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"Heartbroken and blindsided": The Beast's ex-girlfriend opens up about split

<p>The ex-girlfriend of <em>The Chase</em> star Mark Labbett, also known as The Beast, has opened up about her high-profile break-up with the TV star, slamming his behaviour in the last weeks of their relationship. </p> <p>Hayley Palmer, an entertainment news presenter, announced her <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/mark-the-beast-labbett-s-girlfriend-drops-major-relationship-bombshell" target="_blank" rel="noopener">split</a> from Labbett just days after their one year anniversary, sharing the news on Instagram in May. </p> <p>Now, in an interview with <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/tv/28526452/mark-beast-labbett-hayley-palmer-split/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>The Sun</em></a> newspaper, Palmer took aim at Labbett and his alleged handling of their split, saying she had been “blindsided” by their break-up, and shared how he had lived up to his name as The Beast.</p> <p>“It has come as a complete shock. I thought we were really happy,” she said.</p> <p>“I’m heartbroken and blindsided. His behaviour has been beastly.”</p> <p>Palmer went on to say that Labbett dumped her over a callous three-minute phone call, and said their breakup came because The Beast did not want to formally divorce his ex-wife Katie, who is also his second cousin. </p> <p>She went on to say that before their shock split, Mark — who has a seven-year-old son with his former wife — had even suggested they move in together.</p> <p>But in the days following, a phone call came from Labbett to end their relationship. </p> <p>Struggling to hold back tears, Hayley told the publication, “The call started off as a normal conversation.  He was spending time with his son and we’d had a conversation about me joining them at a water park."</p> <p>“Then he said, ‘I don’t know how to tell you this, but you were right. I don’t want to divorce my ex-wife’.</p> <div> <div id="articlempu"></div> </div> <p>“The shock of the way he said it was so brutally cold and not the Mark I know. I thought he was a gentle giant, so this was the complete opposite. He was as cold as ice."</p> <p>“The phone went from my hands, I just hung up on him. I ended up walking around for three hours not knowing where I was going."</p> <p>“I’ll never get over the shock of that, I’m still in shock now. It’s such a hurtful way to do it. The fact that he didn’t have the respect for me, and for him to do it over the phone — it was a really low move."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram </em></p>

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Mark 'The Beast' Labbett's girlfriend drops major relationship bombshell

<p>Just days after their one year anniversary, Mark 'The Beast' Labbett and his girlfriend Hayley Palmer have shared a major relationship update. </p> <p>Labbett, 58, and Palmer, 42, met at the UK National Television Awards in 2022, and later became a couple.</p> <p>But now, less than one week after celebrating their one year anniversary, the couple have announced their separation. </p> <p>Palmer, an entertainment news presenter, shared the news of their split on Instagram, shocking fans everywhere.</p> <p>“It is with regret I announce that myself and Mark have gone our separate ways," she began.</p> <p>"We had the best year together, and I truly wish him all the very best for the future. Off I go to listen to Taylor Swift.” </p> <p>Hayley also added the heartbreak emoji at the end of the message.</p> <p>The couple had been together for just over a year and posted Instagram photos to mark their anniversary after spending the day together at the beach where they spent their first date.</p> <p>However, just days later, the couple opened up about some issues they have been facing in their relationship. </p> <p>In an appearance on UK talk show <em>Loose Women</em>, Labbett, star of <em>The Chase Australia</em>, said, “The difficult thing is, we live quite a bit apart. Obviously I live up in Sheffield, Rotherham, she’s a Chelsea girl."</p> <p>“We tend to look at our diaries and when we can sync up together and so the good news is we see each other every few weeks but we make the most of it when we’re together so you get the best of both worlds.”</p> <p>Before his relationship with Palmer, Labbett was married to his second cousin, Katie, and the pair have a son, Lawrence.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram </em></p>

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Clive Palmer's plans to build Titanic II resurface

<p>Just when you thought we'd exhausted all of the possible billionaire pet projects, Clive Palmer, the Queensland mining magnate with pockets deeper than the Mariana Trench, has once again proven us wrong.</p> <p>For more than a decade now, Palmer has harboured a peculiar obsession: resurrecting the ghost of the <em>Titanic</em>, the world's most infamous maritime disaster.</p> <p>Palmer wants to build <em>Titanic II</em>, because when you've got more money than you can count, why not embark on a maritime venture that's already synonymous with catastrophe?</p> <p>Palmer, with the audacity only wealth can afford, has been pushing for this <em>Titanic</em> replica since 2012. Not content with merely one failed attempt, he launched the project again in 2018. Now, after another six years and a global pandemic, he's dusting off his captain's hat and setting sail once more, announcing the <em>Titanic II</em>'s re-launch at the Sydney Opera House (because when you're Clive Palmer, a press conference venue like the local community centre just doesn't cut it).</p> <p>But why, you may ask? According to Palmer himself, it's a simple matter of economics: "I’ve got two options, either give my wife more money for shopping or spend it on the <em>Titanic</em> and I’m spending it on the Titanic because she’s shopped enough."</p> <p>Ah, yes, the age-old dilemma of whether to buy your spouse another designer handbag or fund a one-billion-dollar replica of a ship that sank over a century ago. We've all been there.</p> <p>Despite the naysayers who dismissed Palmer's dream as nothing more than the folly of a rich eccentric, he remains undeterred. Now, with the pandemic in the rearview mirror and cruise ships once again cruising, Palmer sees this as the perfect time to resurrect his <em>Titanic</em> dream. Because what better way to celebrate the end of a global health crisis than by building a monument to maritime tragedy?</p> <p>Palmer assures us that this time around, things will be different. The plans are similar to previous iterations, but now they comply with current regulations. Tenders are being sought, with plans to confirm a shipbuilder by year's end with the intention of setting sail by 2027.</p> <p>And what can prospective passengers expect from this seafaring spectacle? Well, according to Palmer's team, an eight-minute video featuring period costumes and a layout straight out of the early 1900s. Passengers will even be encouraged to dress the part (though that's not compulsory; nothing screams "fun vacation" like wearing corsets and three-piece suits in the middle of the ocean).</p> <p>But fear not, third-class passengers, you won't be left out of this <em>Titanic</em> experience. You'll get to enjoy stew and mash at communal dining tables, just like the good old days. Although, for those who prefer their meals without a side of historical accuracy, other options will be available. </p> <p>In amongst of all this, Palmer has grandiose visions of <em>Titanic II</em> as a symbol of world peace. “We all know how to make war," he announced at the press launch. "We get armies and we fund wars. People know about that. But it is a lot harder to make peace. To make peace you have got to stick with it every day. You progress inch by inch.</p> <p>“<em>Titanic ll</em> is something that can provide peace. It can be a ship of peace between all countries of the world. Millions have dreamt of sailing on her, seeing her in port and experiencing her unique majesty. <em>Titanic ll</em> will be the ship where those dreams come true.”</p> <p>So, as Palmer sets sail on his quixotic quest to recreate history, we can't help but wonder: Is <em>Titanic II</em> a testament to human ingenuity or just another billionaire's folly? Only time will tell. But if history has taught us anything, it's that sometimes, even the grandest dreams can end up at the bottom of the ocean.</p> <p><em>Images: Rod Eime / Wikimedia</em></p>

