wales handbook includes explanation of the meaning and purpose of flood signage.</p> <p>This is despite almost all states and territories experiencing vehicle-related flood <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jfr3.12616">deaths</a>, including <a href="https://currents.plos.org/disasters/article/causal-pathways-of-flood-related-river-drowning-deaths-in-australia/">drowning</a>, between 2001 and 2017. It’s a major problem that is only going to get worse as the climate changes. So our research shows driver education needs to come up to speed, fast.</p> <h2>Why do people drive into floodwaters?</h2> <p>Our previous <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2212420918301869">research</a> revealed motorists can feel compelled to drive into floodwaters for a range of reasons. These include time pressures such as being late for work or school, or needing to get home to family or pets. Sometimes they feel pressured by their passengers, or motorists behind them on the road, urging them to cross.</p> <p>People also report having been encouraged or instructed as learners to drive into floodwaters. Past experience as a passenger also influences a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1369847823000475">learner driver’s</a> future willingness to drive into floodwaters.</p> <p>So the views of significant others, such as their supervising driver, strongly influence decisions around driving into floodwaters.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZtlXpDBjU1Q?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption><span class="caption">Avoid driving into floodwaters, for life’s sake.</span></figcaption></figure> <h2>What we did and what we found</h2> <p>We assessed all publicly available, government-issued learner and driver handbooks (12 documents) across all six Australian states and two territories. We also looked for flood-related signage. We used a method for reviewing online material through a systematic search including in-document key words and imagery.</p> <p>Four jurisdictions provided no information on flooding in the handbook. In the ACT, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria, drivers need to look elsewhere for information on floodwaters and driving safety.</p> <p>Only one jurisdiction provided information on flood signage such as depth markers and “road subject to flooding”. Hats off to the <a href="https://www.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2022-11/Road-User-Handbook-English.pdf">NSW Road User Handbook</a>, which warns:</p> <blockquote> <p>Floodwater is extremely dangerous. Find another way or wait until the road is clear. It’s safer to turn around than to drive in floodwater.</p> </blockquote> <p>For the states and territories that did provide information on floodwaters in the handbook, the content varied.</p> <p>NSW, Queensland and the Northern Territory warned against entering floodwaters in a vehicle. They highlighted the dangers and financial penalties associated with driving on closed roads.</p> <p>In the NT and Western Australia, handbooks provided practical information on when and how to cross floodwaters safely, such as how to gauge safe water depth based on vehicle size, and to avoid fast-flowing water.</p> <p>Although well-intentioned, judgements around what constitutes fast-flowing water are subjective and hard for any driver to assess, let alone learner drivers. Even drivers of larger vehicles such as four-wheel drives are regularly involved in flood-related <a href="https://currents.plos.org/disasters/article/causal-pathways-of-flood-related-river-drowning-deaths-in-australia/">vehicle drowning fatalities</a>.</p> <p>Just <a href="https://www.ses.vic.gov.au/news-and-media/campaigns/15-to-float">45cm</a> of water can float a large 4WD, and considerably less for smaller vehicles.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/t4ilUbMXZAQ?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption><span class="caption">A small car can float in just 15cm of water.</span></figcaption></figure> <p>Handbooks represent valuable sources of safety information, particularly for new drivers who must learn important road rules to progress from one licence to another. Such graduated driver licensing schemes reduce road traffic injury, particularly among <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022437523000385">young people</a>.</p> <p>However, many of these handbooks fail to provide consistent, practical evidence-based information about flooding. There is an opportunity here to support safer driving behaviours.</p> <h2>Safety tips for all drivers</h2> <p>We encourage drivers to follow these safety tips:</p> <ul> <li>avoid driving into floodwaters</li> <li>identify alternative routes, so you have a <a href="https://theconversation.com/when-roads-become-rivers-forming-a-plan-b-can-stop-people-driving-into-floodwaters-183036">plan B</a></li> <li>familiarise yourself, and any learner drivers in the household or under your care, with the meaning and purpose of flood signage</li> <li>understand the legal consequences of crossing a road closed sign</li> <li>discuss the dangers of driving into floodwaters with learner drivers and help them formulate their own plan B</li> <li>model safe driving for all passengers, including children.</li> </ul> <h2>Time to lift our game</h2> <p>Driving into floodwaters remains the main cause of <a href="https://currents.plos.org/disasters/article/causal-pathways-of-flood-related-river-drowning-deaths-in-australia/">flood-related drowning</a> in Australia.</p> <p>For our emergency service personnel, driver behaviour, including people ignoring road closed signs, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/hpja.181">significantly complicates</a> the already dangerous act of performing a flood rescue.</p> <p>Extreme weather and flooding are likely to become more frequent and intense in the future. That means the chance of being faced with a flooded road is growing. So information about driving during floods is vital for all, from the newly licensed to the experienced driver.</p> <p>We hope our research will encourage all states and territories to include provide practical, evidence-based advice on floods in driver handbooks as soon as possible.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/233116/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/amy-peden-1136424">Amy Peden</a>, NHMRC Research Fellow, School of Population Health &amp; co-founder UNSW Beach Safety Research Group, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kyra-hamilton-331594">Kyra Hamilton</a>, Associate Professor in Applied Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/just-15-centimetres-of-water-can-float-a-car-but-we-are-failing-to-educate-drivers-about-the-dangers-of-floodwaters-233116">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

