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Julie Goodwin delivers a stern message to the body shamers

Julie Goodwin has always known her way around a kitchen – and now, it turns out, she’s just as adept at roasting unsolicited opinions. The beloved MasterChef Australia winner has issued a spicy statement on Instagram after receiving a barrage of comments about her appearance, particularly her recent weight loss. And while she’s known for dishing out hearty meals, this time she served something else: a well-seasoned helping of boundaries. “Thanks to all who have expressed concern about my health. I am well and I am within the healthy weight range. My doctor concurs,” Goodwin wrote, putting the matter to rest with the kind of authority only a GP – and a fed-up woman with a public profile – can provide. But Julie didn’t stop at a health update. She made it clear that she’s not interested in being your weight-loss coach, thank you very much. “For those who have asked me for advice or tips, I am not qualified to provide this. It’s advice that should be sought from your trusted health professionals, not from me. I’m a TV cook,” she said. A gentle reminder that just because someone can whip up a soufflé doesn’t mean they should be your personal trainer. And as for the chorus of couch critics dissecting her figure? “For those who want to comment on the shape and condition of my body please, do it on your own page because I’m tired of reading it,” she wrote, announcing she’d be turning off comments. “For all of us can we please find something more interesting to talk about. Can we please model kindness to our kids and grandkids and can we please leave this obsession with people’s looks back in the 1980s. Peace and love.” It’s not the first time Goodwin’s appearance has prompted public chatter. In 2016, she told Women’s Weekly she’d “accidentally” lost 20kg amid the chaos of running a business, saying it was hardly a lifestyle to emulate. “It’s not that I’ve gone on some stupid, sad diet and dropped a whole heap of weight in a hurry... I’m running a business and running around like a mad thing, and sometimes I forget to eat, none of which is healthy,” she said at the time. Julie, who first won Australia’s heart in 2009 when she beat Poh Ling Yeow to take the MasterChef crown, has since built a rich career as a cookbook author, columnist and TV regular. But she’s also been candid about the toll fame has taken on her mental health. In a deeply personal episode of the Head Game podcast, she described spiralling into severe depression, at one point believing her family would be better off without her. “I just had nothing left. It’s a sickness, right, severe depression is a serious illness,” she said, adding that she turned to alcohol as a coping mechanism: “The only way I could shut off my brain late at night, was to drink wine... So I was self-medicating, and that’s a terrible, terrible way to sleep.” Thankfully, Goodwin says she’s now in a better place — but acknowledges that wellness is a work in progress. “I’m good, I really am. But it’s a concentrated effort to remain good, you know,” she recently told Nine Honey. So next time you’re tempted to weigh in on someone else’s body, maybe take Julie’s advice: leave it in the 1980s, pop on some Madonna, and focus on something kinder – like her lemon curd recipe. Peace, love, and perhaps a little less commentary. Images: Instagram

Body

Polish woman claiming to be Maddie McCann arrested

The young Polish woman who has long claimed to be Madeleine McCann has been arrested, just moments after arriving in the UK. Julie Wandelt, 23, was descended upon by police at Bristol Airport, with authorities holding her on suspicion of stalking and harassing Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry McCann. Wandelt, who had just flown in from Wroclaw in Poland, had been due to meet a friend, who lives in Cardiff, when she was surrounded by officers in front of shocked passengers. The friend, who is thought to be aged in her 60s, was also arrested and taken away by police. Wandelt's representative, Surjit Singh Clair, confirmed news of the arrest, saying, "I'm trying to find out what's happened but it appears Julia has been arrested at Bristol Airport this evening just after she got off the plane." "The police have reportedly arrested her on an allegation of stalking and harassing the McCanns." Wandelt has recently appeared back in the spotlight after a new DNA allegedly <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/polish-woman-doubles-down-on-maddie-mccann-claims" target="_blank" rel="noopener">proves</a> that she is Madeleine McCann. After disappearing from the public eye in 2024, Wandelt has resurfaced online to share the “results” of a fresh DNA test she claimed were submitted to a “world expert”, who compared them to the crime scene following Madeleine’s disappearance. In a series of posts in which she referred to Kate and Gerry McCann has “my parents”, Ms Wandelt said her “actual dna results show that I am part British, part Irish” and that genetic evidence “strongly supports that Gerry McCann could be Julia Wandelt’s biological father”. Ms Wandelt’s “source” claimed her DNA results were a “perfect match” to the samples taken from the scene of Madeleine’s disappearance. Madeleine vanished at the age of three after being snatched by an intruder who broke into her family's holiday villa in Praia de Luz in Portugal in 2007. Image credits: YouTube

Legal

Andrew O'Keefe faces more drug charges

Troubled former TV host Andrew O'Keefe has once again faced court over allegations of driving under the influence of drugs. Andrew O’Keefe, 53, was stopped at 11:30am on July 28th for random testing while driving his Mercedes in Rose Bay, in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. Police say he recorded a positive result for the roadside drug test, while he returned a negative result for the roadside breath test. The former Deal or No Deal host was taken to Waverley Police Station where he underwent a second oral fluid test that returned another positive reading. He was charged with driving a vehicle with an illicit drug present in his system. The former host of The Chase was represented by his lawyer Jahan Kalantar in Waverley Local Court on Monday, where Magistrate Stephen Barlow adjourned the matter until early next month. O’Keefe will remain out on bail. The new charge comes after O’Keefe received a 30-month community corrections order and $2,500 in fines after pleading guilty to drug-related offences in October last year. Image credits: Channel Seven <p style="box-sizing: inherit; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">