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"Most deplorable act of greed": Clive Palmer suing Australia

<p>Clive Palmer is seeking $300 billion in damages from the Australian government over a rejected mine in Western Australia. </p> <p>The mining billionaire's company, Zeph Investments, lodged the lawsuit on Tuesday, which claims Australia owes him around $297 billion in damages, not including interests and costs, </p> <p>The lawsuit claims Australia breached the Asean free trade deal when Western Australia not only rejected Palmer’s massive Pilbara iron ore mining project, but also introduced a law that prevented him from getting any compensation for it, which he claims cost him billions.</p> <p>In order to help make his case, Palmer has enlisted the help of Former federal and WA attorney-general Christian Porter to work for Zeph Investments.</p> <p>The lawsuit has prompted a wave of outrage from WA Premier Mark McGowan, who referred to Palmer as "treacherous", and the "greediest man in Australian history".</p> <p>Answering a question in WA Parliament's Legislative Assembly, Mr McGowan read from a prepared statement.</p> <p>"Today we have seen the most deplorable act of greed in Australian history," Mr McGowan said,</p> <p>"One of the richest people in Australia, Clive Palmer, now wants more money. And he's suing his country to get it."</p> <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif;">Federal Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said the latest legal action would be "vigorously" defended.</p> <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif;">"The Commonwealth will work with Western Australia to ensure Australia's interests are protected," he said in a statement.</p> <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif;">"As these matters have now become the subject of an investor-state claim, it would not be appropriate to provide further comment at this time."</p> <p>The federal member for Perth, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister Patrick Gorman, said WA residents had been through this before, saying, "No one wants to see another Clive Palmer lawsuit,"</p> <p>"And no Australian wants to see $300 billion of taxpayers' money handed over to Clive Palmer in this absolutely ridiculous lawsuit."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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‘This case has made legal history’: young Australians just won a human rights case against an enormous coal mine

