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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

"What goes around...": Colonial-era statue toppled

The statue honouring a controversial colonialist has been vandalised in Tasmania, with local councillors up in arms over the destruction. The statue paid tribute to William Crowther, a politician and surgeon who cut off and stole the skull of Aboriginal man William Lanne in 1869, with the intention of sending it to London's Royal College of Surgeons. On Wednesday morning, the statue was found face down after being sawn off at the ankles and falling from its plinth, with the words "what goes around" and "decolonize" spray-painted on the memorial. The toppling of the statue comes just hours after someone attempted to saw through the statue's ankles but stopped about two-thirds through. Hobart City Councillor Louise Elliot said she had noticed graffiti on the statue at midday on Tuesday and reported it, and then the cuts were found. When Councillor Elliot visited the statue at 8pm on Tuesday, she noted that "no security was here" after she stood at the site for "half an hour". She said she was "appalled" that a statue had been vandalised in a "completely foreseeable" incident. "I found out about this from Crowther's great-great granddaughter in tears ringing me," she said. "I'm really disappointed that the council, in my opinion, didn't take enough protective and preventive action to protect [the statue]." ast year, the council voted to remove the statue, which was appealed in the Tasmanian Tribunal of Civil and Administrative Tribunal on the basis its removal would detract from the site's heritage value. But in its decision, which was handed down today after the statue was toppled, the tribunal upheld the council's original decision to remove it. Deputy Premier Michael Ferguson said it was" regrettable" that someone thought to take the law into their own hands. <div data-component="EmphasisedText"> "Regardless of anybody's sentiment or feeling, good intentions or otherwise, that's not how we run a civil society," he said. </div> "Horrible things happened in our history, but you don't resolve history [through] vandalism." As members of Tasmania's indigenous community have been campaigning for years to have the statue removed, Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre (TAC) campaign manager Nala Mansell said the desecration of the statue reflected community attitudes. "I'm not endorsing what's happened but I think it goes to show that the people of Tasmania are people who understand right from wrong [and are] saying 'enough is enough.' "We've been fighting for decades for it to be gone," she said. <div data-component="EmphasisedText"> "Good on them for taking that action and doing what needed to be done a long time ago." </div> Image credits: Instagram - Kate Doyle ABC

Legal

Council accused of "endorsing criminals" after statue vandalised

The Yarra City Council has been accused of pandering to those who <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/captain-cook-memorial-vandalised-ahead-of-january-26th" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vandalised</a> a statue of Captain Cook in the days before Australia Day. In the early hours of the morning on January 25th, a statue of the British colonist was sawn off at the ankles, while "The colony will fall" was spray-painted on the stone column. Now, the Victorian city council will vote on whether to remove the statue for good, with one councillor claiming that replacing it would be a "waste of money". However, a spokesperson for local residents said "giving in" to vandals would only encourage such destructive behaviour. "If you're going to let vandals and criminals win, then you might as well give up altogether," Adam Promnitz, founder of the Yarra Residents Collective, told Melbourne radio station 3AW. While Mr Promnitz admitted there were changing conversations around Australia Day in the inner Melbourne are,a he said this was the wrong way to have a discussion about removing the 110-year-old statue. "This isn't the right way to do things," he said. "You don't just get your own way by being destructive and anti-social and causing criminal damage." "How can it be a good outcome for any body when it is basically a green light for vandals and criminals everywhere that we'll let you get away with what you want and you'll get what you want if you behave like this?" Councillor Stephen Jolly said the majority of the council didn't share this view, telling the Herald Sun that replacing the statue would come at a cost that would better spent elsewhere in the community. "Even people who love Captain Cook, who love Australia Day, will see that repairing a statue that costs thousands to fix isn't the most important thing to spend money on," Cr Jolly said. "Residents want better bin services, more childcare services, cheaper swimming pools." "All of these things are a better way of spending the money [than] on a statue that we know is absolutely certain is going to get ripped down again." Image credits: 9News

Legal

Tourist accused of causing over $8,000 in damages to iconic Roman statue

A 22-year-old German tourist has been accused of causing around €5,000 (A$8,400) in damages to the 16th-century Fountain of Neptune in the Piazza della Signoria, Italy. Surveillance footage obtained by the police allegedly show the tourist - who has not been named - climbing over the protective barrier around the monument in the early hours of Monday morning as he posed for a photo on the statue. His two friends, who stood outside of the barrier, took the photos of him and they all fled the scene when the alarm went off, according to city authorities. "According to the investigators' reconstruction, after 1 o'clock this morning the tourist, in Piazza della Signoria with two other friends, climbed over the fence of the Neptune Fountain and climbed onto the edge of the pool," the statement read. "With a jump he then climbed onto the horse's leg, reaching the base of the carriage and, after having some photos taken by his friends, he climbed down," they added. "During the descent he placed his foot again on the hoof, damaging it. As soon as the alarm went off, however, the young man had already managed to escape with the two others." The tourist will be charged under the city penal code that prohibits the "destruction, dispersion, deterioration, disfigurement, soiling or illicit use of cultural or landscape assets." He has been detained in Florence and could be fined and banned from entering the city if convicted. Image: X (formerly Twitter)