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School mourns after beloved teacher falls from roof

<p>A beloved former teacher is being remembered as an educator who “loved a laugh and to have fun” after he suffered critical injuries following a fall. </p> <p>Paul Hogan, 61, was reportedly retrieving balls from the roof of St Margaret Mary’s School in Spotswood, Melbourne when he fell 3m to the concrete ground at around 2:30 pm on Thursday. </p> <p>He suffered critical head injuries and was taken to hospital, where he died on Friday. </p> <p>It is reported that students were still at school and parents were on campus for parent-teacher interviews, when the incident occurred. </p> <p>Hogan worked as a teacher and principal at several schools across the city, with an extensive 36-year career in education. </p> <p>“We extend our sincere condolences to Paul’s family, friends and colleagues, and we hold all of those impacted in our hearts and prayers," Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools executive director Dr Edward Simons said. </p> <p>“Paul was a friend and mentor to many in our MACS community and he will be dearly missed.”</p> <p>Hogan had his first classroom teaching role in 1988. </p> <p>He retired in 2022, but continued to work as a part-time and casual relief teacher at  St Anne’s Sunbury, St Mary’s Ascot Vale, and St Margaret Mary’s Spotswood. </p> <p>Ascot Vale Panthers Junior Football Club said Hogan served as a “confidant, mentor and friend” to all who attended St Mary’s.</p> <p>“His infectious personality, energy and passion saw him loved by parents and students alike,” the club said.</p> <p>“Hoges was a tremendous supporter of the Ascot Vale Panthers Junior Football Club and the wider Ascot Vale community.”</p> <p>WorkSafe is investigating the incident. </p> <p><em>Images: 7NEWS</em></p>

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Daughter of former All Black charged over alleged hit and run death

<p>The daughter of former New Zealand All Black has been charged over an alleged hit and run that left a 65-year-old man dead in Auckland. </p> <p>Helena Jade Cribb, the daughter of Ron Cribb, was charged earlier this year after Jason Collins' body was found by a member of the public on O'Brien Rd, Lucas Heights in the early hours of December 7. </p> <p>The 22-year-old previously had a name suppression, which has now lapsed. </p> <p>Earlier this year, Detective Sergeant Ben Bergin said the driver allegedly involved had been identified not long after Collins' death. </p> <p>"A thorough investigation has been underway into the tragic circumstances by the Waitematā CIB and we have reached a point where charges have been filed," Bergin said.</p> <p>Collins has been remembered as a devoted father, husband and friend. </p> <p>"The tragic loss of Jason has left an unfillable void in our hearts," a statement on behalf of his family read. </p> <p>"...his absence is a constant ache, a relentless reminder of what we've lost.</p> <p>"Taken from us too soon, his departure is a profound and senseless blow that we struggle to comprehend.</p> <p>"Each day is a battle against the overwhelming emptiness left in his wake.</p> <p>"We ask for privacy at this time as we continue to grieve."</p> <p>The 22-year-old reportedly faces a charge of operating a vehicle carelessly, causing death while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. </p> <p>She is set to reappear in court in September. </p> <p><em>Image: NZ Police</em></p> <p> </p>