<p>In a <a href="https://www.sclqld.org.au/caselaw/QLC/2022/21" target="_blank" rel="noopener">historic ruling</a>, a Queensland court has said the massive Clive Palmer-owned Galilee Basin coal project should not go ahead because of its contribution to climate change, its environmental impacts, and because it would erode human rights.</p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/these-young-queenslanders-are-taking-on-clive-palmers-coal-company-and-making-history-for-human-rights-138732" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The case</a> was mounted in 2020 by a First Nations-led group of young people aged 13 to 30 called Youth Verdict. It was the first time human rights arguments were used in a climate change case in Australia.</p> <p>The link between human rights and climate change is being increasingly recognised overseas. In September this year, for example, a United Nations <a href="https://theconversation.com/australia-violated-the-rights-of-torres-strait-islanders-by-failing-to-act-on-climate-change-the-un-says-heres-what-that-means-191329" target="_blank" rel="noopener">committee decided</a> that by failing to adequately address the climate crisis, Australia’s Coalition government violated the human rights of Torres Strait Islanders.</p> <p>Youth Verdict’s success today builds on this momentum. It heralds a new era for climate change cases in Australia by youth activists, who have been frustrated with the absence of meaningful federal government policy.</p> <h2>1.58 billion tonnes of emissions</h2> <p>The Waratah Coal mine operation <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/the-first-nations-group-fighting-clive-palmers-mining-project/6xbg2e81w" target="_blank" rel="noopener">proposes to</a> extract up to 40 million tonnes of coal from the Galilee Basin each year, over the next 25 years. This would <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/nov/25/court-finds-clive-palmers-queensland-coalmine-will-harm-future-generations-in-landmark-climate-ruling?CMP=share_btn_tw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">produce</a> 1.58 billion tonnes of carbon emissions, and is <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-12-05/galilee-basin-farmers-object-to-palmer-mine/11764540" target="_blank" rel="noopener">four times more</a> coal extraction than Adani’s operation.</p> <p>While the project has already received approval at the federal government level, it also needs a state government mining lease and environmental authority to go ahead. Today, Queensland land court President Fleur Kingham has recommended to the state government that both entitlements be refused.</p> <p>In making this recommendation, Kingham reflected on how the global landscape has changed since the Paris Agreement in 2015, <a href="https://theconversation.com/carmichael-mine-jumps-another-legal-hurdle-but-litigants-are-making-headway-69423" target="_blank" rel="noopener">and since the last major challenge</a> to a mine in Queensland in 2016: Adani’s Carmichael mine.</p> <p>She drew a clear link between the mining of this coal, its ultimate burning by a third party overseas, and the project’s material contribution to global emissions. She concluded that the project poses “unacceptable” climate change risks to people and property in Queensland.</p> <p>The Queensland <a href="https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/asmade/act-2019-005" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Human Rights Act</a> requires a decision-maker to weigh up whether there is any justifiable reason for limiting a human right, which could incorporate a consideration of new jobs. Kingham decided the importance of preserving the human rights outweighed the potential A$2.5 billion of economic benefits of the proposed mine.</p> <p>From a legal perspective, I believe there are four reasons in particular this case is so significant.</p> <h2>1. Rejecting an entrenched assumption</h2> <p>A major barrier to climate change litigation in Queensland has been the “<a href="https://theconversation.com/landmark-rocky-hill-ruling-could-pave-the-way-for-more-courts-to-choose-climate-over-coal-111533" target="_blank" rel="noopener">market substitution assumption</a>”, also known as the “perfect substitution argument”. This is the assertion that a particular mine’s contribution to climate change is net zero, because if that mine doesn’t supply coal, then another will.</p> <p>Kingham rejected this argument. She noted that the economic benefits of the proposed project are uncertain with long-term <a href="https://www.iea.org/news/world-energy-outlook-2022-shows-the-global-energy-crisis-can-be-a-historic-turning-point-towards-a-cleaner-and-more-secure-future" target="_blank" rel="noopener">global demand</a> for thermal coal set to decline. She observed that there’s a real prospect the mine might not be viable for its projected life, rebutting the market substitution assumption.</p> <p>This is an enormous victory for environmental litigants as this was a previously entrenched argument in Australia’s legal system and policy debate.</p> <h2>2. Evidence from First Nations people</h2> <p><a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/on-country-evidence-in-landmark-case-against-clive-palmers-coal-project/6eiueghuy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">It was also the first time</a> the court took on-Country evidence from First Nations people in accordance with their traditional protocols. Kingham and legal counsel travelled to Gimuy (around Cairns) and Traditional Owners showed how climate change has directly harmed their Country.</p> <p>As Youth Verdict co-director and First Nations lead Murrawah Johnson <a href="https://www.edo.org.au/2022/04/20/landmark-hearing-into-clive-palmers-galilee-coal-project-legal-challenge-begins/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">put it</a>:</p> <p><em>We are taking this case against Clive Palmer’s Waratah Coal mine because climate change threatens all of our futures. For First Nations peoples, climate change is taking away our connection to Country and robbing us of our cultures which are grounded in our relationship to our homelands.</em></p> <p><em>Climate change will prevent us from educating our young people in their responsibilities to protect Country and deny them their birth rights to their cultures, law, lands and waters.</em></p> <p>This decision reflects the court’s deep engagement with First Nations’ arguments, in considering the impacts of climate change on First Nations people.</p> <h2>3. The human rights implications</h2> <p>In yet another Australian first, the court heard submissions on the human rights implications of the mine.</p> <p>The Land Court of Queensland has a unique jurisdiction in these matters, because it makes a recommendation, rather than a final judgment. This recommendation must be taken into account by the final decision-makers – in this case, the Queensland resources minister, and the state Department of Environment and Science.</p> <p><a href="https://archive.sclqld.org.au/qjudgment/2020/QLC20-033.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">In an earlier proceeding</a>, Kingham found the land court itself is subject to obligations under Queensland’s Human Rights Act. This means she must properly consider whether a decision to approve the mine would limit human rights and if so, whether limits to those human rights can be demonstrably justified.</p> <p>Kingham found approving the mine would contribute to climate change impacts, which would limit:</p> <ul> <li>the right to life</li> <li>the cultural rights of First Nations peoples</li> <li>the rights of children</li> <li>the right to property and to privacy and home</li> <li>the right to enjoy human rights equally.</li> </ul> <p>Internationally, there are <a href="https://theconversation.com/mass-starvation-extinctions-disasters-the-new-ipcc-reports-grim-predictions-and-why-adaptation-efforts-are-falling-behind-176693" target="_blank" rel="noopener">clear links</a> made between climate change and human rights. For example, climate change is worsening heatwaves, risking a greater number of <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-hot-is-too-hot-for-the-human-body-our-lab-found-heat-humidity-gets-dangerous-faster-than-many-people-realize-185593" target="_blank" rel="noopener">deaths</a>, thereby affecting the right to life.</p> <h2>4. A victory for a nature refuge</h2> <p>Kingham also considered the environmental impacts of the proposed mine on the <a href="https://bimblebox.org/about/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bimblebox Nature Refuge</a> – 8,000 hectares semi-arid woodland, home to a recorded 176 bird species, in the Galilee Basin.</p> <p>She deemed these impacts unacceptable, as “the ecological values of Bimblebox [could be] seriously and possibly irreversibly damaged”.</p> <p>She also observed that the costs of climate change to people in Queensland have not been fully accounted for, nor have the costs of mining on the Bimblebox Nature Refuge. Further, she found the mine would violate Bimblebox Alliance’s right to family and home.</p> <h2>Making history</h2> <p>This case has made legal history. It is the first time a Queensland court has recommended refusal of a coal mine on climate change grounds, and the first case linking human rights and climate change in Australia. As Kingham concluded:</p> <blockquote> <p>Approving the application would risk disproportionate burdens for future generations, which does not give effect to the goal of intergenerational equity.</p> </blockquote> <p>The future of the project remains unclear. But in a year marked by climate-related disasters, the land court’s decision offers a ray of hope that Queensland may start to leave coal in the ground.</p> <p><strong>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/this-case-has-made-legal-history-young-australians-just-won-a-human-rights-case-against-an-enormous-coal-mine-195350" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.</strong></p> <p><em>Image: The Conversation</em></p>