Travel Trouble

“My sex statue is famous”: Larry Emdur reacts to X-rated home reveal

The Morning Show host Larry Emdur has been making a name for himself in the world of game show TV for a few years hosting The Chase Australia, but despite his success, he’s still had his sights set on one more goal: making an appearance on the Have You Been Paying Attention? series. And now, it seems like Larry’s dream has come true, though not exactly in the way he might have expected. The popular host and his wife, Sylvie, have had their hands full recently trying to sell their Kangaroo Valley retreat, better known as Sky Ridge. And while pictures of the property and its picturesque surrounds are available thanks to Belle Property, it wasn’t the property’s luxury four bedrooms or sweeping views that saw it get a mention on the Channel 10 game show. Instead, it was a statue situated in the home’s main living space that caught their attention, with Have You Been Paying Attention? host Tom Gleisner asking his panel if they knew why Larry’s holiday home had gone viral throughout the week. Ed Kavalee was quick to suggest that it was because “the price was right”, while Sam Pang asked if it was because “it has to do with the backyard, they found a shallow grave?” Kavalee eventually got to the right answer, revealing that “there was, like, a pornographic statue in there.” The statue in question could be found perched on top of Larry’s dining room table, and appeared to catch two people caught up in the moment having “X-rated raunchy sex”, as Larry himself put it. The HYBPA? audience found it hilarious, and thankfully, Larry was more than happy to see the funny side of it all, too. Taking to social media after learning about his unexpected cameo, Larry shared that he’d “always wanted to be on Have You Been Paying Attention? but not for a disgraceful reason like this.” “My sex statue is famous,” he added, before sharing details of the property and that “YES !!!! The Price is Right”. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CttOo9pByBy/?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/CttOo9pByBy/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by @larryemdur</a> </div> </blockquote> Larry’s fans raced to express their amusement, with dozens sharing laughing emojis, while others assured him that the feature piece was certainly “a work of art”. “Love a good conversation piece,” one user said. “It’s…… unique,” another added. “Can’t stand that show,” one confessed. “But at least this time they are talking about something interesting”. And one other agreed that it had been “so funny”, noting that it was also a “nice house”, but that most importantly, they were sorry you weren't nominated for a gold logie, you sure deserved it”. Images: realestate.com.au, Getty

Real Estate

“Most reviewed bucket in bucket history”: Bizarre Bunnings buy achieves legendary status

Everyone knows that a good review can make or break a product, but for Bunnings, some particularly enthusiastic reviewers have done more than just get their bucket’s name out there - they’ve established a new legend. The<a href="https://www.bunnings.com.au/bunnings-20l-pail-bucket_p0138319"> Bunnings-branded 20L Pail Bucket</a>, which sells for $8, is now even considered to be the “most reviewed bucket in bucket history”. And if the feedback from its top fans is anything to go by, it’s all for good reason. “Wow. The legends are true,” one declared. “This bucket does far more than just bucket. Paired together with a set of drumsticks, these make fantastic drums … Do yourself a favour and buy a whole set so you can have drumming parties with a group of friends out the back with a few beers and some snags on the barbie.” And as another wrote, “attention, fellow bucket enthusiasts! Feast your eyes upon the legendary Bunnings 20L Bucket, a miraculous marvel that puts all other buckets to shame … Prepare for bucket greatness, my friends. The Bunnings 20L Bucket is here to show you what a real bucket is capable of. Bow down to the bucket supremacy and embrace the bucket revolution! Your world will never be the same again. Bucket on, my comrades!” One wrote up their success using the bucket in a practical manner, titling their take as “the bucket to end all buckets”. One proud bucket owner took a slightly different approach, sharing the tale of their noble pail when they wrote that “once upon a time, there was a humble bucket named Bertie. Bertie the Bunnings Bucket, lived in a small shed in the backyard of a cosy cottage. Every day, Bertie eagerly awaited his owner, a retired landscaper named Gus, to fill him with water. Bertie took pride in nourishing the vibrant flowers and lush plants in the garden. “Over time, Bertie became more than just a vessel; he became a symbol of growth and the beauty that can bloom with a little care.” Another wrote a poem that went a little something like “oh Bunnings buckets, sturdy and strong. So useful for tasks all day long. For gardening, cleaning, and DIY too. There's nothing these buckets can't do … Oh Bunnings buckets, you're the best. Easy to use and always impressed. With you by my side, I can't go wrong. My go-to tool, all day long!” “I purchased this because it was on my bucket list,” shared one fan of puns and buckets alike. “I was so excited I couldn’t keep a lid on it.” And even for those who couldn’t yet fork out the $8 to take the life-changing item home, respect was in the air, with one writing that they would keep saving because “this is THE Bunnings bucket. The bucket. All my mates have one, even my flash neighbours have one. It's a statement bucket.” A labrador, who goes by Tim Tam, even had their humans leave a positive message on their behalf, declaring that “my hoo mans took me to Bunnings and brought me 2 of these buckets, they are my favourite … every day I am excited to see the bucket!” And as one shopper put it quite simply, “it’s a bucket that buckets”. Images: Bunnings