Legal

Andrew 'Twiggy' Forrest's daughter ties the knot at his iconic cattle station

Sophia Forrest is married! The second child of Australian billionaire Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest and estranged wife Nicola Forrest has tied the knot with Zara Zoe more than two years after the couple announced their engagement. Sophia, who is non-binary and goes by they/them pronouns, and Zoe wed in a lavish ceremony on Twiggy's Western Australia property Minderoo Station. In an interview with Vogue Australia, the couple shared the reason why they chose Minderoo Station as their venue. “It’s so remote and tranquil,” the couple said. “It’s always been an oasis for us to escape to.” The pair shared a photo of their first kiss on Instagram, with Sophia looking stunning in a halter neck wedding dress, and their partner Zoe donned a fitting white suit with bell bottom pants. Sophia was nominated for Most Popular New Talent at the Logie Awards for their role in series Love Child. A year later Sophia met Zoe on the set of Rise Like a Girl. The couple announced their engagement on social media in April 2022, with Sophia writing at the time: "She makes heaven a place on earth." Friends were quick to congratulate the couple on their wedding, with Aussie actress Krew Boylan writing: "Congratulations!!! Enjoy all the love and oxytocin tumbling your way . Big kisses from me." "Ugh 😍" added former Home and Away star Lukas Radovich. "GORGEOUS 😍 congratulations to you both!!!! Lots of love ❤️‍🔥" commented Aussie actress Karina Banno. Images: Instagram

Relationships

Dan Andrews' statue mystery unfolds

Melbourne is abuzz with a burning question: where, oh where, will the statue of former premier Daniel Andrews be placed? More importantly, will it capture his iconic North Face jacket-clad form, standing proud in the face of lockdown chaos? Yes, it appears that a bronze likeness of the man who guided (and locked) Victoria through some of its toughest years is in the works. The <a href="https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/former-premier-dan-andrews-to-be-immortalised-in-new-statue/news-story/68d37a765269a629baca12c08cc74e1c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Herald Sun recently revealed</a> that the Allan government has confirmed that Dan Andrews will soon be immortalised in Melbourne, joining the ranks of past Victorian premiers like John Cain Jr, Rupert Hamer and Henry Bolte – legends who, let's be honest, didn’t have to worry about memorialising themselves in the middle of a pandemic-fuelled political firestorm. But the government isn’t spilling all the tea just yet. They’ve refused to say exactly where Dan's statue will stand or how much it will cost us. Will it be along the esteemed Treasury Place? Or will they go for something a little more subtle – like a sneaky placement next to a suburban train station, so you can admire his bronzed visage while waiting for a delayed train? Or even – as one disgruntled Facebook user suggested – "at the bottom of the Yarra River"? It's been reported that the statue could easily cost north of $100,000, but what’s a little six-figure sum when you’re eternally freezing a man in time who made your curfew 8pm sharp? The statute eligibility stems from Andrews' 3000-day reign as premier, a milestone introduced by former premier Jeff Kennett, who, sadly, never reached the magic number. It’s almost like Kennett set the bar just to have Dan leap right over it. We’re picturing Kennett in his living room, shaking his fist at a calendar – he could’ve been immortalised in bronze, but alas, his term was cut short. He’s now left without the joy of being a bronzed footnote in history. Meanwhile, sculptor Peter Corlett, the mastermind behind the previous premier statues, has been pondering what pose should immortalise Andrews. Should it be the famous “fists in the air” moment from his 2022 election victory – a rare, almost gladiatorial display of emotion for the typically stoic Andrews? Or will the statue take inspiration from his pandemic press conferences, with him wrapped in his signature North Face jacket, standing solid, as if braving the cold front of public opinion? Perhaps he’ll be gesturing towards an unseen map, locking down regions in real-time. For extra authenticity, pigeons could be programmed to circle around, completing the press conference vibe. While the government is busy with this monument of monumental importance, Opposition finance spokeswoman Jess Wilson has questioned whether now is the best time for such a grand expense. After all, it’s hard to be thrilled about bronze when you’re facing surging crime and hospital wait times that feel longer than the five-day snap lockdown that wasn’t so snappy. Her argument? "Maybe taxpayers would prefer a statue of a budget surplus instead." Of course, there are some whispers suggesting that perhaps Victoria could consider honouring a leading female figure instead. You know, just to mix things up a little in the boys’ club of bronze. But for now, Dan Andrews seems set to be cast in metal. So, while we wait to discover where this shiny new addition to the Melbourne cityscape will be unveiled, we can start placing our bets. Will it be along Treasury Place? Will it be out in the suburbs, standing sentinel in the middle of a roundabout? Or – dare we dream – will it be perched right outside the North Face store, ensuring Melbourne’s most iconic premier (and jacket wearer) is always in fashion? Let the statue speculation begin. And remember, as you ponder the deep mysteries of bronze premier placement, at least this time, you’re not in lockdown. Image: Shutterstock