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"That won't be happening": Why Clive Palmer refused ICU treatment

<p dir="ltr">Clive Palmer rejected ICU treatment when he contracted Covid and instead called specialists in the US who treated former President Donald Trump.</p> <p dir="ltr">The <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/clive-palmer-rushed-to-hospital" target="_blank" rel="noopener">billionaire was rushed</a> to Pindara Private Hospital on the Gold Coast with breathing difficulties on February 27 after contracting the Delta variant of Covid.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 67-year-old mining magnate was also diagnosed with double pneumonia, but refused ICU treatment which was strongly suggested by doctors.</p> <p dir="ltr">Palmer instead left the hospital and returned to his mansion where he called the US specialists on Zoom, where he was fast-tracked into a drug trial where they pumped a cocktail of five antiviral drugs into him.</p> <p dir="ltr">Two of the drugs included ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine, which have not yet been approved by the Therapeutics Goods Association (TGA).</p> <p dir="ltr">Palmer’s senior management contacted American gastroenterologist and Ivermectin advocate Professor Thomas Borody along with a team of US specialists.</p> <p dir="ltr">The US doctors worked with Palmer’s doctors to monitor his treatment at home, including having an ambulance waiting outside in the event he needed to be rushed back to hospital.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I would have died otherwise, without doubt,’’ Palmer told <a href="https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/coronavirus/clive-palmer-refused-icu-treatment-while-battling-covid19-in-favour-of-taking-ivermectin-and-hydroxychloroquine/news-story/c6fc9735e2e93c2a2ebbc987198e2f9c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sky News</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I've been told that without the antiviral intervention on that Sunday night I would likely have been dead within five hours.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The US specialists, a couple of whom treated (Donald) Trump for Covid, were very strong about not going onto a ventilator.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I had faith in the US doctors. I'm not being critical of the Pindara people at all. They believed ventilation was necessary but I had alternative advice and I stuck with that.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I said that won't be happening and I went home.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Palmer was also high risk because of his age, weight and being unvaccinated and confessed he was still not feeling the best.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I started to come good within 10 hours,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I'm still not 100 per cent. I get tired pretty easily but I'm not getting any younger I suppose.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: YouTube</em></p>

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Clive Palmer in more hot water over Hitler Mercedes furore

<p dir="ltr">Clive Palmer has come under fire and could face the full weight of the law after <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/clive-palmer-buys-adolf-hitlers-mercedes-from-russian-billionaire" target="_blank" rel="noopener">allegedly</a> importing a Mercedes-Benz once owned and used by Adolf Hitler.</p> <p dir="ltr">The controversial billionaire and politician reportedly purchased the 1939 770 Grosser Offener Tourenwagen (“large open touring car”) from an unnamed Russian billionaire.</p> <p dir="ltr">Though the identity of the seller and the time-frame of the sale is unclear, the Courier Mail reported that negotiations took place over two years.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews has called on Mr Palmer to explain his actions and said he will face hefty consequences if it is found he breached import, customs and sanctions rules by buying and importing the vehicle.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-b331882e-7fff-34f1-9693-3dacbc37cd4d"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“If an individual contravenes our sanctions regime there will be serious consequences under Australian law. The bottom line is: No one gets a special deal and the rules apply to all,” she <a href="https://www.news.com.au/technology/motoring/motoring-news/clive-palmer-warned-after-reportedly-buying-adolf-hitlers-mercedes/news-story/11cbac51b128fc3baaeab26056bd4aec" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Should this not be “Australian Nazi-sympathising oligarch breaks trade sanctions on Russia during global humanitarian crisis” <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RussiaUkraine?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RussiaUkraine</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ClivePalmer?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ClivePalmer</a> <a href="https://t.co/K6b5JDaDRn">https://t.co/K6b5JDaDRn</a></p> <p>— jo dodds 🔥🔥🔥 (@JoDodds6) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoDodds6/status/1499151893825687552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">News of the purchase came shortly after sanctions were announced against Russian financial institutions, as well as individuals of “strategic and economic significance to Russia”.</p> <p dir="ltr">If reports of the sale are true, Mr Palmer will also have to ensure the car doesn’t contain any asbestos, which is often found in the brake and clutch components of classic cars.</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-03-02/clive-palmer-reportedly-buys-hitlers-car/100874720" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Failing to do so</a> before he imports the vehicle could see him slapped with a $180,000 fine - which is three times the value of the car - or a $900,000 fine if one of his companies purchased and imported it.</p> <p dir="ltr">There is no suggestion that the avid car collector supports or sympathises with the Nazi movement, and Ms Andrews has outright condemned any glorification of the movement on behalf of the government.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The government absolutely condemns any glorification of Nazi history and neo-Nazi extremist activity in Australia,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-301828fa-7fff-4fef-5c5d-7921ca95c9fb"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“I understand why people may find this purchase by Clive Palmer offensive.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">On Monday I asked the government to stop Clive Palmer importing Hitler’s car using the Customs Act.</p> <p>Today the Government has acted on my request.</p> <p>There is no reason for the importation of these obscene objects into Australia, billionaire or not.</p> <p>Read my full letter below. <a href="https://t.co/KyvTEbV2bq">pic.twitter.com/KyvTEbV2bq</a></p> <p>— Patrick Gorman MP (@PatrickGormanMP) <a href="https://twitter.com/PatrickGormanMP/status/1498835957407436800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">West Australian MP Patrick Gorman also shared his disapproval, writing to Ms Andrews on Monday to ask that the federal government urgently investigate the alleged purchase.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Many of my constituents are concerned with this purchase and the message it sends. I believe that it is inappropriate for Mr Palmer to personally own such an item,” he wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I seek an assurance from you as minister that Mr Palmer has not breached Australia’s customs and sanctions requirements.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-2b1a0d2a-7fff-6641-33b2-ae168b60cb10"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