Home & Garden

School principal forced out after parents complain statue of David is too rude

Hope Carrasquilla, a US charter school principal, has been forced to resign from her position after a parent decreed an art lesson to be “pornographic”. Carrasquilla was given an ultimatum - either she stepped down, or she would face termination from the Tallahassee Classical School - according to the Tallahassee Democrat. “It saddens me that my time here had to end this way,” she told the publication. Carrasquilla also explained that she had been informed of her options by the school’s board chair, Barney Bishop. While Bishop has confirmed that he did hand down the ultimatum, he did not expand on why. However, Carrasquilla believes a Renaissance art lesson to be the main contributing factor. The lesson in question saw students study Michelgangelo’s classic David, as well as his Creation of Adam fresco painting, and Boticelli’s Birth of Venus. Apparently, the school is required to educate students about Renaissance art in their 6th grade. But for three parents this wasn’t reason enough, with each of them voicing their concerns about the lesson plan, while claiming that it had caused their children upset. Two of the parents simply wanted to have been notified about the content before it reached their children, but one had stronger feelings, branding the situation “pornographic”. Carrasquilla said that one of them was “point-blank upset”, and “felt her child should not be viewing those pieces.” But as she informed HuffPost, things were “a little more complicated than that”, before sharing that the school’s usual protocol would be to inform parents before their children are presented with classical art, such as David. According to the now-former principal, a “breakdown in communication” between herself, the direction of operations, and the art teacher has brought upon a kind of administrative oversight, and the parents had never received a letter about the lesson. This came after a new rule was passed in February, with the school board mandating that parents must be notified a fortnight before any “potentially controversial” was taught to students. Parents would also be presented with the option to review their child’s curriculum, as well as any related media, with a reminder to be sent a week ahead. “Parental rights are supreme,” Bishop explained, “and that means protecting the interests of all parents, whether it’s one, 10, 20, or 50.” As her story began to circulate around the globe, Carrasquilla went on to explain in a statement that for a year, Bishop had “expressed his displeasure with my leadership when parents became upset about policies or procedures not being followed to the T. “He was more concerned about litigation and appeasing a small minority of parents, rather than trusting my expertise as an educator for more than 25 years.” Images: Getty

Art

Reward offered after "senseless vandalism" of giant statue

An act of vandalism that is being treated as suspicious by local police has seen a beloved art installation destroyed in Mandurah, south of Perth. Described as "thoughtless and selfish" by WA Premier Mark McGowan, the brazen act has caused a flood of disbelief and anger, with police offering a $25,000 reward for information that leads to a conviction. The fire – which took place on Friday night – caused irreparable damage to Vivi Cirklestone, one of five wooden sculptures created by Danish artist Thomas Dambo and hidden throughout bushland in Mandurah, with a sixth installed in the Perth suburb of Subiaco. Mourners gathered to leave flowers on the charred wreck of the popular sculpture, which is one of a handful of “protectors of the environment” built in the region as part of a cultural tourism project. <iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FwaIncidentsalerts%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0j7E3Ssk4YC2sd7b6FhGyvRAWnhB4qKQs1EVZ2uYPbFkmn7Ratwee2bmEVAzzbPxVl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="792" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> “The circumstances surrounding the cause of the fire are being treated as suspicious,” WA Police said in a statement. Mandurah Detectives and the Arson Squad are now working to find what sparked the fire that razed the installation. Police also stated that an image doing the rounds on social media that showed the sculpture on fire had been accounted for and was not what it first appeared to many. “The photograph that’s been distributed on social media actually was taken by the person who reported the fire to DFES and the person in the footage is one of his mates,” acting inspector Tom Tristram said. The Giants of Mandurah took Danish artist Thomas Dambo hundreds of hours to complete and were launched in November as a free Australian-first exhibition. “Me and my crew are obviously super sad to hear this news,” Dambo said. “I feel it is probably done by a troubled person and is not the feeling of the general population”. Premier Mark McGowan also weighed in on the incident, saying that he “hopes whoever is behind this thoughtless and selfish behaviour at some point reflects on the sadness they have caused, especially so close to Christmas." “The sculptures aren’t just works of art, they are meant to be positive and fun attractions for families not just in Mandurah but across Perth and beyond. This is senseless vandalism. That’s all it is. And the victim isn’t just the artist but the community as well.“ Images: Facebook / Courtesy of Visit Mandurah