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Elderly driver hailed a hero amid fatal bus tragedy

<p>An elderly driver has been hailed a hero for saving lives after getting caught up in a horror crash between a Greyhound bus and a car towing a caravan.</p> <p>The accident left three women dead and 27 other passengers injured, after the coach allegedly veered onto the opposite side of the  Bruce Highway at Gumlu, in north Queensland at around 11am on Sunday. </p> <p>The coach was travelling between Brisbane and Townsville, with 33 people onboard when it collided with a caravan towed by a 4WD. </p> <p>The elderly couple, who were in the 4WD were miraculously not injured. </p> <p>Witnesses have praised the elderly male driver for his quick-thinking skills, when he drove his vehicle out of the way of the oncoming bus - which saved the lives of people driving behind him. </p> <p>"He was a hero for his actions,"  Janice Beavis told the <em>Daily Mail</em>.</p> <p>“They [the elderly couple] were behaving safely. The bus hit the van, the driver [of the 4WD] was trying to get away.</p> <p>“He saved himself and his wife and the mum and three girls travelling behind him.”</p> <p>56-year-old Townsville woman, Emma ‘Alli’ Sailor, and two German women aged in their 20s and 30s sadly passed away in the crash. </p> <p>Four people remain in hospital, including two men in their 20s who are fighting for their lives, and two other men, aged 27 and 51, who are in stable conditions. </p> <p>The bus was reportedly running behind schedule, leaving Rockhampton at 2am instead of the planned departure time at 12:45. </p> <p>The speed limit at the section of the highway where the accident occurred was 100km/h.</p> <p>Detectives are investigating whether fatigue could have played a role in the crash. </p> <p>“We haven’t determined any factors that have contributed to the crash at this stage, but certainly a crash of this nature, involving this many people, is a very significant, very tragic incident for us,” Police Superintendent Graeme Paine said at a press conference on Sunday.</p> <p>Anyone who may have seen the crash or have dashcam footage have been urged to contact police. </p> <p>On Monday morning, Police Superintendent Paine said that more witnesses will be interviewed to determine the cause of the crash. </p> <p>“We’ve collected a significant amount of evidence from the scene,” he said.</p> <p>“As we process that evidence and interview further witnesses, we anticipate getting a clearer picture of exactly how it occurred." </p> <p><em>Image: news.com.au</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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"Lucky to be here": Gordon Ramsay reveals brutal injury after bike crash

<p>Gordon Ramsay has been left shaken after a bicycle crash left him in need of trauma surgery. </p> <p>The celebrity chef took to social media on Sunday to tell fans that he had been in an accident while biking in Connecticut US early last week.</p> <p>"This week I had a really bad accident while riding my bike in Connecticut. I'm doing ok and did not break any bones or suffer any major injuries but I am a bit bruised up looking like a purple potato," he wrote in the caption of the one minute-clip. </p> <p>In the video, he said that the accident "shook" him and added" Honestly, I'm lucky to be here.'</p> <p>Ramsay showed the horrific bruise covering his torso and stressed on the importance of wearing a helmet. </p> <p>"Those incredible trauma surgeons, doctors, nurses, who looked after me this week, they were amazing but honestly you've got to wear a helmet," he said.</p> <p>"I don't care how short the journey is, I don't care [about] the fact that these helmets cost money, but they're crucial. Even with the kids, or a short journey."</p> <p>He also shared a before and after photo of his cycling gear, with parts of his helmet broken and his clothing ripped. </p> <p>"Now, I'm lucky to be standing here. I'm in pain, it's been a brutal week, and I'm sort of getting through it," he said. </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/C8PYfVNxxFC/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C8PYfVNxxFC/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Gordon Ramsay (@gordongram)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The comment section was flooded with messages of support and well-wishes from concerned fans. </p> <p>"I thought it might have been a small crash but my god that bruise says otherwise! Glad you’re doing okay," wrote one fan. </p> <p>"The way my heart sank when you lifted your shirt," added another.</p> <p>"The world needs you chef!! Beyond happy to hear you are going to be okay, and thank God for that helmet! Happy Father's Day and speedy recovery goat!!"</p> <p>"Glad you're ok and hope you heal up quick!" added another. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p> <p> </p>