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Clive Palmer buys Adolf Hitler's Mercedes from Russian billionaire

<p><span id="docs-internal-guid-2f7b6c70-7fff-91bd-9762-c6ded9882390">Mining magnate Clive Palmer has made headlines for the second time in just a week, after two years of negotiations resulted in him <a href="https://www.perthnow.com.au/politics/clive-palmer/clive-palmer-purchases-adolf-hitlers-mercedes-benz-for-gold-coast-museum--c-5859570" target="_blank" rel="noopener">purchasing</a> Adolf Hitler’s bulletproof Mercedes Benz from an unnamed Russian billionaire.</span></p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/nazi-car1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Clive Palmer has purchased a vehicle belonging to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. Image: Getty Images</em></p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-5720dae1-7fff-c4cc-7852-341ea6432452"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Palmer bought the Mercedes-Benz 770 Grosser Offener Tourenwagen - which features bulletproof glass and armoured panelling - for a museum of vintage cars he hopes to build in Queensland.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Clive Palmer is really that Texan billionaire from The Simpsons <a href="https://t.co/CrylLGLKZ6">https://t.co/CrylLGLKZ6</a> <a href="https://t.co/n8hnWtSrNy">pic.twitter.com/n8hnWtSrNy</a></p> <p>— Evan Smith (@evanishistory) <a href="https://twitter.com/evanishistory/status/1498145874030915586?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The car was seized by US forces in France at the end of WWII, and has had several owners before Palmer claimed ownership.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ebed1dd9-7fff-e0b6-b3ba-8b99e66536d3"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">It was previously listed for auction in Scottsdale, Arizona in 2018 and was <a href="https://www.thedrive.com/news/19072/hitlers-parade-car-bought-by-anonymous-buyer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> sold to an unknown buyer outside of the United States.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/nazi-car2.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>The car was last sold in 2018 at an auction in Scottsdale, Arizona, to an unknown buyer. Image: Getty Images</em></p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-202c28ed-7fff-f4f2-b246-fcbf0796442e"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">He also purchased a 1929 Rolls-Royce owned by King Edward VIII which is also expected to end up in his car museum.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Australian oligarch buys dictator &amp; mass murderer's car from Russian oligarch amid worldwide sanctions against Russia- telling us exactly who he is &amp; what he really cares about. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/moralwasteland?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#moralwasteland</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/auspol?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#auspol</a> <a href="https://t.co/j13JSpiMpj">https://t.co/j13JSpiMpj</a> via <a href="https://twitter.com/newscomauHQ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@newscomauHQ</a></p> <p>— Diana (@ElephantFlowers) <a href="https://twitter.com/ElephantFlowers/status/1498082458969178112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The vehicle - which many online have dubbed “Nazi memorabilia” - was secretly shipped from London to Queensland and is now being kept at a high-security location.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-9e4fe9e0-7fff-0ee4-5f60-92c5b73c89c8"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Though the final purchase price hasn’t been confirmed, it is believed to have cost Mr Palmer more than $200,000.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">I cannot believe I have posted twice in one day about my 2022 bingo card but here we are. Clive Palmer buying Adolf Hitlers mercedes from a Russian billionaire was *definitely* not on my bingo card and I feel that whoever is writing this season of our lives has jumped the shark.</p> <p>— Dr Kate Miller (@DrKate_Miller) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrKate_Miller/status/1498098388919013377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The purchase comes after the unvaccinated United Australia Party member <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/clive-palmer-rushed-to-hospital" target="_blank" rel="noopener">made headlines</a> last week when he and his wife were rushed to hospital with Covid-like symptoms.</p> <p dir="ltr">Three ambulances reportedly arrived at their Paradise Point home in Queensland on Thursday morning, taking the 67-year-old and his wife Annastacia to Pindara Private Hospital.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-3714a73a-7fff-229a-9243-bb285ca64bc7"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

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Clive Palmer rushed to hospital

<p>Mining magnate Clive Palmer has reportedly been rushed to hospital in an ambulance after developing Covid-19 symptoms.</p> <p>It is understood the 67-year-old unvaccinated billionaire turned politician was taken to Pindara Private Hospital on the Gold Coast. Earlier this week, Mr Palmer postponed his National Press Club address.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">The NPC has been informed as of 10am 22/02/2022, that <a href="https://twitter.com/CliveFPalmer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CliveFPalmer</a> has been directed not to travel due him showing COVID-like symptoms. Therefore, today's address has been cancelled. All ticket holders will be refunded. If you have any queries please call the Club.</p> <p>— National Press Club (@PressClubAust) <a href="https://twitter.com/PressClubAust/status/1495899557934387206?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 21, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p>He had been due to travel from the Gold Coast to Canberra but pulled out after suffering “flu-like symptoms”, according to his spokesperson.</p> <p>“Clive Palmer has been directed not to travel due to him showing Covid-like symptoms,” the NPC said on Tuesday.</p> <p>Mr Palmer has publicly opposed Covid-19 vaccine mandates via his United Australia Party, as well as supporting the anti-lockdown rally which was held in November: “I’m not vaccinated and I don’t intend to be,” he said at the time.</p> <p>Mr Palmer was recently in Sydney, where he stayed on board his luxury yacht. He had travelled to NSW to testify at his defamation trial against Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

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Clive Palmer's COVID-19 vaccine death claims gain momentum

