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The Great Wheelie Bin Debate rolls on: What's the correct way?!

Australia is no stranger to heated debates – rugby versus Aussie rules, meat pie versus sausage roll, or which state has the best beaches. But a new challenger has emerged for the crown of most contentious topic: the humble wheelie bin. In the bustling inner-city suburbs, where space is as precious as a parking spot on a Friday night, one resident in Carlton, Sydney, has found themselves at the centre of the latest bin-based brouhaha. The seemingly innocuous act of placing wheelie bins for collection has sparked a clash of titanic proportions between neighbours, with one visually impaired newcomer caught in the middle. According to the frustrated resident, the bins in question have been making a weekly pilgrimage to the worst possible spot. “These people have been leaving their bins blocking the crossing every single bloody week since I moved here in October,” they vented. A photo shared online reveals the crime scene: two wheelie bins defiantly parked at a crossing entryway, appearing to guard it like bouncers at an exclusive nightclub. For anyone not blessed with perfect vision, navigating around them is less of a dance and more of a hazardous obstacle course: <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2024/12/wheelie-bins_reddit.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> “I’ve been so shocked at how the bins are put out. I see them on the street and I just question how that’s allowed... it’s a freaking jerk move,” the resident continued. Adding to the drama, they highlighted the danger: “I’m visually impaired, it’s not safe to just cross the road anywhere.” Bin battles are nothing new in Australia. Earlier this year, Melbourne residents went head-to-head over the correct bin-spacing protocol. Should there be a gap between bins? Should they form an impenetrable wall of waste? After what we can only imagine was a spirited exchange of opinions (and possibly garbage puns), the local council stepped in to confirm: gaps are indeed preferable. Meanwhile, Georges River Council’s website offers sage advice to would-be bin wranglers: “Avoid obstructing the footpath and driveways”, and for the love of all things recyclable, “never place items on the road or gutters”. This guidance, alas, has yet to penetrate the stubborn psyche of certain Carlton bin-barons. Our beleaguered resident, unwilling to let this trashy behaviour go unchecked, has considered taking direct action. “I’ve thought about taping a note to the bins, asking kindly to please not block the crossing, maybe explaining why it’s dangerous,” they mused. Such a note, perhaps paired with a smiley face or a diagram, could be just the diplomatic olive branch needed to defuse the situation. Or it could escalate into the neighbourhood’s first wheelie bin Cold War. Watch this carefully placed, wheelie-bin sized space. Images: Shutterstock, Reddit

Home & Garden

Uproar over council's bin "shaming" move

As councils around the country make big changes to the way we dispose of waste, one council's move has left an entire street in Melbourne "offended". On Wednesday morning, Essendon mum Kali took out her bins and thought nothing more of her weekly habit. It was when she came back after a coffee run that she spotted a tag that had "oh no" written in big red letters. "We found items that don't belong in your mixed recycling bin," the note read, identifying reusable shopping bags as the culprit. When she looked around all but one household on her street had the same yellow note. "I came back and saw all these tags on the bins, I thought 'That's a bit weird'," she told Yahoo News Australia. "It was the talk of the street," she said, after finding out that fellow residents were in "uproar" over the tags. Kali, a mum-of-two, has lived in her home for over nine years and said this was the first time she saw the tag on her bin. "It's just a bizarre thing to do," she said. "I thought it was funny that I got bin shamed. I'm sure we're all guilty of [recycling incorrectly], it's an easy mistake. "Our whole street was embarrassed about it," she added, saying "other neighbours were more offended". Kali is adamant that she didn't do anything wrong, as she ensures the bags in her bin were made out of paper, but said that "you don’t know who is putting things in your bin." A council spokesperson told Yahoo that the move was made to "inform" residents. "Council’s intention is to provide information to people at their homes through our kerbside bin education program to create more awareness, so everyone in the community can recycle right," the spokesperson said. "We understand that recycling can be confusing and that there may be a misunderstanding in what can and can’t go into a recycling bin." Images: Yahoo News