Legal

Statues found in Italy could “rewrite” history

The discovery of a cache of ancient bronze statues in Tuscany has been dubbed one of the most significant finds in the whole Mediterranean and could “rewrite” history in the region. Archaeologists working in the small hilltop town of San Casciano dei Bagni outside Siena, Italy, have uncovered 24 perfectly preserved bronze statues in the mud and water of ancient thermal baths. Excavation leader Jacopo Tabolli, a historian at the University for Foreigners in Siena, said they found “the largest deposit of bronze states of the Etruscan and Roman age ever discovered in Italy and one of the most significant in the whole Mediterranean”. The statues include a sleeping ephebe (an adolescent male aged between 17-18) lying next to Hygeia, the goddess of health, with a snake wrapped around her arm, as well as a statue of Apollo and figures representing matrons, children and emperors. Along with the statues, some of which date back 2300 years and stand at almost a metre tall, the researchers found thousands of coins and other artefacts, including relics that may have belonged to wealthy Etruscan and Roman families, landowners, lords and Roman emperors. The statues date back to between the second century BCE and first century CE, which was a time of major upheaval in Tuscan history, with the transition from Etruscan to Roman rule achieved through hard-fought battles that were followed by the destruction of Etruscan cultural items. Some bear inscriptions in both Latin and Etruscan with the names of prominent Etruscan families, suggesting the two cultures experienced some kind of harmony during this period. “This discovery rewrites the history of ancient art,” Tabolli said. “Here, Etruscans and Romans prayed together. “Even in historical epochs in which the most awful conflicts were raging outside, inside these pools and on these altars the two worlds, the Etruscan and Roman ones, appear to have coexisted without problems.” With the statues submerged in the mineral-rich waters of the hot springs, they were kept perfectly preserved until their recent discovery. Helga Maiorano, an archaeologist at the University of Pisa, told La Republica that the mud they were in created an atmosphere without oxygen, which is ideal for protecting bronze from bacteria. “One of the last ones [of the statues] particularly struck me for the quality of the details,” Chiara Fermo, an archaeologist at the University of Siena, told La Repubblica. “It is a female statue, entirely bejewelled, with very detailed necklaces and earrings. An example of what a woman of the time must have been like.” The baths are believed to have been built by the Etruscans during the third century and made more opulent under Roman rule. Tabolli told Ansa that the hot springs remained active until the fifth century, before being closed and the pools sealed with heavy stone pillars during Christian times. The find was made when archaeologists removed the covering to the spa. “It is the greatest store of statues from ancient Italy and is the only one whose context we can wholly reconstruct,” said Tabolli. Since their discovery, the statues have been taken to a restoration lab and will eventually go on display in the town of San Casciano. The site of the ancient baths, located nearby to a modern-day spa that is one of Italy’s most popular spa spots, is also due to be developed into an archaeological park. Images: The Italian Ministry of Culture

International Travel

Steve Price and Carrie Bickmore go head-to-head over "racist" statues

Carrie Bickmore and Steve Price have clashed over whether "racist" statues should remain standing. On Monday night's episode of The Project, the panel discussed how Hobart City Council is planning to take down a statue of William Crowther, who removed the skull of Aboriginal man William Lanne in 1869 and sent it to <a id="mol-800d7810-1c93-11ed-94fe-0d78113eb555" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/london/index.html">London</a> nine years before he became <a id="mol-800e8980-1c93-11ed-94fe-0d78113eb555" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/tasmania/index.html">Tasmania</a>'s premier. The council's move came after a report criticised there being "too many monuments to white males" who have racist and questionable pasts. While Carrie understood the council's decision, Steve argued back, claiming everyday Aussies are happy to have historical figures honoured with statues and do not want to see history "erased". However, Carrie bit back at Steve, claiming learning about history is how we are able to make change in the future. "If they were erected by the public, perhaps that public at the time didn't have all the information," she said. Price replied that "maybe they did have all the information and things have changed, times have changed". Comedian Peter Helliar also chimed in on the controversial topic which has been up for debate in the US, UK and Europe as younger generations question whether statues of historical figures should remain if they are tarnished by racism or brutality. "It doesn't erase the history at all," Helliar said. "It just means we're not holding it up to be celebrated the way a statue invites you to do." A fired-up Price said, "I think agitators would have us rip down every statue of Captain Cook or get rid of every statue of Captain Phillip." Waleed Aly said statues of historical figures are viewed on "a spectrum". "The Crowther case is a particular one, because of what he is alleged to have done," he said. "I reckon there are people who would say that one should come down, Cook maybe is a different thing ... I'd just be wary of saying you're talking about monolithic views across the board." Price simply said that he didn't like "erasing history ... I'm very uncomfortable about pulling statues down". Hobart City Council voted 7-4 to remove the "contentious" statue from Franklin Square in the capital's CBD after years of campaigning from Aboriginal groups, labelling the monument "racist" and "barbaric". Image credits: The Project

Legal

How your status, where you live and your family background affect your risk of dementia