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post-body-container"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>A radio commercial that was authorised by Clive Palmer and played on Queensland radio stations claiming that there have been 210 Australian deaths due to the COVID-19 vaccine has been debunked by the Therapeutic Goods Administration.</p> <p>The commercial begins by saying that Australia has recorded one COVID-19 associated death in 2021.</p> <p>“Australia has had one Covid-19 associated death in 2021,” the ad said. “But the TGA [Therapeutic Goods Administration] reports that there’s been 210 deaths and over 24,000 adverse reactions after Covid vaccinations. Authorised by Clive Palmer, Brisbane," the full ad reads.</p> <p>The TGA slammed the radio advertisement, saying that the “misinformation, in the course of the Covid-19 pandemic, poses an unacceptable threat to the health of Australians”.</p> <p>“The Therapeutic Goods Administration is seriously concerned about misleading information, authorised by Mr Clive Palmer that has recently been broadcast on radio stations in the Grant Broadcasters radio network and which provides an incorrect picture of the safety of Covid-19 vaccines,”<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.tga.gov.au/media-release/misleading-radio-messages-about-covid-19-vaccine-safety" target="_blank">the medicines regulator said.</a></p> <p>The inaccurate claim that COVID-19 vaccines have caused more than 200 deaths refers to the number of people who have died after being vaccinated but apart from one case, none have been linked by the TGA to the vaccine.</p> <p>The same claim has gained momentum on social media by anti-vaccine campaigners, but the social media posts have since been removed.</p> <p>A day after the TGA raised concerns, the radio broadcaster that ran them had announced that they've stopped.</p> <p>“Our radio stations strongly support their local communities and that includes fully supporting initiatives that keep our community safe, like the federal and state government Covid-19 vaccination programs,”<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.grantbroadcasters.com.au/broadcasting/qld" target="_blank">the regional broadcaster said</a><span> </span>on Wednesday.</p> <p>“The advertisements are no longer running across our network.”</p> <p>The broadcaster said that the Palmer ads were subject to the laws of political advertising, which didn't include the ability to "restrict the contents of a political advertisement".</p> <p>“We also have a responsibility to allow lawful public debate about matters of public importance,” the regional broadcaster said.</p> <p>“The Therapeutic Goods Administration has acknowledged the concerns we raised regarding this messaging and we are grateful to the TGA for stepping up to provide a clear statement of the federal government’s position on this type of political advertising.”</p> </div> </div> </div> </div>

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“We had to go our own ways”: Jacqui Lambie opens up about ex-boss Clive Palmer

<p>Jacqui Lambie, who worked with Clive Palmer in Tasmania, has let the Australian people know her thoughts on his endless campaigning. She told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/national/politics/im-definitely-a-better-leader-jacqui-lambie-on-her-former-boss-clive-palmer/news-story/7caefa72010ddf17f148cddc7ebf4bc2" target="_blank">news.com.au</a>:</p> <p>“Ah Clive. He’s obviously passionate, so good luck to him,” she said.</p> <p>“I just wish I could get through a footy game on TV every now and then without him giving me the thumbs up though!”</p> <p>As Lambie was elected under his banner to the Senate to represent Tasmania in the 2013 election, the duo were quite close for a time.</p> <p>Back then, Clive Palmer’s party was called the Palmer United Party, but is now known as the United Australia Party after a $50 million advertising campaign focusing on the rebrand.</p> <p>Lambie entered the Senate in 2014, but a few months later was forced to say goodbye to Palmer as she sat as an independent until November 2017.</p> <p>Lambie then left parliament over the Section 44 dual citizenship scandal that saw many politicians leave parliament as well.</p> <p>As the pair traded insults back in 2014 after their messy split, many were curious as to whether there’s still bad blood between them. There’s a possibility they could be working closely in parliament as Palmer is after a Senate spot for Queensland and Lambie is after a Senate spot for Tasmania.</p> <p>Lambie explained her thoughts on whether there’s bad blood between the pair.</p> <p>“Look, Clive helped me a lot and there are definitely no grudges, but we got to a point where his views on what was best for Tasmania and mine diverged, so we had to go our own ways,” she said of her history with Palmer.</p> <p>“I’m definitely a better leader than a follower, let’s put it that way.”</p> <p>Lambie is also very passionate about getting into the Senate and her authenticity is something that sets her apart from the rest of the politicians as she didn’t grow up in the political system.</p> <p>When Lambie was asked about how it would feel to get back into the Senate, she said “it means the world to me.”</p> <p>“It took me a little while to find my feet and get the lay of the land, but I was starting to get some good results for Tasmanians before I left.</p> <p>“Of course the deals that I had made were all ignored as soon as I was kicked out of the Senate, so I have some chits to collect when I get back in there,” Lambie explained.</p> <p>“In seriousness though, I went into politics to speak for people like me who were being thrown on the rubbish pile and ignored.</p> <p>“Those people are still being ignored and it kills me to think that no one is fighting for them.”</p>

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“Do you think I give a stuff about you?” Clive Palmer explodes on Today show