Domestic Travel

The traumatic moment that triggered Andrew O'Keefe's downward spiral

As Andrew O'Keefe continues his public battle with drug addiction and charges of assault, <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13863269/andrew-okeefe.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Mail Australia</a> has revealed the traumatic experience that triggered his downward spiral. According to the publication, the TV presenter's self-destructive behaviour began barely 72 hours after his "deeply devout" father died. Channel Seven colleagues of O'Keefe's were shocked when he embarked on a brazen, drug-fuelled bender at the Logie Awards in 2014 just a few days after his dad's passing. Daily Mail Australia, who claim the Logies incident is well-known in the industry, marked the start of the concerning behaviour that eventually ended the former Seven star's career, marriage and relationship with his children. Close friends fear O'Keefe - affectionately known as AOK among friends - has now descended so far into "the grip of an addiction he can't beat", he would be better off behind bars for his own safety. One concerned colleague, who worked alongside O'Keefe for more than a decade at Seven, said O'Keefe had confided that he harboured a deep-seated resentment against his father right up to his dying days, revealing to his friend that him he endured a "traumatic childhood" and blamed his strict Supreme Court judge dad for failing to support him. "AOK told me he had a really f***ed-up childhood," the colleague told Daily Mail Australia. "A lot of his trauma relates to the emotional abuse inflicted by his father - there was never anything physical - but he absolutely ignored the pain Andrew was going through." "From what he told me, his dad was this deranged Mel Gibson-type religious zealot and he would hold his own private Catholic masses in their home. He never forgave him for neglecting him in his time of need and never learned how to properly deal with all that pent-up rage." "Now he's in the grip of an addiction he can't beat, and he's pouring through the money he made [while at Seven] and what he got from the sale of his properties. He's cut many of us out of his life and surrounded himself with a new circle of friends who are happy to get high with him, supply him with drugs and bleed him dry." "It's f***ing tragic - maybe going to jail will be the best thing for him, I don't know - we're all just really worried about him and how this will all end." Image credits: Channel Seven

Caring

"Lucky to be alive": Concerning Andrew O'Keefe update

Andrew O'Keefe will remain in jail after his bail was revoked, just days after being arrested on drug charges. The former TV host was arrested on Monday and charged with drug possession after police searched a nearby car and allegedly found methamphetamine. His arrest came just hours after the 52-year-old was discharged from the <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/andrew-o-keefe-rushed-to-hospital" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hospital</a>, after he was revived by paramedics in the early hours on Sunday morning after an alleged drug overdose. In Waverley Local Court on Tuesday, Magistrate Jacqueline Milledge said O’Keefe was “lucky to be alive” as she read a police statement of facts on an application to detain the former TV host rather than let him out on bail again. O'Keefe was out on bail at the time of the alleged overdose, after allegedly breaching a court order, trespassing and intimidating a man in Sydney’s eastern suburbs in July. O’Keefe’s lawyer did not argue against the application and the magistrate revoked his bail, meaning he will remain custody before his return to court in October. “If he wants to stay alive that’s the best thing to do,” Milledge said. O’Keefe’s lawyer suggested a possible application for release on the next occasion for O’Keefe to receive treatment but Milledge said “a “highly persuasive” argument would be required. O’Keefe’s frequent appearances in court are “absolutely tragic” and “very, very sad,” the magistrate said. “He’s a frequent flyer, he’s just so used to it,” she said. “The mental health applications, the rehab, all been tried, and tested, and failed. “I just don’t see the same thing over and over again is going to be working for him and, god help him, it’s a shame that he doesn’t have an epiphany.” Image credits: Seven News

Caring

Andrew O'Keefe rushed to hospital

Andrew O'Keefe has been rushed to hospital after being revived by paramedics at a party in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs over the weekend. The disgraced TV host was partying at a home in Vaucluse at 3:30am on Saturday when emergency services were called after allegedly suffering a drug overdose. Paramedics revived O'Keefe at the scene before transporting him to the nearby St Vincent's Hospital for treatment. The Daily Telegraph reported that he has since been released from hospital. In a statement, NSW Police said of the incident, "Officers attached to Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command were called to a home unit on Old South Head Road at Vaucluse about 3.40am, responding to concerns for the welfare of a 52-year-old man." "NSW Ambulance paramedics rendered assistance to the man before taking him to St Vincent's Hospital where he was reported to be in a stable condition. Inquiries into the incident are continuing." O'Keefe's health incident comes just days after a court upheld his convictions for domestic violence assault, as District Court Judge John Pickering rejected his lawyers' arguments that a woman had inflicted scratch marks on her own arm and later blamed O'Keefe. The troubled former TV star was convicted in January of three counts of domestic violence-related assault, twice contravening an AVO against him, and two charges for possessing a prohibited drug. He was ordered to serve 18 months on a community corrections order, which involves supervision and reporting requirements, and fined $800 for the drug offences. Image credits: JOEL CARRETT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Editorial

Caring

Andrew O'Keefe clashes with press after bail hearing

Andrew O'Keefe has clashed with reporters outside a courtroom after he was granted bail following an interaction with police where he claims a crack pipe allegedly found in his pocket belonged to someone else. The disgraced former TV host sat quietly in the dock as his lawyer, Sharon Ramsden, applied for his release on bail at Waverley Local Court on Monday morning. Police allege the former Deal or No Deal host returned a positive drug test while driving after he was stopped shortly before midday on Sunday in Sydney’s affluent Bellevue Hill. Officers also allege that the 52-year-old also threatened a man in Point Piper shortly before he was stopped by police. The court was told Mr O’Keefe allegedly confronted the man at the property “potentially as a matter of jealousy” following a “rekindling” with his former partner. After O'Keefe was released on bail, chaos ensued outside Waverley police station as the TV host tried to make a quick exit. O'Keefe was followed by reporters as he stepped out into traffic and walked briskly away as he tried to avoid the camera crews. Footage captured by Channel 10 shows Mr O’Keefe handing a reporter her phone after it is dropped before telling her, “get out of my face”. Mr O’Keefe was ultimately granted bail despite magistrate Jacqueline Milledge telling the 52-year-old there were “a lot of aspects of the police facts that are of concern”. “There is a real concern you were somewhere you shouldn't have been and that drugs might still be a factor in your life, but I'm prepared to give you an opportunity to continue with your treatment,” she said. Mr O’Keefe will return before court next month as he faces a single charge each of intimidation and breach a court order, with police foreshadowing more charges pending forensic examination. Image credits: JOEL CARRETT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Editorial