By the year 2050, the <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ageing-and-health">World Health Organization</a> estimates one in five people will be aged 60 years and above. In Australia, our rapidly ageing population means that without a substantial medical breakthrough, the number of people living with dementia is expected to <a href="https://www.dementia.org.au/statistics">double</a> from 487,600 in 2022 to 1.1 million by 2058. Significant effort has gone into understanding what increases the risk of dementia. Here, we consider research into three factors – your socioeconomic status, where you live, and your background – and how they may influence dementia risk. <h2>How your socioeconomic status affects your dementia risk</h2> When assessing socioeconomic status, researchers typically look at a combination of your income, years of education and occupation. Socioeconomic status refers to your ability to access resources such as health, information and services. Socioeconomic status has been closely linked to a range of health disorders, and dementia is no exception. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34388948/">Studies</a> across <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35561537/">multiple countries</a> have shown people with higher socioeconomic status are less likely to develop dementia. This is unsurprising. People with high socioeconomic status are more likely to have the financial resources to access better healthcare, better education and better nutrition. They are also more likely to live in areas with more services that enable a healthy lifestyle. <h2>Where you live</h2> <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35333361/">My research team</a> and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32067489/">others</a> have shown neighbourhood socioeconomic status – an index that integrates a neighbourhood’s average household income, unemployment rates, occupational skills and housing arrangements, among others, is associated with poorer memory and higher dementia risk. Understanding this is complex. A wide range of economic, social and environmental factors can influence the way we behave, which can influence our health. <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/gps.5626">Studies</a> suggest communities can support dementia risk reduction in three main ways. The first is through encouraging social participation and inclusion. This can be achieved through programs that increase digital and technological literacy, social housing (which offers greater opportunity for socialisation) and neighbourhood assistance. The second is through increasing proximity and access, particularly to health care, and social and cultural events. The third is through improving recreational and well-being facilities, including emphasising traffic safety and increasing walkability and access to urban green spaces to encourage outdoor physical activity. <h2>Your background</h2> <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0891988708328220">Several studies</a> suggest parental education is related to an individual’s dementia risk. Specifically, low maternal education is associated with poorer memory performance, and higher dementia risk. However, these effects <a href="https://academic.oup.com/aje/article/175/8/750/203299?login=true%20g">are small</a>, and adult education and socioeconomic status may overcome these disadvantages. <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/psychological-medicine/article/migration-and-dementia-a-metaanalysis-of-epidemiological-studies-in-europe/E665862E6FED368AAB72E5B323E29D05">Current evidence</a> also suggests migrants from Africa and Asia (into Europe) have higher dementia risk compared with native Europeans. However, the prevalence of dementia in African and Asian countries is not higher than in European countries. Rather, we do see similarly elevated risk of dementia in culturally and linguistically diverse groups of people who are <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1064748118305712">non-migrants</a>. Part of this is due to the reduced access to high-quality education, healthcare, and health information in these groups. For migrants, there is the additional challenge of navigating health systems in their non-native language. Another important part to consider is the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1064748118305712">potential bias</a> in the tools we have to assess memory and thinking abilities. These tests have been developed primarily in English, for use in European countries. Being tested in a second language may lead to poorer performance that is not a reflection of true cognitive ability, but rather a reflection of a reduced mastery of English. This is why it is so important we conduct more research to understand dementia and its risk factors in culturally and linguistically diverse populations, using tools that are appropriate and validated for these groups. <h2>Addressing dementia needs a life-long approach</h2> Undoubtedly, your pay, postcode and parents are highly interrelated. Your future income is highly related to your parents’ level of income. Your postcode can be determined by your pay. The cyclical nature of wealth – or rather, inequality – is part of the reason why addressing health disparities is so challenging. Studies on <a href="https://academic.oup.com/psychsocgerontology/article/76/Supplement_1/S51/6295120?login=true">social mobility</a> – the ability of individuals to move from one socioeconomic class to another – have shown that upward mobility may only partially compensate for disadvantage earlier in life. This really brings home the message that addressing dementia risk requires a lifelong approach. And that intervention is needed at an individual and a broader societal level. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-your-status-where-you-live-and-your-family-background-affect-your-risk-of-dementia-183922" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Mind

Vaccine status no longer required

International travellers to Australia will no longer be required to submit their covid vaccine status. Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly amended the Biosecurity Act 2015 which will come into effect from July 6. “The Australian Government makes decisions on COVID related issues after considering the latest medical advice,” Health Minister Mark Butler said. “The Chief Medical Officer has advised it is no longer necessary for travellers to declare their vaccine status as part of our management of COVID. “Unvaccinated Australians, as well as certain groups of visa holders, have been able to travel to Australia for some time. “We will continue to act on the medical advice as needed.” Travellers however must still comply with the Covid-19 rules of airlines, including states and territories, and other countries. This currently includes wearing masks on inbound international flights. State and territory orders mandating masks on domestic flights also remain in place. Image: Shutterstock