Home & Garden

"Absurd" $312 fine for common bin act

Aussies have been warned to not leave out their bins for too long unless they want to cop a $312 fine. An Adelaide resident was stunned after they received a "final warning" letter from their local council, stating it had received complaints over their bins. “How is ‘$312’ justified for leaving a bin out too long on a quiet back road,” the confused resident wrote on Reddit. They also said the penalty was "absurd", however, council said the resident was not fined. Hadi Jafari, another local from Kilburn, said he was "really surprised" about the cost. “$300 for a fine is really hard for people to afford, it is really a lot of money,” he told The Advertiser. He added that his family would struggle to pay the amount if they were fined over the common act. “We would probably have to repay it over time, I don’t think we could pay it at once so that is not good.” Under Port Adelaide Enfield Council’s waste management by-laws, bins have to be placed out after 4pm the night before rubbish collection and taken back in by midnight the day after. Council also clarified that it has only issued four fines in the last five years. Residents caught in the common act first receive a reminder letter that their bins have been reported to council. “However as a final resort expiations may be issued,” council said in a statement. The council said it receives 200 complaints annually in relation to bins being left on the street, however the number of warning letters issued has not been disclosed. Port Adelaide Enfield Council noted other councils also have bylaws in place regarding bin collection. “This is because when people do not remove their bins from footpaths, it can result in impediments to people being able to use the footpath for walking, people with prams, people in wheelchairs, incorrect use of bins and contamination, and it can also impact vehicle and emergency access on streets.” Image: Shutterstock

Legal

Shoppers outraged over Coles bin full of discarded groceries

A shocking photo of a bin filled with discarded groceries at the back of a Coles supermarket has gone viral, outraging many shoppers. The photo, taken behind the Drouin store in West Gippsland, Victoria, shows a skip bin measuring over a metre high overflowing with tens of thousands of dollars worth of food, including meat, ice cream, pasta, pizzas, dips, cheeses, juice and smoked salmon. According to 7News, the products were thrown out after the region was hit with a storm that caused a power outage, and as the store did not have a backup generator, the refrigerated food was spoiled and needed to be thrown out. Coles has explained that items had to be discarded to ensure customer safety, but many shoppers were left shocked and infuriated about the waste, arguing the store should have been ready for the storms with backup generators. “For the 2023/24 financial year, Coles Australia reported a net profit of $1.1 billion and can’t afford back up generators, go figure,” one wrote. Others insisted some of the food could have been saved or donated, as one person said, “Butter that stays on the bench for two weeks (is) fine!” while another insisted, “at least donate it”. A supermarket worker commiserated with the upset shoppers, as they wrote online, “As someone who works for one of the supermarket chains, I have had to partake in this due to a prolonged power outage earlier this year.” “I feel for these staff, there’s nothing worse than having to throw out so much refrigerated stock. Coming from a family who didn’t have much, I get the pain people feel from this incident.” However, one social media user noted that regarding donations, “legally they cannot, if they give someone food poisoning and kill them they are liable”. A Coles spokesperson told <a href="https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/food/photograph-of-coles-bin-full-of-discarded-items-stuns-shoppers/news-story/871cedeb7daf66422534e4aee55f1ee4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a> that food safety is a top priority, saying in a statement, “Due to the extreme weather that hit much of Victoria early last week, there were widespread power outages, including in the Drouin and surrounding areas.” “Food safety is paramount at Coles and unfortunately as a result of products being un-refrigerated for an extended period of time, for safety and quality reasons, we needed to dispose of a number of products to ensure customer safety. “Where possible, Coles always donates product that is fit for use and safe for consumption to food rescue organisations.” Image credits: 7News

Money & Banking

New York City mocked for only just discovering wheelie bins

New York City has been trolled online after discovering wheelie bins for the first time. In order to tackle the "trash revolution", the mayor of NYC Eric Adams announced that wheelie bins will be introduced city wide, instead of the current system which is just leaving rubbish bags on the street. Despite the introduction of wheelie bins being a great solution for the city's trash and rodent problem, many were shocked to learn that the receptacles don't already exist there. Introducing the roll out, Mayor Adams began his press conference rolling in a bin and proudly demonstrating how to use it before celebrating with colleagues. He said “many people thought it was impossible” that these wheelie bins were going to be part of the city’s “trash revolution”. “We all have one unified dislike, and those are those pesky New York City rats,” Mr Adams said. “They’re getting more and more bold. They no longer run from you. They just hang out and just do what they want. We want to make sure we change that in a real way.” NYC department of sanitation commissioner Jessica Tisch described the official NYC bin as a “beautiful, rat-fighting piece of engineering” to conquer the estimated three million rats that dominate the streets. The wheelie bin announcement, which was intended to impress New Yorkers, has also gone global – with Europeans and Australians baffled by concept of wheelie bins being new. “Oh my word! Are they seriously showing their constituents how to use a trash can?” wrote one person. “Huh, they don’t have wheelie bins? What century do they live in?” said a second. “How the hell is this revolutionary??” agreed another. “So they finally figured out putting your trash in piles on the sidewalk is not a good idea,” mocked someone else. Image credits: X (Twitter)