Caring

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Uber driver makes pensioner fork out thousands after minor accident

<p>In a distressing incident, 80-year-old pensioner Judy Libby has claimed that she was coerced into handing over $2,500 to an Uber driver following a minor car accident in Melbourne's CBD.</p> <p>Judy recounted her ordeal on Melbourne's 3AW Radio on Friday morning, describing the alarming sequence of events that unfolded after she accidentally hit the back of the Uber driver's car.</p> <p><a href="https://www.news.com.au/technology/motoring/motoring-news/an-absolute-nightmare-uber-drivers-sickening-act-to-80yo-pensioner/news-story/f77aa3e46c41532268a712cfc4764877" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to News.com.au</a>, Judy explained that the driver was stationary when the accident occurred, causing a dent in the boot of his vehicle. The driver, claiming the damage had rendered him unable to work and support his family, demanded compensation. "He said, 'I’m an Uber driver, you’ve ruined the back of my car. I’ve got a wife and child to support; now I can’t work,'" Judy told the radio station.</p> <p>Initially, the driver demanded $4,000, allegedly stating he had obtained a quote from a friend who was a panel beater. When Judy expressed her inability to pay such a sum, the driver proposed a reduced amount of $2,500. They arranged to meet at her local bank, but when the teller grew suspicious and refused the transaction, the Uber driver reportedly drove her to another bank where she was made to withdraw the money.</p> <p>Judy described the driver's demeanour as very angry and the experience as a "nightmare". The situation took a further turn for the worse when she later received a legal letter demanding an additional $8,800 for the damage, with no mention of the $2,500 she had already handed over.</p> <p>Concerned and distressed, Judy informed her daughter, who then reported the incident to the police. The case is now being investigated by the fraud squad. "I wasn’t travelling at a speed to do huge damage. I had no damage on my car, just a few scratches," Judy said. "And he had an older car too, so $8,800; no. I didn’t write it off, I just hit his boot."</p> <p>3AW host Russel Howcroft condemned the incident as "disgraceful", particularly criticising the driver's actions of taking Judy to a bank against her will. "Fancy putting someone in their car and driving them to a bank branch," he remarked.</p> <p>The investigation by the fraud squad will hopefully bring clarity and justice to Judy Libby's troubling experience.</p> <p><em>Image: Lutsenko Oleksandr / Shutterstock</em></p>

Legal

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What the fox! Driver finds wild animal trapped in his car

<p>A motorist has shared the startling moment a fox got trapped in the front grill of his car, after he accidentally hit the wild animal while travelling at 80km/h. </p> <p>While driving down a country road in South Australia on Saturday night, the man behind the wheel said he was shocked when he felt something slam into the car. </p> <p>When he later checked the vehicle, he was astonished to find the angry fox trying to break free from behind the front grill of the car. </p> <p>“Y’all thought you had a bad day,” he can be heard saying while filming the animal furiously biting the front grill in an attempt to escape.</p> <p>In a series of videos posted to TikTok, the man documented the fox's attempts at escape, before informing his followers that he had enlisted the help of a local vet to help free the animal. </p> <p>“Took him to the vet, they sedated him and we got him out safely, the poor guy,” he said, adding he was glad — and impressed — the fox was alive after such a high-speed impact.</p> <p>Throughout his videos, many took to the comments to offer their advice to free the fox, as one person suggested "popping the lid", with the driver explaining that he did but “couldn’t even see him through the bonnet”.</p> <p>The saga has been viewed more than 400,000 times in the past 24 hours, with numerous people saying they were stunned the fox wasn’t seriously injured. “How does this even happen?” one person wondered.</p> <p>“What in the fox is going on here!” another joked, while others pondered how the man would explain the incident to his insurance company.</p> <p>“Insurance would never believe you if you didn’t have that video,” someone else added.</p> <p><em>Image credits: TikTok</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Wild moment giraffe snatches toddler from car