Legal

Hospice nurse reveals the key to a peaceful death

Hospice nurse Julie McFadden has shared her best advice for ensuring a peaceful death, after learning from her patients in their final moments. The healthcare professional, who is known for her YouTube channel where she shares information about death to break the taboo of conversations around dying, shared a video about what you can do in life to ensure a peaceful passing. In the recent clip, she shared what you can do in order to have a peaceful death, and she says it comes down to preparedness and acceptance. "That's one of the biggest things I see," she explained. "People who plan for death will tend to have a more peaceful death than those who do not plan for death." "A prepared death versus a non-prepared death - that's the one thing that I've seen in all of my patients," she explained. Julie said she noticed the patients that were "willing to talk about the hard stuff" had a more peaceful death. <iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qoFvKkfIo00?si=Ba5BnxuaKsBVaGAe" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> "[That means] willing to ask the questions about, 'how long do you think I have? What can I expect? What should I do before I die to make this easier for my family?'" she listed. Julie went on to share a story of when a patient of hers died peacefully surrounded by his family, explaining that the patient was in hospice and had started to decline around 20 minutes after she arrived. "He started having weird changes in breathing, so this was a sudden decline and it looked like he may suddenly die," she recalled, adding the abrupt change was "uncommon actually" in hospice care. "What I noticed was because this family - and him - were so prepared, instead of the family [being] chaotic and reacting in an emotional way - which is very normal - they flipped along right with him," she explained. "[They laid] in bed with him. They understood immediately what was happening. They didn't panic," she shared. Julie said the man was surrounded by his loving family and it was an overwhelmingly emotional experience. "It makes me cry every time I think about it - that vision of them all being able to understand what was happening, even though it was a change they didn't want," she explained. "By the end of that visit he died, so he went from kind of looking okay to dying which is hard - but that family made it a beautiful moment," she said. Image credits: YouTube

Caring

Julie Goodwin's next move following injury on Dancing With The Stars

Julie Goodwin's highly anticipated debut on Dancing With The Stars has been postponed, following an injury. The 53-year-old was forced to withdraw from the first round on Sunday night after suffering two serious tears to her calf muscles during rehearsal with her dance partner, Andrey Gorbunov. She was taken to hospital and immediately treated. "I was jumping on poor Andrey here and something snapped. Fortunately, it was my leg and not his back," she told DWTS show hosts Sonia Kruger and Dr Chris Brown during the premiere. But on Monday, she appeared in good spirits and vowed to hit the dance floor again. “Despite being told that I probably should withdraw, I’m going to give it everything I’ve got, so I don’t quit easy,” Goodwin told The Morning Show hosts. “And the beautiful thing about this production is that they’ve got some marvellous people. They’ve got the dance doctor in Bondi, who is all over this. “So I’m getting acupuncture, homeopathic treatment, massage. I’m swimming, I do healing meditations and listen to healing tones in my headphones. “So, I’m absolutely going hell for leather to get as well as I can in the hope that I can be up and dancing again very soon.” Goodwin is rumoured to return on the show in the third episode. In the interview, she also praised her dance partner, saying: "He’s amazing and he’s also very patient. He’s also very strong. And he’s also just so capable." “He would just be so patient and I’ve loved it. He got me sort of doing steps that I never, ever thought I would do. As you can see from the footage, we have laughed and laughed.” Images: Seven