International Travel

Woman claims Shakespeare's Juliet statue is being sexually harassed

A woman has gone viral on TikTok for claiming a statue of Shakespeare's Juliet is being "sexually harassed". The woman said tourists has been behaving inappropriately towards the statue, which stands in a courtyard in Verona and is a popular attraction for tourists and locals alike. Those who visit the courtyard often rub the bosom of the statue, believing it will bring good luck and prosperity. The TikTok user was ridiculed over the video, with people pointing out the statue is "not a real woman" and that she should save her energy for actual cases of sexual harassment. She was also accused of being insensitive to people's superstitions, who often visit the statue for spiritual guidance. The TikTok video, which is captioned '#JusticeForJuliet', has racked up over 1 million views. Speaking in the clip, the poster said, "Juliet's statue has been sexually harassed so often that her dress literally faded." A tourist can be seen eagerly taking a photo of themselves touching Juliet's breast in the hopes of getting lucky in the short video. The video was quickly flooded with comments from people who were baffled by her point of view. One person said, "That is literally a statue of a fictional character go worry about real women with actual emotions." Another commented, "Y'all... it's an inanimate object... it doesn't need to consent." While most people agreed that the woman's point of view was misguided, there were a handful of comments that agreed the touching of the statue was wrong. One person said, "Yeah when I went none of my fam was comfortable, we were like no thanks we will not be groping the child statue." Image credits: TikTok / Getty Images

Travel Trouble

Shark House owner not happy about protected status

A whopping 7.6-metre sculpture of a shark diving through the roof of a house in Oxford, England has been made a protected landmark - but the man who lives there isn’t pleased by the news. Magnus Hanson-Heine loves the sculpture, which his father, Bill Heine, erected with the help of a local sculptor, but says making it protected as a “special contribution” to the community ignores some key messages his father was trying to make. Mr Heine first installed the unusual sculpture in 1986 as an anti-war, anti-nuke protest, after he heard US warplanes fly over his house and discovered they were going to bomb Tripoli in retaliation for Libyan sponsorship of terrorist attacks on US troops. The image of a shark crashing through the roof captured the shock that would have been felt when the bombs dropped on people’s homes, Mr Hanson-Heine said. But, Mr Hanson-Heine’s issue with the protection of the sculpture comes after it was installed without the approval of local council officials, with his father arguing that he didn’t think they should be able to decide what art people see. Mr Hanson-Heine said that the decision was “absurd” after the council had spent years trying to remove it. “Using the planning apparatus to preserve a historical symbol of planning law defiance is absurd on the face of it,” Mr Hanson-Heine told <a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-putin-oddities-oxford-nuclear-weapons-a6b004db12f62eac6fa3efdd2e962757?utm_medium=AP_Europe&utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=Twitter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Associated Press</a>. Mr Heine, who passed away in 2019, built the great white shark out of fibreglass with his friend, sculptor John Buckley in April. They installed it on August 9, the 41st anniversary of the day the US dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki during World War II. Mr Hanson-Heine said the sculpture’s anti-war message is just as relevant today, with Russian bombs falling on Ukraine and President Vladimir Putin delivering thinly veiled threats of nuclear war. “That’s obviously something that the people in Ukraine are experiencing right now in very real time,” the quantum chemist said. “But certainly when there’s nuclear weapons on the stage, which has been through my entire life, that’s always a very real threat.” Despite its serious message, the shark is also the subject of some more light-hearted content, with photos on its very own <a href="https://www.headingtonshark.com/Home/Gallery" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a> including one of Mr Heine sharing a glass of wine with the shark and another of a passer-by posed to look as if she’s eating it. When asked whether the shark's head can be found inside the home, Mr Hanson-Heine laughed. “I believe it was an urban myth for a while that it was poking above the toilet,” he said. “But no.” Images: The Shark House

Art

“The status quo can’t continue”: Nurses striking for first time in a decade

Thousands of nurses in NSW public hospitals will <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/nsw-nurses-vote-statewide-strike-221536766.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">go on strike</a>, as frustrations over understaffing, pay and working conditions prompt the first industrial action in almost a decade.Though votes are still underway in some branches, the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) says a majority have endorsed the industrial action.The union, which represents 48,000 nurses across the state’s public hospitals, says nurses will take part in a statewide strike for up to 24 hours on Tuesday, while skeleton staff will remain to care for the critically ill and preserve life.“We don’t recommend industrial action lightly, especially when a pandemic is still underway, but the status quo can’t continue,” NSWNMA General Secretary Brett Holmes said on Wednesday.“We can’t return to pre-COVID-19 staffing levels when we were already in crisis.”Sydney’s Royal Prince Alfred Hospital is considering a full-day strike, while nurses at Westmead and Cumberland hospitals will likely strike for 12 hours.<img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/nurse-strike.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" />ICU nurses from Westmead Hospital protest, demanding the government address staffing levels. Image: NSW Nurses and Midwives’ AssociationThe strike on February 15 will also coincide with widespread rallies across the state, with locations including Newcastle, Tamworth, Bathurst, Bega and Lismore.It is the first statewide protest since 2013, as hospitals remain on high alert during the pandemic and face staff furloughs as their COVID-19 patient load stays high.The union is primarily asking that the government follow in the steps of Queensland and Victoria by implementing nursing and midwifing staffing ratios.“If the premier wants a well-staffed, well trained and resilient nursing and midwifery workforce in the public health system, then he must act now and implement shift by shift ratios across NSW,” Mr Holmes said.The union is also asking for a fair pay rise, higher than the 2.5 percent offered by the government, as well as for COVID-19 workers’ compensation to remain unchanged.The latter demand comes as the government seeks to scrap an automatic presumption under workers’ compensation rules that essential workers were infected with the virus at work.If the assumption is successfully removed, doctors, nurses, paramedics, teachers, supermarket workers and other essential workers will need to prove they caught COVID-19 at work, which unions say is virtually impossible.Image: NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association