<p>A father has recalled the heart-stopping moment his toddler was snatched by a giraffe at a safari park in Texas. </p> <p>Jason Toten, 24, his fiancé Sierra Robert, 23, and their daughter Paisley were at Fossil Rim Wildlife Centre in Glen Rose where visitors can drive-through the park and get close to wild animals. </p> <p>"We were having a little family day, just getting out of the house," Jason told a local news outlet. </p> <p>While the family were admiring the view, one giraffe slowly approached them and the pair encouraged their daughter to offer it some food, but within an instant, the two-year-old girl was lifted into the air.</p> <p>"I looked out the back window and I saw the giraffe … and then up she went," Jason recalled. </p> <p>The giraffe, who was only trying to grab the bag of food from Paisley, accidentally hoisted the toddler up by her shirt, with other park visitors behind them capturing the wild moment. </p> <p>Sierra reacted immediately and clung to her child, as she was pulled into the air, and all it took for the giraffe to let go was a stern "hey". </p> <p>The giraffe then dropped the tot back into the car uninjured, and throughout the entire ordeal Paisley was the bravest of them all. </p> <p>"I guess it startled the giraffe. She wasn't even scared," Jason recalled. </p> <p>"As soon as her mom caught her, she went 'oh.'" </p> <p>"It scared me but after it was all over, we realised everyone was safe and unharmed, and we laughed about it," Jason added. </p> <p>After the incident, the family took Paisley to the gift shop and "all she wanted was a giraffe toy and a giraffe T-shirt."</p> <p>"We ended up getting her both, we figured she deserved it."</p> <p><em>Images: Facebook</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Teen actress on life support after devastating mishap

<p>Teen actress Mamie Laverock is currently on life support after falling five stories from a balcony. </p> <p>According to a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-us-support-mamie" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> page, the 19-year-old initially suffered a "medical emergency" on May 11 and was hospitalised in Winnipeg, Canada before being transferred to a hospital in Vancouver, where her condition was labelled “unclear” but showed “signs of improvement.”</p> <p>However, her parents Nicole and Rob shared a devastating update over the weekend, saying that she is now on life support after an incident on May 26 where she was "was escorted out of a secure unit of the hospital and taken up to a balcony walkway from which she fell five stories".</p> <p>"She sustained life threatening injuries, has undergone multiple extensive surgeries, and is currently on life support," the GoFundMe page read. </p> <p>"We are all devastated, in shock, at this intensely difficult time."</p> <p>The teen actress who stars in <em>When Calls the Heart</em>, was in intensive care for two weeks prior to the incident. </p> <p>Following the news, her co-stars took to social media to urge fans to keep her in their thoughts and prayers. </p> <p>“I love this family, my heart is broken,” Johannah Newmarch, who plays Laverock's on-screen mother on the show, tweeted on Monday. </p> <p>“A devastating time for all who care for Mamie. Please help if you can,” she added alongside a link to the fundraiser. </p> <p>“They need all the support they can get to make it through this.”</p> <p>Co-stars Erin Krakow and Loretta Walsh also told their followers that they have donated and encouraged them to do the same. </p> <p>The GoFundMe page has so far raised over $23,000 CAD or over $25,400 AUD. </p> <p>Hallmark Media, the production company Laverock is with, shared a statement on <em>Variety</em>. </p> <p>"We are deeply saddened to hear the news about Mamie. As a beloved member of our <em>When Calls the Heart </em>community, we wish her and her family peace, comfort, and many prayers during this difficult time," the statement read. </p> <p><em>Image: GoFundMe/ Instagram</em></p> <p> </p>

Caring

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Actress hospitalised after motorcycle accident

<p>Actress Nina Dobrev has been hospitalised after a dangerous motorbike accident, telling her fans she has a "long recovery ahead". </p> <p>The 35-year-old star of the <em>Vampire Diaries</em> shared photos from her hospital bed, which show her hooked up to various machines while in a hospital gown, and being supported by a neck brace, as well as a brace around her knee. </p> <p>Dobrev posted the hospital photo alongside a photo of her on her motorcycle before the accident to her 26 million followers, captioned, "How it started vs. how it's going."</p> <p>The actress then posted an explanation on her Instagram story, telling her followers "I'm ok, but it's going to be a long road of recovery ahead."</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/C7MuGm4Rue2/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C7MuGm4Rue2/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Nina Dobrev (@nina)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Shaun White, Dobrev's boyfriend, joked on her post "Just keeping things on brand."</p> <p>Just days before the accident, the couple shared that they had been travelling to tick things off their bucket lists.</p> <p>"It's been really fun having time together. Normally I'm off competing and she's shooting a project or something … but now we've got some time together," White, who is an Olympian, told publication <em><a title="Us Weekly" href="https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/shaun-white-has-a-post-retirement-bucket-list-with-nina-dobrev/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">US Weekly</a></em>.</p> <p>"We went to Antarctica, Dubai, visited her mum in France, went to Monaco, went to Indonesia. We've kind of been all over."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram </em></p>