Plastic Free July is a waste of time if the onus is only on consumers

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/bhavna-middha-1061611">Bhavna Middha</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ralph-horne-160543">Ralph Horne</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a> Every year, the <a href="https://www.plasticfreejuly.org/">Plastic Free July</a> campaign asks us to refuse single-use plastic. The idea is that making a small change in our daily lives will collectively make a big difference. And hopefully, better behaviour will stick and become a habit. The intent is good, but consumers shouldn’t have to bear full responsibility for plastic pollution. Individual sacrifices – particularly temporary ones – <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0301421509004728">won’t make a significant difference</a>. Governments, manufacturers and retailers need to get serious about tackling this problem. If Plastic Free July put pressure on the supply side of the equation, rather than demand, it could be more successful. Our research spans food packaging including plastics, waste, sustainable consumption and social practices. We know consumer demand is only one part of the picture. Eliminating plastic waste requires broader systemic changes. <h2>The cabbage dilemma</h2> Research shows consumers generally want to do the <a href="https://www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/news/news-articles/the-conversation-on-sustainability-has-changed">right thing by the environment</a> but find it <a href="https://theconversation.com/households-find-low-waste-living-challenging-heres-what-needs-to-change-197022">challenging</a>. Coming out of a supermarket with no packaging is difficult. There are few unpackaged food items and even when there is a choice, the unpackaged item may be more <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/want-your-fruit-and-veg-without-the-plastic-you-ll-have-to-pay-more-20231107-p5eib4.html">expensive</a>. Have you ever been stuck in the supermarket, choosing between the large head of cabbage you know you won’t finish before it goes bad, or the plastic-wrapped half-cabbage you really need? Consumers should not be forced to choose between food waste (another huge problem) or plastic waste. Maybe there’s another way. For example, why not sell cabbages of different sizes? Why do we need to grow such large heads of cabbage anyway? Both plastic consumption and food waste can be addressed by changing how we produce and distribute certain foods. <h2>Governments, manufacturers and retailers must drive change</h2> The onus for reducing plastic consumption and waste should be placed firmly on those who make plastic and profit from selling their products, as well as those who make and sell products wrapped in plastic packaging. Research has shown just <a href="https://www.csiro.au/en/news/All/News/2024/April/Global-study-finds-more-than-half-of-branded-plastic-pollution-linked-to-56-companies?utm_source=pocket_shared">56 companies</a> globally are responsible for more than half of the branded plastic pollution that ends up in the environment. Companies profit from using plastics because it is cheaper to use than changing to alternatives, such as cardboard or compostable materials, or using less packaging. This means companies choosing to avoid using plastics face unfair competition. It’s a tough habit to kick. Industry-led <a href="https://productstewardship.us/what-is-epr/#:%7E:text=Stewardship%20can%20be%20either%20voluntary,product%20stewardship%20required%20by%20law">voluntary schemes</a> are <a href="https://www.insidewaste.com.au/91038-2-product-stewardship-schemes/">limited in terms of both participation and outcomes</a>. Many companies are failing to meet their own <a href="https://www.asyousow.org/report-page/2024-plastic-promises-scorecard">plastic reduction goals</a>. Governments need to step in and force companies to take responsibility for the plastic and packaging they manufacture. In practice, this could involve similar schemes to the container deposit scheme for beverage containers, or returning plastics to stores. Replacing voluntary schemes with mandatory regulations and increased producer responsibility means companies will have to <a href="https://www.insidewaste.com.au/91038-2-product-stewardship-schemes/">invest in long-term changes designed with care</a>. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UnXVU-06ciI?wmode=transparent&start=1" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>What’s Plastic Free July?</figcaption></figure> <h2>Cities are built around plastic</h2> Our previous research has shown plastic performs an essential role in some, <a href="https://rgs-ibg.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/geoj.12457">constrained circumstances</a>. We found vulnerable householders often rely on plastic to make life manageable, such as using plastics to cover belongings on the balcony, or using plastic cutlery and plates in student apartments with minimal kitchen space. This includes people with accessibility needs, people relying on public transport to shop for groceries, or people who are financially constrained or living in small high-rise <a href="https://theconversation.com/we-cant-keep-putting-apartment-residents-waste-in-the-too-hard-basket-200545">apartments</a>. Unsustainable lifestyles are not so much a choice as a product of poorly planned cities, housing and regulations. It is all very well if you are mobile and well-located, but if you live in a <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-08/food-deserts-have-serious-consequences-for-residents-experts/6605230">poorly serviced</a> distant suburb and <a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/newsroom/news/2023/01/are-you-living-in-a-food-desert--these-maps-suggest-it-can-reall">transport groceries or takeaway food</a> or buy things on the go, then plastic is perhaps the only current affordable way to make it work. So campaigns and solutions that do not consider how <a href="https://rgs-ibg.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/geoj.12457">everyday lives and economy</a> are intertwined with plastics can <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s42949-024-00149-w">exclude people and spaces</a> who can’t access the alternatives. For example, there are ways to make <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1745-5871.12464">convenience eating more sustainable</a> in education settings. We have shown how <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1745-5871.12390">canteens and microwaves</a> in shared spaces can enable people to access affordable food with their friends, as in <a href="https://www.charlesabroad.cz/post/german-university-canteens-why-do-they-beat-the-czech-ones">University Mensa in Germany</a>. Our <a href="https://cur.org.au/project/tackling-food-related-single-use-plastics-in-diverse-consumption-contexts/">new research</a> will explore how single-use food-related plastics and packaging form an integral part of our daily lives, including shopping, work, cooking and storage. Sometimes new policies inadvertently disadvantage certain groups and communities, such as the aged, less mobile, people living in apartments, or low socio-economic groups. Before we roll out new policies and regulations, we need to understand the roles these materials play and the kinds of services and value they provide. We aim to develop a framework to inform policies and strategies that enable a just and inclusive transition to reduced plastic use. <h2>What about after July?</h2> Plastic Free July and similar campaigns are based on idea that making a temporary change will lead to more permanent lifestyle changes. But research shows temporary shifts are <a href="http://www.demand.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/DEMAND2016_Full_paper_42-Shove.pdf">very different</a> to <a href="https://pure.manchester.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/32468813/FULL_TEXT.PDF">structural, permanent shifts</a> in <a href="https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781315816494-1/introduction-social-practices-intervention-sustainability-beyond-behaviour-change-yolande-strengers-cecily-maller?context=ubx&refId=d608abad-39f9-4bb2-8754-56e9e2000c5e">practices</a>. Supermarkets will still wrap items in plastic and sell single-use plastic, even if we try to buy less during Plastic Free July. Ultimately, the focus should be on designing effective infrastructure and policy solutions for lasting results, considering how demand for plastic is produced in the first place. Some of these changes will require a shift in community expectations and food culture. Rather than pointing the finger at consumers, let’s get to work on redesigning our cities. We need to rethink how everyday practices, manufacturing and distribution systems are structured to eliminate plastic waste.<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/233436/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/bhavna-middha-1061611">Bhavna Middha</a>, ARC DECRA and Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Urban Research, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ralph-horne-160543">Ralph Horne</a>, Associate Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research & Innovation, College of Design & Social Context, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock 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/plastic-free-july-is-a-waste-of-time-if-the-onus-is-only-on-consumers-233436">original article</a>. </div>

Home & Garden

Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest's major win over scam ads

Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest has had a major win against Facebook owner Meta, with a US court allowing him to continue to sue the platform over fake advertisements using his name. The scam Facebook ads show him promoting fake cryptocurrency and other fraudulent investments. The ruling means that the court will consider whether Meta breached its duty by publishing the advertisements, and whether they operated in a way that facilitated scam ads by using defective screening and review procedures. US District Judge Casey Pitts in San Jose, California, made the decision on Monday, and said that Forrest can try to prove Meta's negligence and whether his name and likeness was misappropriated by Meta, and not just by fraudsters behind the bogus ads. "Dr Forrest claims that Meta profited more from ads that included his likeness than it would have if the ads had not," Pitts wrote. "This is enough to adequately plead that the alleged misappropriation was to Meta's advantage." Forrest said that there were over 1000 ads scam ads using his name that appeared on Facebook in Australia between April and November 2023, leading to millions of dollars in losses for victims. The billionaire reportedly first raised the fraudulent advertisements with Meta back in 2014, but nothing happened, according to the Herald Sun. This is the first time a social media company was unable to invoke Section 230 immunity in a US civil case over its advertising business. It's a significant move, as social media companies in the US are usually immune from liability in the US for content posted by third parties. "This is a crucial strategic victory in the battle to hold Facebook accountable," Forrest said. The billionaire is seeking compensatory and punitive damages. Image: Dinendra Haria/LNP/ Shutterstock Editorial

Legal

Steve Price fires up over Dan Andrews' special honour

Steve Price has sparked a bitter row on-air with his co-hosts of The Project, as he spoke out against former premier Dan Andrews being named on the King’s Honours list this year. Andrews, the former premier of Victoria who saw the state through the Covid pandemic, has been recognised on the prestigious list for his “eminent service to the people and parliament of Victoria, to public health, to policy and regulatory reform, and to infrastructure development”. After the announcement of Andrews' upcoming recognition, Price let loose on The Project as he condemned the former premier. “It’s got to be some sort of sick joke,” he said as he began his rant. “Who would expect Daniel Andrews would get the highest honour that you can possibly get from the King? It’s the equivalent of a Knighthood! This is a bloke who locked Victoria up longer than anywhere else in the word. Apart from Covid, this bloke wasted 600 million dollars not holding the Commonwealth Games.” <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8B5Ft8Pe0k/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8B5Ft8Pe0k/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by The Project (@theprojecttv)</a> </div> </blockquote> He continued, “Every infrastructure project he’s [Andrews] ticked off on is either over budget or over time. And we give him an award? I mean it is pathetic!” “I have never heard people today so angry about something like this. Daniel Andrews should be run out of the State, not given an award. It’s pathetic!” As co-host Waleed Aly began to share his own thoughts on the matter, Price butted in to ask, “You’re not going to defend Andrews are you?” “Will you let me say something?” replied Aly awkwardly, as Price nodded his head. “Premiers usually get these awards, but they don’t usually get them this quickly,” continued Aly. “And the weird thing about this is that it isn’t for services to the State, it’s for services to health. And that makes it about the pandemic disproportionately. If this was happening in a few years, I don’t think we’d be having this conversation.” Despite Price's claims that many were angry with the decision to award Andrews with the honour, it turns out most of the outrage was directed towards Price himself as many condemned his "embarrassing" rant. “What criteria is The Project applying to Steve Prices opinion? The short man is a self serving blowhard that has no credible platform for his opinions. Surely in 2024 there are better options in Australia,” ranted one annoyed viewer. A second person commented, “If it makes Steve Price mad then it’s a great decision!!” with another replying, “Like anybody should give credibility to anything Steve Price says”. The onslaught of remarks didn’t end there, with another firing back, “Steve Price is jealous and miserable,” while a similarly annoyed viewer wrote, “Dan living rent free in Price’s head, embarrassing”. Image credits: The Project / AMES ROSS/EPA-EFE / Shutterstock Editorial

Julie Goodwin shares her top tips for perfect potatoes every time

Who doesn't love a good, hearty, delicious serving of fluffy and decadent potatoes? Original MasterChef Australia champion Julie Goodwin has shared her ultimate hacks for cooking the perfect potatoes every time, whether they’re mashed, roasted or baked. According to Julie, there are three key things every home cook needs to keep in mind the next time potatoes are on the menu. Make sure you have the right potatoes Depending on whether you want baked, mashed, roasted, or any other way you want to prepare your potatoes, it all starts in the supermarket. "I find that for things like mashed potatoes and gnocchi and rostis you want a floury potato, so the general rule is dirty potatoes for those things," Julie told <a href="https://kitchen.nine.com.au/latest/julie-goodwin-top-three-tips-to-cook-potatoes-robertson-potato-festival/4d16ba12-bf14-4af2-990e-dcf0e89c30ee">9Honey</a>. "And then for stuff like potato salads, boiled baby potatoes, and potato bake, it's better to have a waxy potato because they hold their substance better. And those are the ones that are sold clean, so things like the Pontiac and Desiree with the pink skin or the washed potatoes with the white skin." "If you want to use them in an Irish stew to break down and thicken the sauce you've got to use a floury potato," she says. "So tend to your dirty ones." She says that if you're buying a clean, waxy potato, you won't have to peel them since the skin is supposed to be edible. However, if you're buying a dirty, floury potato, then you're going to want to peel the dirt off first and then wash off the residue. Get those crispy edges As every home cook knows, the key to the perfect roasted potato is for the inside to be soft and fluffy while the outside stays crispy. It can be a tricky balance to master, but Goodwin says there's a simple way to get it right every time. "I like to par boil them before I roast them. Just so that they go a bit fluffy around the edges," she explains. "What happens is those bits go really crispy and lovely." Let the flavour flow When it comes to seasoning your potatoes, it's hard to know what flavours will suit your dish best. According to Goodwin, more is less when you season potatoes, so it's best to close the spice cabinet. "Salt is absolutely the number one, pepper's beautiful [but] it depends on what the meal is," she says. "So if you're doing a bit of a Portuguese or Spanish inspired meal you might put some paprika on there.” "But I really love rosemary and that's beautiful if you pound that up with your salt and put it on the potatoes that makes it really nice." Image credits: Getty Images / Instagram

Food & Wine

Hospice nurse reveals six unexplainable "death bed phenomena"