<p>Clive Palmer, the United Australia Party leader, has made a bizarre appearance on the <em>Today</em><span> </span>show saying his wealth is “four thousand million dollars” and that “do you think I give a stuff about what you personally think, or anyone else thinks?”</p> <p>He was on <em>Today</em> addressing his preference deal with the Liberal Party.</p> <p>Palmer wasn’t a fan of host Deborah Knight’s line of questioning, repeatedly shouting her down and accusing her of not listening to what he has to say.</p> <p>However, things took a turn for the worse when Knight reminded him of the time he fell asleep in parliament when serving as a member for Fairfax.</p> <p>“My wealth is $4000 million (sic),” Mr Palmer said. “Do you think I give a stuff about you, what you personally think or anyone else (thinks)?”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">“My wealth is four thousand million dollars, do you think I give a stuff about what you personally think?” <a href="https://twitter.com/CliveFPalmer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CliveFPalmer</a> to <a href="https://twitter.com/deborah_knight?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Deborah_Knight</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/9Today?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#9Today</a> <a href="https://t.co/JsAvt1eRLU">pic.twitter.com/JsAvt1eRLU</a></p> — The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheTodayShow/status/1122615758570131456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 28, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>Palmer continued on his rant, going on an odd tangent about how his family served in the First World War.</p> <p>“My members of my family have died in the First World War. Served at Tobruk and Kokoda … they have done more for this country than you or I can do. We are not going to let them down, the Anzacs down, who fought for this country.”</p> <p>Palmer also went on to describe opinion polls as “fake news”.</p> <p>“Do you think there would be all this fuss if we were polling five per cent? Of course we are not. We are polling much higher than that. And there is 28 per cent of Australians that have yet to make their decision.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">Seriously? Newspoll is a conspiracy? The “real” support for the UAP will see it elected to govern? Now this really is unhinged. We’re told money can’t buy happiness but it seems an ability to make obscene amounts of it does not even require a loose grip on reality. <a href="https://t.co/kwS1g5zrDY">https://t.co/kwS1g5zrDY</a></p> — Mark Kenny (@markgkenny) <a href="https://twitter.com/markgkenny/status/1122629202291740674?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 28, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>Knight listened to Palmer speak and ended the interview thanking him for his time.</p> <p>Palmer ended the segment with “God bless Australia”.</p> <p>Did you see the segment on<span> </span><em>Today</em><span> </span>this morning? What do you think of Clive Palmer's policies? Let us know in the comments.</p>

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Clive Palmer announces $700 million Titanic II set to sail in 2022

<p>One of the most infamous shipwrecks in history, the story surrounding the <em>Titanic</em> will be one that will be told for years to come.</p> <p>And now, exactly 110 years after the ocean liner sank to the depths of the sea, an optimistic hopeful promises to complete the voyage that it failed to do in 1912.</p> <p>Australian billionaire Clive Palmer has shared his plans to create <em>Titanic II</em> – a replica of the ship that met a doomed fate – and said it will be ready to set sail in 2022.</p> <p>The ship, which is costing close to $700 million, has been a work in progress since 2012 under Mr Palmer’s company Blue Star Line.</p> <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BpK8dTdn64S/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BpK8dTdn64S/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" target="_blank">You'll feel like king of the world, when the Titanic II casts off in 2022. The maiden voyage of the replica of the doomed 1912 vessel will leave from Dubai before traveling from Southhampton to New York: the same route as the original.</a></p> <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 post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/tictoc/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" target="_blank"> TicToc by Bloomberg</a> (@tictoc) on Oct 20, 2018 at 3:05pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Construction paused momentarily in between then and now due to financial disputes, but work has started back up again.</p> <p>However, despite the similarities, there are also some differences, as the <em>Titanic II</em> is currently being built in China while the older model, which was said to be “unsinkable”, was constructed in Northern Ireland.</p> <p>Another difference to expect is the improved safety systems in place, such as accurate navigation and technology, and extra lifeboats on board.</p> <p>Otherwise everything ranging from the interior to the exterior will be the same as the original.</p> <p>The old <em>Titanic </em>was able to house 2400 passengers and 900 crew members, with the new cruise liner hoping to accommodate to that exact number.</p> <p>The <em>Titanic II</em> will also replicate the cabin layout of the original ship.</p> <p>And to top it all off, the cruise plans to follow the same voyage as the first, starting its journey in Dubai and travelling along the North Atlantic route from Southampton, England, to New York.</p> <p>The journey will take two weeks in total, and upon its return, it will then start to travel towards other destinations.</p> <p>“The ship will follow the original journey, carrying passengers from Southampton to New York,” Mr Palmer said to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.msn.com/en-au" target="_blank"><em>MSN</em></a>.</p> <p>“But she will also circumnavigate the globe, inspiring and enchanting people while attracting unrivalled attention, intrigue and mystery in every port she visits.”</p> <p>Speaking to <em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-ideas/cruises/clive-palmers-700m-titanic-ii-to-replicate-voyage-of-the-doomed-original/news-story/851178755d4ce4d58fe0d4c475b93b91" target="_blank">news.com.au</a></em>, Blue Star Line has said that the <em>Titanic II</em> will feature the same class categories as the original – first, second and third class.</p> <p>The length of the ship will also be the same, along with having dining rooms and restaurants resembling the original.</p> <p>There is currently no information regarding ticket prices.</p> <p>Scroll through the gallery above for a sneak peak inside the <em>Titanic II</em>.</p> <p>Would you like to be a passenger and set sail on <em>Titanic II</em>? Tell us in the comments below. </p>

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"It’s my money": Clive Palmer defends actions in trainwreck Leigh Sales interview