Caring

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Quiet beach town offering $450k job with free house and car

<p>A picturesque beach town in Western Australia has found a creative way to bring jobs to the area: by offering a range of enticing bonuses. </p> <p>The town of Bremer Bay, south-east of Perth, is desperate for healthcare providers to join the small town and have offered a range of persuasive perks to a doctor who would be willing to leave a big city for the job in the regional location. </p> <p>Bremer Bay is next to the Fitzgerald River National Park and nearly 40 minutes away from the closest town. Currently, they only have one temporary doctor; the next permanent GP is in Albany, almost 200 kilometres away, and the town is looking for the "Swiss army knife of doctors" to step up.</p> <p>According to the job listing on Seek, the successful applicant will be granted a rent-free five-bedroom house and a four-wheel drive, on top of a salary of up to $450,000 a year.</p> <p>"Live rent-free in a scenic location, experiencing the true essence of rural Australia," the advertisement reads.</p> <p>"We offer a competitive 70 per cent of Billings or a generous Salary, based on your preference. In addition, you'll enjoy the convenience of a beautiful new 5-bedroom home and 4X4."</p> <p>Applicants must be registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency and be willing to train as a rural generalist.</p> <p>According to the <a title="Australian Institute of Health and Welfare" href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/rural-remote-australians/rural-and-remote-health" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Australian Institute of Health and Welfare</a>, people living in rural and remote areas have higher rates of hospitalisations, deaths and injury compared to city-dwellers, while also having poorer access to primary health care services.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p>

Money & Banking

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'Boomer' cyclist allegedly caught keying cars

<p>A baby boomer on a bicycle has allegedly been caught red-handed by CCTV footage, which reportedly shows the man keying a series of cars. </p> <p>Residents of the affluent Brisbane suburb of Woolloongabba have been terrorised by the anonymous car-keyer since September of last year. </p> <p>Mick Brown, who lives in the area, checked local CCTV cameras after his car had been keyed on September 29th, to try to identify the culprit.</p> <p>The footage showed what Mr Brown described as a “regular, well-dressed elderly man” cycling down Hubert Street.</p> <p>The man then turned around and cycled past 30 seconds later with one arm extended toward the parked cars with something attached to a red lanyard in his hand.</p> <p>Mr Brown told the <em><a href="https://www.couriermail.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=CMWEB_WRE170_a_NEW&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.couriermail.com.au%2Fnews%2Fqueensland%2Fwoolloongabba-resident-claims-cars-repeatedly-targeted-by-man-on-bike-with-keys-over-period-of-months%2Fnews-story%2Fd6ca80fcd103ff0eaae3bc02e33e8fb4&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&v21=LOW-Segment-1-SCORE&nk=5bc945873ffec79da7263488711d2aab-1715304777" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Courier Mail</a></em>, “This act cost myself and the owner of the other two vehicles in excess of $10,000 in repairs.”</p> <p>“After repairs were completed on all three vehicles this same person has struck again on Saturday, December 30 (2023),” he said.</p> <p>After being struck by the cyclist three times and paying over $10,000 to fix the cars, Mr Brown said his car was targeted again on May 5th. </p> <p>"These attacks are happening in broad daylight,” he said. “While these appear to be targeted attacks neither myself nor the other victim know or recognise this person."</p> <p>“It is becoming quite distressing and this individual needs to be stopped.”</p> <p>The cyclist has yet to be identified, and no charges have been laid. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Courier Mail </em></p>

Legal

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5 ways to avoid going overboard on a cruise