Hospice nurse Julie McFadden has lifted the lid on six unexplainable "death bed phenomena" that occur within a person's last weeks of life. The LA-based nurse, who specialises in end of life care, explained that as a person nears the end of their life, they will experience a range of unusual things, including hallucinations, random bursts of energy and even choosing when they're going to die. McFadden once again took to her YouTube channel to educate people on what happens when you're on your death bed, detailing each of the six strange occurrences. Julie explained that patients often experienced "terminal lucidity", "hallucinations", "death stares", and more in their final weeks. She began by explaining the first wild thing that happened at the end of life was terminal lucidity, in which people get a "burst of energy" in the days before they die, sharing that it happens "very often". She said, "Just enjoy it and expect that maybe they will die soon after because that's the kicker with terminal lucidity, it looks like someone's going to die very soon then suddenly they have a burst of energy." "They maybe have a really great day, they're suddenly hungry, they're suddenly able to walk, they're suddenly very alert and oriented, and then shortly after usually a day or two they will die, so that can be the hard part if you're not ready for it, if you don't know what's coming you can think they're getting better and then they die, which can be very devastating." Julie then described how most people in their final days will encounter "death visioning" or "hallucinations", as many people describe seeing the ghosts of loved ones in their final days. "I wouldn't have believed it unless I saw it for myself over and over again," the nurse admitted. "Number three, this is really crazy - people choosing when they're going to die. I have seen some extreme cases of this, people just saying, 'Tonight's when I'm going to die I know it, I can feel it,' and they do. There's also a time when people will wait for everybody to get into town or get into the room arrive at the house whatever it is and then they will die," the nurse explained. The fourth phenomena is known as the "death reach", according to Julie. She explained, "It's when the person's lying in bed and they reach up in the air like they're seeing someone or they're reaching for someone either to hug them or to shake their hands. A lot of times they'll hold their hands up for a long time, like they're seeing something that we're not seeing and they're reaching for someone that we can't see." Julie then listed "number five is the death stare," explaining that the death stare and the death reach often "go together". "It usually looks like someone is staring off into the corner of the room or the side of the room basically looking at something intently, but if you're snapping your finger in front of their face or trying to say their name to kind of snap them out of it, they won't," she said. The last wild thing the nurse has seen is known as a "shared death experience" and is "most impactful", according to Julie. She explained, "A shared death experience is when someone who is not dying feels or sees or understands what's happening to the person who is dying." "It's kind of like the dying person gives you the sensation of what they're going through. From what I experienced, it was a very good feeling. It was like the person was giving me these feelings of freedom and joy and kind of telling me that they were okay." "At the time, I was shocked, I didn't know what was happening, but I've come to find out that that's called a shared death experience." Image credits: YouTube / Instagram

Caring

"I am lucky to be here": Julie Goodwin opens up on childhood trauma

Julie Goodwin has opened up about the childhood abuse she experienced in her latest memoir. The 53-year-old MasterChef Australia star wrote about how she was sexually abused as a child and later attempted suicide as a teenager in her autobiography, Your Time Starts Now. Speaking to The Australian Women's Weekly, Goodwin recalled how the memory of the abuse which she had buried for a long time returned when she was 16. "Nothing triggered it, it was just like the memory was always there, like a dusty book on a library shelf," she said. "And one day I took it down and looked at it and went, 'Holy crap, how have I not thought about that for nine years?'" Goodwin, however kept the resurfaced memory to her self and maintained an excellent academic record at high school, even becoming school captain, until a year later when she attempted suicide at the age of 17. She shared that following her hospitalisation, she returned to school a few days later and acted as if nothing serious had happened. The TV star then opened up on her road to recovery and the tremendous amount of help she received from her husband Mick, who gave her the love and support she needed. "I am living my second life," she told Women's Weekly. "I am lucky to be here." Images: Channel 10

Books

“Petty”: Steve Price’s bid to ban Dan Andrews called out

It seems that golf, the sport known for its calm demeanour and leisurely strolls, is continuing to become a battleground for political disagreements. Move over, parliamentary debates; we've got a straight-up fairway feud on our hands. It all started when former Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews decided he wanted to swap the political arena for the green one. Little did he know that his membership application to the Portsea Golf Club would turn into a full-blown scandal, complete with threats to <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/travel-trouble/i-ll-quit-steve-price-s-fairway-feud-with-dan-andrews" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tear up memberships</a> and accusations of petty behaviour. The took another turn on a recent episode of The Project, where hosts Waleed Aly and Sam Taunton found themselves caught in the crossfire of their co-star Steve Price's golfing fury. The dispute centres around the fact that more than 100 club members have written a strongly-worded letter, demanding that Andrews be rejected. Price, the self-proclaimed defender of fairways and greens, threatened to "tear up" his Portsea Golf Club membership if Andrews gets the green light. Aly, doing his best to keep the peace, questioned Price about the gravity of the situation. "But why is it a big deal?" he asked Price on the panel. "If he gets admitted, you don’t have to walk around the golf course." Price, however, had a different concern: "I have to go into the bar, and he might be having food." Ah, the horror of sharing a clubhouse with a former premier! Taunton, sensing the absurdity of the situation, almost called the whole debacle "petty" before wisely biting his tongue. But Price, ever the instigator, goaded him to finish his sentence, to which Taunton finally admitted, "No, I was going to say it is petty. It was years ago, and at some point, don’t you move on? Why?" Price, standing firm as the guardian of golfing justice, declared, "No. Because we don’t want him there!" It seems the only thing harder to overcome than a water hazard is a political grudge. In the grand scheme of things, it's a bit bewildering that a golf club membership is causing such a ruckus. You'd be forgiven for thinking they were discussing nuclear disarmament, not whether Andrews should be allowed to practice his swing in peace. As the world anxiously awaits the fate of Andrews' golfing aspirations, we're left to wonder: will he get the coveted membership, or will Price be left tearing up his golf club card like a rejected love letter? Only time will tell if this golfing saga will go down in history as a hole-in-one or just another bogey. Images: Network Ten