News

Status Quo baffled by popularity of classic hit

Status Quo are completely baffled by the enduring popularity of their hit track Rockin’ All Over The World. The band covered John Fogerty’s track in 1977, and despite the song also being covered by legends such as Bon Jovi, Coldplay and Bruce Springsteen, Status Quo’s version is viewed as the ultimate cover. The song has also become known as one of the band’s most popular anthems, which has long confused the British rockers. Singer and guitarist Francis Rossi said, “I don’t know why ours has become this classic ‘raaaawk’ song. We played [a] Sweden Rock festival and all these people dressed head to toe in black were in front of the stage going, ‘This is great!’ I’m looking at them going, ‘What the f*** are you thinking?’…”“F**k me, even my dental hygienist sent me something the other day to say they were all singing it at some wedding reception.”The band’s late guitarist Rick Parfitt originally brought the track to their bandmates, who were sceptical at the idea of a cover song. Francis recalled, “It sounded a bit piddly, to be honest."“But me and Rick used to joke that we could Quo-up anything with a guitar on it. So that’s what we did…”“Our old fans hated it. We had so much mail going, ‘What the f*** is this?’ But that song brought in loads more new fans.”Despite the song seemingly dividing fans, Francis said he has fond memories of kicking off Live Aid in 1985 with the track.He told Classic Rock magazine, “Nobody wanted to go on first, so we went, ‘F*** it, we’ll do it.”“But when we started playing that song, there was a total sense of euphoria. Everything slotted in. The sense of love from the audience was something else.”Image credits: Getty Images

Music

Vandals of the UK’s Edward Colston statue learn their fate in court

At the height of the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, that were sparked by the murder of George Floyd by a US police officer, protestors all around the world took it upon themselves to remove commemorative statues of slave traders. In the UK city of Bristol, four people removed a monument of Edward Colston from a town square, before pushing the statue into the nearby harbour. Many protestors joined the four in spray-painting and destroying the statue, with many onlookers filming the destruction on their phones. Edward Colston was a member of the Royal African Company, and was responsible for transporting thousands of slaves from Africa during the mid 17th century. The four protestors - Rhian Graham, Jake Skuse, Sage Willoughby, and Milo Ponsford - were all charged with criminal damage when they removed the statue without permission. According to the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/jan/05/four-cleared-of-toppling-edward-colston-statute">Guardian</a>, the protestors did not deny that they had toppled the monument, but maintained their innocence over the charges. Despite admitting their involvement, the four protestors were found not guilty and set free. The graffitied monument of Colston has since gone back on view in view in Bristol in a museum, with historian David Olusoga saying that it is “the most important artifact you could select in Britain if you wanted to tell the story of Britain’s tortuous relationship with its role in the Atlantic slave trade.” Image credits: Getty Images

Art

Berlin music campaigners fight for Unesco world heritage status

Ever since the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989, music fans from across the world have flocked to the German capital for the world-famous techno culture. But now, like a lot of global businesses and institutions, Berlin’s renowned clubs such as Tresor and Berghain are in danger of financial ruin as a result of the pandemic. As a result, DJs and music enthusiasts are campaigning to secure Unesco world heritage status to protect the countercultural genre. Berlin-based DJ Alan Oldham said recognition from Unesco would help to protect key venues and boost tourism for the city. He told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/dec/05/beat-that-berlins-techno-djs-seek-unesco-world-heritage-status">The Observer</a>, "Unesco protection would go a long way towards maintaining that old spirit. "Legacy venues like Tresor and Berghain for example would be protected as cultural landmarks. So many venues have closed in just the seven years I've lived here full-time.” "In other cities, it would be the natural club cycle at work, but Berlin is a different kind of place, where the club and creative scenes are the currency of the city." Support has been growing for the campaign, which was spearheaded by berlin-based organisation <a href="https://www.ravetheplanet.com/">Rave The Planet</a>, who say the techno scene should be protected “as an intangible cultural heritage.” If Unesco status is granted to the clubs, they would get extra protection under city planning laws, as well as access to government subsidies and other funding. Image credits: Getty Images