Home & Garden

Woman found in wheelie bin identified as English teacher

The body of a woman found in a wheelie bin at a waste management facility has been identified as a 67-year-old teacher. Staff at Repurpose It in the north Melbourne suburb of Epping found the body of Annette Brennan while moving green waste last Wednesday. Police believe that the 67-year-old was inside a bin picked up outside a home in Coolaroo on Tuesday July 2nd, which was then taken to the facility in Epping. Brennan spent most of her life teaching English to students, many of whom were international, and has been described as “gentle and kind”. Police have arrested a 45-year-old man in connection to Brennan's death, who has since been charged with murder and will appear in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday. Homicide detectives believe the pair were known to each other. On Monday night, Repurpose It CEO George Hatzimanolis said staff were “deeply saddened” by the incident. “Our staff members who made this tragic discovery are understandably shaken, and we are ensuring they receive the support and counselling they need,” he said. “We ask for privacy and understanding for our employees as we navigate through this challenging situation. We are fully co-operating with the police as they conduct their investigations.” Police are still combing through CCTV in the Coolaroo area and have urged anyone who may have video from between June 23rd and July 2nd to contact them. Detectives are also keen to speak to anyone who noticed any suspicious behaviour in the area. Image credits: Sunrise

Caring

“Is this illegal?”: Mum sparks debate over divisive rubbish bin tactic

A mother has reignited an age-old debate over neighbourhood etiquette, asking whether it is "illegal or frowned upon” to add rubbish to a neighbour’s wheelie bin if yours is completely full. Brooke Bliss, who lives on the NSW Mid North Coast, said that in her area bins were only collected once a fortnight and her outside bins fill up very quickly as a family of five. Often left with overflowing rubbish by the time collection day rolls around, Bliss admitted that she waits till the "dead of night" on the day before the bins are emptied and tosses a couple of bags of general waste into neighbours' bins. “Is this illegal or frowned upon?” the creator asked her followers in a video online. The mother-of-three explained to <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/mum-sparks-debate-over-widespread-rubbish-bin-tactic-everyone-does---but-is-it-illegal-004710089.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yahoo News Australia</a>, “It’s actually super stressful, especially when you have young children… the bins fill up quite quickly.” “I find that my bin is full maybe like the fourth day after it’s just been collected and there’s still another eight or so days to go.” She added that she had “the most lovely neighbours” who would never have an issue with it, but she’d heard of other people being told not to do that by other residents. “I mean, if your neighbours aren’t letting you do that even if they have room in their bin, you then have the rubbish lying around your property because you have nowhere else to put it," Bliss added. Many fellow Aussies commenting on her video said they also sneak rubbish into their neighbours' bins and that once they were on the kerb they were fair game, with one adding, "as long as you're not putting rubbish in recycling or garden waste". “Both our neighbours know we do this to them,” one wrote, while another said, “I do it in broad daylight.” With a third adding, "everyone does this". While there are technically no laws against using your neighbours' bin, trespassing could be an issue unless you wait until the bin is on council land. A spokesman for Bliss's local council said that the move is generally frowned upon unless there is an agreement among neighbours. Image credits: Instagram / Shutterstock

Legal

"Can't WAIT to try this": Tradie's simple bin night hack

Taking the wheelie bins out and having to drag them back in is a chore that many dread, but one Aussie tradie has made life so much easier with his simple hack. Kyle Hume took to TikTok to share his simple yet effective trick to bring in two bins back from the curb at the same time, without having to wrangle two bins with both hands or make multiple trips. "I've been wheeling two bins my whole life until I noticed this," he shared. Hume's trick is to line up two bins in front of each other, resting the lid of the bin at the front on top of the bin at the back, and then closing the lid so it creates a makeshift hook that allows you to tip both bins back and wheel them in unison. <div class="embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important; width: 573px; max-width: 100%;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7360205539604696336&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40kylehume7%2Fvideo%2F7360205539604696336%3Flang%3Den&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign-sg.tiktokcdn.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-alisg-p-0037%2FoYPnEqGncBAAtH22Eli4AIzBQC4wEANEIsf1ki%3Fx-expires%3D1715479200%26x-signature%3Di%252BOzi1g942kcQ1F0%252FqQuNd7eiho%253D&key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> Many Aussies were "flabbergasted" by the trick, taking to the comments to express their shock at the simple method. "I've learned more on TikTok about adulting than I ever did in school," one joked. "I have four bins - this is going to save my life," another added. "What? Are you kidding me?" a third exclaimed. However, not everyone was impressed with his method, with some saying that it wouldn't work and there is a risk of damaging the bins. "Guessing that green bin slipped over and split using this hack, lol," one wrote. "This seems awkward and clunky," another added. "Don't you have two arms?" a third wrote. Images: TikTok