Legal

“I’ll quit”: Steve Price’s fairway feud with Dan Andrews

Steve Price, the Sky News shock jock and host of The Project, has threatened a full-scale membership mutiny of his hallowed Portsea Golf Club, turning Victoria's Mornington Peninsula into the stage for a golf-centric feud that looks set to make more divots than a toddler with a sand wedge. Price has vowed to unleash the ultimate golf club warfare if former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews dares to follow through on his ambition to become a member of his beloved club. Price declared on Sky News Australia that if Andrews is welcomed into the exclusive golfing enclave, he would take his membership and tear it into more pieces than a scorecard after a disastrous round. “This is the premier who stopped us playing golf for two years during Covid,” Price exclaimed in much the same way one would (1 wood? too much) if Andrews personally walked up and confiscated his seven-iron. “No way should that man come into the golf club.” Former pro golfer Mark Allen joined the chorus of disapproval, claiming that other golf clubs along the Mornington Peninsula were contemplating a similar blockade against Andrews. The uproar stems from the dark days of Covid when golfers in certain parts of the Mornington Peninsula were banned from fairways and greens, as well as a specific restriction that allowed certain parts of the peninsula to carry on playing, while others areas were banned altogether. Andrews, in his role as the "lockdown czar", earned the ire of golf enthusiasts who found solace only on the "wrong" side of the bay. “Remember one side of the peninsula they were able to play and get around, the other side of the peninsula, they were not allowed to play,” explained Allen. In a stunning display of commitment to the cause, golf clubs were allowed to reopen in September 2021, but toilets remained off-limits, prompting golf enthusiasts to question whether they were being punked by an elaborate Candid Camera-style golf course edition. Andrews, who recently announced his retirement from politics, now plans to spend more time with his family and on the golf course. However, the threat of being ostracised from the Peninsula's golfing elite looms large, like a shadow on the putting green. As the turf wars intensify, it's clear that the Mornington Peninsula is not just a geographical location; it's a battlefield, where the clash of golfing ideologies may rival the intensity of a Ryder Cup final day. Will Andrews dare to follow through on his membership application, knowing the potential fallout? Will Price stick to his membership-ripping threat, or will he ultimately decide that a day on the green is more important than a political greenhorn? In this gripping saga of fairways and fracas, the only certainty is that the Mornington Peninsula has become ground zero for a golfing soap opera that will have enthusiasts on the edge of their golf carts, eagerly awaiting the next putt-plot twist. Images: Sky News

Travel Trouble

Lilie James' grieving family breaks silence as body is found in manhunt for suspect

Lilie James' devastated family have spoken out for the first time, following her <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/slain-st-andrew-s-staffer-identified" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tragic death</a>. The 21-year-old water polo coach was found dead with serious head injuries at the gymnasium bathroom of St Andrew’s Cathedral School on Wednesday night. Her male colleague and ex-boyfriend Paul Thijssen is believed to be involved in her <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/tragic-new-details-emerge-in-alleged-murder-of-lilie-james" target="_blank" rel="noopener">alleged murder</a>, when he went missing at The Gap in Vaucluse, after reportedly calling the police informing them of a body on school grounds. A body has reportedly been found at the base of the cliffs in Diamond Bay Reserve, however police are currently unable to confirm whether the body was that of 24-year-old Thijssen. “A police operation is currently underway to retrieve a body in Vaucluse,” NSW Police said in an earlier statement. “No further information is available at this time.” Detectives are currently investigating the possibility that Thijssen had taken his own life, as The Gap is a notorious suicide spot, and Thijssen's backpack and an item linked to the alleged homicide was found there. On Friday morning, her family have broken their silence following the grim discovery. “We are devastated and heartbroken by the loss of our beautiful Lilie James,” the family said in a statement released by the police. “She was vibrant, outgoing, and very much loved by her family and friends. We are tremendously grateful for the support of our community at this difficult time. “As a police investigation is underway, we will not be providing further comments. “We ask that you please respect our privacy.” Students have been paying tribute to the fallen water polo coach with a growing flower memorial at the school's entrance. A few of the students she coached also told 7NEWS.com.au that she was an “amazing” and “encouraging” coach. "She always had a smile on her face,” one student said. “You will be in all of our prayers and hearts. Thank you for making PE so much fun, thank you for being an amazing and strong coach, and thank you for being there. We love you,” another student said. Images: 7NEWS/Facebook

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Julie Goodwin delivers a stern message to the body shamers

Polish woman claiming to be Maddie McCann arrested

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Andrew 'Twiggy' Forrest's daughter ties the knot at his iconic cattle station

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Andrew O'Keefe rushed to hospital

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Hospice nurse reveals the key to a peaceful death

Julie Goodwin's next move following injury on Dancing With The Stars

Plastic Free July is a waste of time if the onus is only on consumers

Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest's major win over scam ads

Steve Price fires up over Dan Andrews' special honour

Julie Goodwin shares her top tips for perfect potatoes every time

Hospice nurse reveals six unexplainable "death bed phenomena"

"I am lucky to be here": Julie Goodwin opens up on childhood trauma

“Petty”: Steve Price’s bid to ban Dan Andrews called out

“I’ll quit”: Steve Price’s fairway feud with Dan Andrews

Lilie James' grieving family breaks silence as body is found in manhunt for suspect

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