<p>Queensland businessman Clive Palmer has claimed he is the victim of a “political witch hunt” as he clashed with ABC’s Leigh Sales.</p> <p>On Friday, the Queensland Supreme Court ordered the billionaire’s personal assets, worth $205 million, to be frozen in an effort to recover millions of dollars from the 2016 collapse of Queensland Nickel.</p> <p>In a heated interview on 7.30, Mr Palmer says he did not owe his former employees any money.</p> <p>Within seconds of the interview beginning, Mr Palmer, on the offensive, warned Sales to “keep quiet” if she wanted the interview to continue after she asked him why creditors were not paid out millions after the collapse of Queensland Nickel.</p> <p>“If you want to continue the interview, I suggest you keep quiet,” the billionaire businessman told Sales.</p> <p><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FABC730%2Fvideos%2F10156429731534516%2F&amp;show_text=1&amp;width=560" width="560" height="426" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p> <p>Mr Palmer angrily defended his decision to pay his nephew, former Queensland Nickel director Clive Mensink, $4000 a week while 800 former Queensland Nickel staff claim they’re still owed money.</p> <p>“As you know, I have assets of $2.9 billion here in Australia,” he told the ABC.</p> <p>“I’ve never moved any assets offshore. I support this country. I believe in the people.”</p> <p>Mr Mensink fled to Bulgaria after the collapse of Queensland Nickel.</p> <p>“It’s my money, he’s my nephew, if I want to pay him $1 million a week, I will. I earned my money hard, I haven’t borrowed from anyone, I’ve got no mums and dads investors,” Mr Palmer told Sales.</p> <p>“This is all about a witch hunt, about me as an Australian daring to challenge the two ruling parties of this country who work hard to keep you, the people of Australia down. It’s a political witch hunt.”</p> <p>Former Queensland Nickel employee Sam Larkin told the ABC the collapse of the company had ruined the Townsville community.</p> <p>“It’s ripped $300 million out of the Townsville community. It brought the place to its knees and it was in bad place to begin with. He’s done nothing to help that,” she said.</p> <p>Bede Harding, of the Australian Workers’ Union, told 7.30 the town was still feeling the effects of the collapse.</p> <p>“Employees have found it hard to find good, consistent jobs in the Townsville market so we see a lot of our former members in very precarious employment,” he told 7.30.</p>

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The harrowing reason Tiahleigh’s mother gave her up

<p>Cindy Palmer, the mother of murdered schoolgirl Tiahleigh, has told how she gave her daughter up during a “severe domestic ­violence situation” because she thought it was the safest option for her then seven-year-old daughter.</p> <p>But instead, horrifically, five years later, Tiahleigh would be killed by her foster father to cover up the fact that her 18-year-old foster brother had molested her.</p> <p>Rick Thorburn pleaded guilty to murder last Friday and will serve 20 years before being eligible for parole.</p> <p>The court heard Rick murdered Tiahleigh on October 29, 2015, because he thought Tiahleigh might be pregnant and therefore his son would go to prison.</p> <p>Speaking to <em>60 Minutes</em> last night, Cindy Palmer explained why she had given up her daughter to foster care.</p> <p>“I was suffering through a very severe domestic violence situation,” she said.</p> <p>“So, I actually went to the department for help because I realised that one day I was just going to die and [she] was just going to be left there by [herself].</p> <p>“I still firmly believe that the day I went to the department asking for help, I made the right decision. It’s not what I wanted and it wasn’t the outcome any of us wanted, but at the end of the day I thought it was the safer option.”</p> <p><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2F60Minutes9%2Fvideos%2F1625013207567988%2F&amp;show_text=0&amp;width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p> <p>But life only got worse for Cindy after she gave up her daughter.</p> <p>“At first, I was so devastated at being apart from her that I spiralled out of control, into drugs and homelessness.”</p> <p>Cindy told the program she’d had a bad feeling about the Thorburn family and she was particularly worried her daughter would be living with teenage boys.</p> <p>“Straight away, I said no,” she said.</p> <p>“The first ever time that I met Rick, the first words that came out of his mouth were about how he was in a gang when he was younger and he was running guns and prostitutes. And he was proud of this.”</p> <p>Although family members have told police that Rick often told elaborate lies to impress people, Cindy said whether or not the story was true, it was “inappropriate”.</p> <p>Cindy said she has received abuse and death threats over her decision to put her daughter in foster care.</p> <p>“I didn’t murder my daughter,” she said.</p> <p>“I’ve worked really hard not to be that person anymore but I guess maybe it is a little bit of guilt because obviously I was meant to be a mother and I should have made better choices.”</p>

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Golfing great Arnold Palmer passes away, aged 87

<p>The golfing world has lost one of its true legends today, with the confirmation that golfing great Arnold Palmer has sadly passed away at the age of 87.</p> <p>Palmer passed at University of Pittsburgh Medical Centre Presbyterian Hospital on Sunday, local time, after reportedly being hospitalised in preparation for heart surgery. According to assistant Doc Griffin the cause of death is still unknown. </p> <p>The former-US professional golfer was very much the face of the sport in the 60s, and considered by many to be one of the greatest players to ever pick up a set of clubs.</p> <p>Nicknamed ‘The King’, Palmer had a highly decorated career that took him to the peak of the sport, including 62 wins on the PGA Tour and seven major championships.</p> <p>Palmer received a PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998 and was one of 13 original inductees into the World Golf Hall of Fame.</p> <p><img width="500" height="284" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/27994/golf-palmer-in-text_500x284.jpg" alt="Golf -Palmer -In -Text" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p><em>Image credit: Twitter / Golf Digest</em></p> <p>Palmer biographer James Dodson told <a href="http://www.golfweek.com/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Golf Week</strong></span></a>, “He represented everything that is great about golf. The friendship, the fellowship, the laughter, the impossibility of golf, the sudden rapture moment that brings you back, a moment that you never forget, that’s Arnold Palmer in spades. He’s the defining figure in golf.”</p> <p>Our thoughts are with his family, at this difficult time. </p> <p><em>Hero image credit: Twitter / History In Pictures</em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="/health/body/2016/09/john-watson-how-i-lost-15kgs-i-gained-in-retirement/"><strong>How I lost the 15kgs I gained in retirement</strong></a></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="/health/body/2016/09/how-cycling-reduces-your-risk-of-osteoporosis/"><strong>How cycling reduces your risk of osteoporosis</strong></a></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="/health/mind/2016/08/the-secret-to-beating-bad-moods/"><strong>The secret to beating bad moods</strong></a></em></span></p>

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