Music

$1 million Cleo Smith reward status

Image: Facebook Western Australia Police have said they do not anticipate the state’s landmark $1 million reward for information about Cleo Smith to be paid out. WA Premier Mark McGowan offered the hefty reward for information leading to Cleo’s location, or to the arrest and conviction of those involved in her disappearance. The reward was announced just six days after Cleo was abducted from her family tent at the remote Blowholes campsite on October 16th. While police remain tight-lipped about what prompted them to search the locked Carnarvon home where Cleo was found, they did credit the hard work of a 140-strong police taskforce. WA Police Minister Paul Papalia told ABC on Thursday morning: “It wasn’t a random tip off or clairvoyant or any of those sorts of things you might hear. “It was just a hard police grind,” he said. WA Police Deputy Commissioner Col Blanch previously said he doesn’t expect the $1 million reward to be claimed, but he told Channel Seven’s Sunrise on Thursday he’s not completely ruling out the possibility. “Look, the police collected so much information from day one for those 18 days that they were able to trawl through and put that jigsaw puzzle together,” Comm Blanch said. “Now part of that jigsaw puzzle was information from the community, but it all contributed to the outcome. “Look, we’re not going to discount that it’s not going to be paid out, but certainly the information that I have from the police is that really it was good, hard detective and analyst work." Criteria for police paying reward Associate Professor of Criminology and forensic anthropologist Dr Xanthé Mallet from the University of Newcastle told Yahoo News Australia there are specific rules around rewards regarding what they will be paid out for. Cleo’s reward was offered for location information, or details that could lead to an arrest and conviction. “Each reward has its own structure for what it will be paid out for,” she said. “If there was a genuine call on this reward I’m sure they’d be very happy to pay it,” she added. Speaking with the ABC, Dr Mallet said the Carnarvon community and the whole of Australia just really “wanted to see Cleo found alive and unharmed”. “…at the end of the day Cleo is home, and for most people the reward is seeing her in her parents’ arms in the hospital safe and unharmed.”

Money & Banking

Proud and resolute": Queen’s new statue design FINALLY revealed

Royal fans have been given a first look at a statue of Queen Elizabeth that's currently under construction – and strictly under wraps. The statue is set to be uncovered just in time for Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022 and is being created by artist Richard Bossons, who is part of York Minster cathedral's masonry team. It will stand two metres tall and will weigh out to about two tonnes. Bossons admitted to the BBC that the sculpture had been challenging to design. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843321/queen-statue-rare-photos-5.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/bce3f9bd79454d17bacca654fd4f9e51" /> Image: Twitter @York_Minster "The statue needs to be part of the fabric, not a distraction from it, yet it also has to have the poise and presence befitting of the Queen's unique role," he said. "She will stand proud and resolute in her niche, welcoming worshippers and visitors alike," Bossons added. The statue will show the Queen dressed in Garter robes and the George IV State Diadem. She will also be holding an orb and sceptre, to symbolise her 70-year reign on the British throne. The Twitter York Minster took to Twitter to share more information on the design: "We're delighted to be able to share some images showing the on-going work behind the creation of the new statue of Her Majesty The Queen, set to be installed in summer '22. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843320/queen-statue-rare-photos-4.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/67c5d35a2b1f4be9af2ddf767804f5cb" /> Image: Twitter @York_Minster "Designer & carver Richard Bossons showcasing his incredible skill." The 2022 Jubilee is set to take place from Thursday, June 2 to Sunday, June 5 in 2022. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> We’re delighted to be able to share some images showing the on-going work behind the creation of the new statue of Her Majesty The Queen, set to be installed in summer '22. Designer & carver Richard Bossons showcasing his incredible skill 👏 Read more > <a href="https://t.co/E0Y8gaUNNj">https://t.co/E0Y8gaUNNj</a> <a href="https://t.co/hq5Dn4MQ4P">pic.twitter.com/hq5Dn4MQ4P</a> — York Minster (@York_Minster) <a href="https://twitter.com/York_Minster/status/1427954810381377541?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 18, 2021</a></blockquote> "Throughout the year, Her Majesty and Members of the Royal Family will travel around the country to undertake a variety of engagements to mark this historic occasion culminating with the focal point of the Platinum Jubilee Weekend in June - one year from today," Buckingham Palace revealed. Trooping the Colour will take place on Thursday, June 2, instead of its usual Saturday date.

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How your status, where you live and your family background affect your risk of dementia

Vaccine status no longer required

Woman claims Shakespeare's Juliet statue is being sexually harassed

Shark House owner not happy about protected status

“The status quo can’t continue”: Nurses striking for first time in a decade

Status Quo baffled by popularity of classic hit

Vandals of the UK’s Edward Colston statue learn their fate in court

Berlin music campaigners fight for Unesco world heritage status

$1 million Cleo Smith reward status

Proud and resolute": Queen’s new statue design FINALLY revealed

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