Home & Garden

"Ignore it": The one parking ticket Aussies can chuck in the bin

Western Australian driver, Connor Wright, has gone viral after sharing his advice on how to handle penalty notices issued by private parking companies. The TikTok, which now has over 1.5 million views, started off with Wright recalling the moment he walked back to his car to find a ticket issued by Parking Enforcement Services (PES), a division of Wilson Parking. Wright then proceeds to rip up the ticket and told others to "make sure to read the fine print on these bad boys". "If you read at the back, it says important information: 'This is not a parking fine'," he said. "Useless, throw it in the bin, don't pay that sh*t." Many have commented how they "wish they knew this earlier". The ticket itself is a 'breach notice' which starts at a $65 penalty from Wilson and is only issued when a person drives into private car park, for example in a shopping centre, and break the terms and conditions issued by the private entity. "What they try and do is recover the debt for the loss incurred, effectively like a breach of contract, but they're not fines — only a statutory body has the power to issue a fine." Sydney Criminal Lawyers James Clements told Yahoo News Australia. Clements also called the penalty a "bullying tactic" to "effectively try scaring people into paying them," but it is difficult to enforce it due to government "crackdowns." However parking fines from bodies like councils, some universities and hospitals should be paid. Clements advises that when you receive the breach notice you should "ignore it" or "write back and say, 'I dispute this and do not intend to pay'." "What you don't want to do is write to them and say that you disclose you were the driver." Drivers are also encouraged to read signs and the terms and conditions when entering a private car park. Images: TikTok

Legal

How to deep clean your kitchen bin

Cleaning the kitchen bin is household chore that can be easily overlooked until a stench begins to creep into your home. To rid your bin of the odour, follow these deep cleaning steps so that you can have a fresh-smelling and clean kitchen bin. 1. Put on your rubber gloves Cleaning a bin requires you to handle an object that has been full of food scraps and questionable liquids, it is best to wear some rubber gloves to protect you from the germs. 2. Empty the bin Begin by emptying your bin and ensuring that there are no lingering food particles in the bottom. Your main objective is to remove any gunk that can be seen. 3. Wash the bin If you have access to an outside area, take your bin outside and hose it down. If you can only clean your bin indoors, then you can do this in the bathtub. Once the bin has been rinsed, pat it down with paper towel. 4. Spray with disinfectant Using a disinfectant cleaner of your preference, generously spray down the inside and outside of your bin. Also include the top and bottom of the bin as you spray. 5. Scrub the bin Use a toilet brush or other long-handled nylon bristle brush to scrub your bin thoroughly. After you have finished scrubbing all over, let the disinfectant cleaner sit for five minutes. 6. Rinse and dry After the five minutes has passed, rinse the can thoroughly. Depending on what you prefer, let the bin dry in the sun or dry it with a towel. Once you have deep cleaned your bin, maintain your hard work by wiping down the inside and outside of the bin with disinfectant spray every time you empty the trash can. Image credits: Getty Images