<p>Falling overboard is the stuff of cruising nightmares (and it happens surprisingly more frequently than you might think. Just this year we’ve brought you two stories about passengers falling overboard, but this fishy fate is by no means unavoidable.</p> <p>Here are five ways to ensure you keep your feet dry.</p> <p><strong>1. Limit your alcohol intake</strong></p> <p>If the prices weren’t enough of a reason to go easy on the sauce on your cruise, perhaps the risk of tipping over the balcony will persuade you. Think of it this way – the effect of alcohol on a cruise is the same as the effect of alcohol on dry land, but when you’re on a cruise you’re travelling through sometimes heavy seas at about 20 knots.</p> <p><strong>2. Stay in your room during inclement weather</strong></p> <p>If your ship is sailing into dicey conditions, you’re better off keeping to your quarters. You never know how a cruise liner is going to stand up to the ocean’s wrath, and even if you want a good view of Mother Nature’s nasty side, you’re safer below deck. </p> <p><strong>3. Keep clear of dark corners</strong></p> <p>It’s not a very pleasant thing to think about, but when there are 4,000 passengers on a cruise they’re not all going to be good eggs. Be aware of your surroundings, just as you would be on land, and be sure to report any suspicious activity to a crew member.</p> <p><strong>4. Pay attention during the practice drills</strong></p> <p>Even if you’ve been on 20 cruises it’s a good idea to pay attention during the practice drills. This will reinforce what you need to do in an event of an emergency, and might just save your life (or someone else’s by knowing where to find the safety gear).</p> <p><strong>5. Don’t re-enact the <em>Titanic</em> scene</strong></p> <p>Because going overboard will make you look like anything but, “The king of the world.”</p> <p>Have you ever been on a cruise? Did you ever feel unsafe at any point? Let us know in the comments below, we’d love to hear from you.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

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Woman fined after paid car park gets set up around her parked vehicle

<p>Josephine Williams had been leaving her car in a gravel clearing at Westgate in Auckland, alongside other commuters to catch the bus into the city for months. </p> <p>The New Zealand woman was left with a "nasty surprise" when she returned from work on Monday to find a NZ $85 ($77) fine sitting on her windshield. </p> <p>"To my unfortunate surprise - and many others - I was greeted by an $85 parking ticket for a breach and a flyer from Wilson Parking saying paid parking had started that day," Williams told <em>Stuff</em>.</p> <p>"But what breach exactly was made? How was I supposed to know paid parking started that day when there was nothing at all displayed anywhere in the car park?"</p> <p>Williams claimed that the Wilson Parking car park had been set up around her already parked car, even providing dash cam footage that showed her pulling into the gravel clearing at 7.45am, with no paid parking signs or Wilson branding in sight. </p> <p>By 6pm, a large red and white Wilson sign had been put up at the entrance, with "12 hours for $4" written on it. </p> <p>"Wilson deliberately put their sign up sometime after 9am and then took it upon themselves to fine every single car that was already parked there from the morning," Williams said.</p> <p>"$85 is a lot of money - it would have been two weeks' worth of grocery shopping for me," she added. </p> <p>"I'm lucky that I know the law and my rights, but some other people might not. What about students or the elderly or people who don't know English well?"</p> <p>She estimated that there was usually around 50 and 100 cars in the gravel clearing. </p> <p>Wilson argued that the carpark was always there and they had just added more signage, but have since waived Williams' fine after she lodged a request to have it reviewed by Parking Enforcement Services. </p> <p>Wilson Parking also said that they had started to set up the car park and installed a "clear signage" on April 22. </p> <p>"It was not set up around parked cars on 29 April as suggested," a Wilson spokesperson said.</p> <p>"Several payments were made by customers via the Parkmate app from 22 April proving that signage on the site was clear and effective," they said.</p> <p>They added that on April 29 more signs were added to all entry points of the car park. </p> <p>"In acknowledgment of the increased signage added on the 29th at the entry we've made the decision to refund all payments made until 30 April and waive any breach notices issued up to this date."</p> <p>They also denied issuing any breach notices before the signs were put up.</p> <p>"Payment options were available and signed from 22 April - but no infringement notices were issued prior to the 29th."</p> <p><em>Images: Stuff</em></p> <p> </p>

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