Home & Garden

Body of missing woman hidden inside wheelie bin

The search for the remains of Queensland woman Lesley Trotter continues after police find “strong evidence” that her body was put in a wheelie bin near her home before being collected by a rubbish truck. The 78-year-old had been missing since March 27, sparking alarm when her family members reported that she was not home and had left her mobile phone and wallet behind. Detective Superintendent Andrew Massingham told reporters on Tuesday that the body, believed to be Trotter’s, was placed in the general waste bin on Maryvale St on March 28. “It was evident at that time that the person we believe is Ms Trotter was deceased,” he said. “Due to the positioning of the body, I can’t rule out foul play at this stage.” Massingham did not elaborate on the extent of her injuries or how police knew about the positioning of Trotter’s body, given that they are still searching for her remains. Massingham also revealed that the bin was collected by a rubbish truck scheduled for that morning, which was then taken to Nudgee Waste Transfer Station, where the rubbish was dropped into a pit. “An additional 22 trucks also visited the site on that Tuesday,” he said. “The loads from each of those trucks was compressed and then was taken away from the facility in six B-double semi-trailers.” He added that the rubbish was then taken to dump sites in Rochedale and Swanbank, which are now being quarantined. Massingham said that police currently have no suspects, despite having conducted interviews over the weekend. They are also planning an extensive search this week to recover Trotter’s remains, with detectives expecting it to be a “difficult operation”. Massingham added that once Trotter’s body is recovered, they will forensically examine it to “try find any piece of evidence” which will help them determine her cause of death. Forensic samples- reportedly including blood- were collected from Trotter’s unit complex and a neighbouring unit complex, although Massingham said that the relevance of these samples “are not yet clear and may be unrelated to this matter”. “This is obviously a disturbing development,” Massingham said, adding that Trotter’s family members have been informed. “This is traumatic to them. I think this is confronting for them, the nature ... would be concerning for any family, particularly a lady of that age ... looking forward to the next chapter of her life.” Police were investigating a possible link between Trotter’s disappearance and her recycling habits, after it was revealed that her neighbours had complained about her taking rubbish out of wheelie bins and leaving it on the ground. However, Massingham has stressed that this was only “one aspect” of the investigation. Images: Queensland Police, 7News

News

$5000 fine for smelly bins set to cause a huge stink

New rules introduced in a Perth suburb could see them face a fine of up to $5,000 if their rubbish bins get too smelly. A new law could see residents of Victoria Park cop a hefty fine if their green-lidded Garden Organics (GO) bins have a bad odour, which were introduced for the disposal of grass clippings, weeds, leaves and sticks. Mayor Karen Vernon told <a href="https://www.6pr.com.au/rumour-confirmed-vic-park-ratepayers-face-5k-fine-for-smelly-organic-bins/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">6PR</a> the fine was introduced in a bid to ensure people sorted their rubbish correctly. “We will need some powers, as a local council, to be able to make that behaviour change appropriately,” she said. “So what’s really important is that the contents of that third bin is just organic material, so there needs to be no level of contamination in there, that’s what makes an organic collection process to work really well,” she said. While some have shared their support for the move, others have taken to social media to critique the “rubbish” decision. “Fining someone because their rubbish bin smells, should be a council service to disinfect bins when emptied. We pay astronomical rates let‘s see them justified,” Sheldon Baker wrote on Facebook. “Omg who seriously has clean smelling rubbish after a week in an outside bin? Maybe they can provide deodorant for our bins or perfume!” Christine Stephan said. “I mean, if your bins smell, it‘s because you are lazy and that’s on you,” Kendall Mulvena-Trinder said. Rumours have also emerged that the council would employ “bin smellers” as part of the decision, with Councillor Vernon dismissing them as “exaggerated”. “That certainly doesn’t mean we will be employing people to go smell other people’s bins,’’ she said. While the GO bin is currently restricted to garden waste, the council is hoping to expand this to food organics in the “not too distant future”. Image: @townofvicpark (Instagram)

Legal

How to build timber covers for wheelie bins

The Sekit flat-packed system, from Bunnings (bunnings.com.au), uses ACQ treated pine and takes an hour to assemble, fitting 120 and 240 litre bins. A single bin cover measures 670 x 810 x 1200mm, and the double is 1340 x 810 x 1200mm. <div id="firstFloatAd"> <div data-fuse="21928626849"> </div> <div data-fuse="21699960946"> </div> </div> Simple latch bolts keep the doors secured and a chain joins the bin handles to the covers so both lids are raised simultaneously, making rubbish disposal much more hygienic. TIP – To remove the bins on collection day, unhook the lid chains before opening the doors.A chain connects the bin ASSEMBLE THE FRAME positioning the dividing frame against the side panels and adding the front and back supports, securing with the supplied screws. Square up the frame and secure the two diagonal back supports. <div id="lastFloatAd"> <div data-fuse="21928512968"> </div> <div data-fuse="22652288252"> </div> </div> INSTALL THE LIDS by aligning the holes on the lid with the holes in the frame then insert the supplied bolts, securing the outside bolts with the washer and nut and the inside bolts using a Phillips head screwdriver. ATTACH THE DOORS by aligning the top hinge and securing with a screw at the top, attach the base hinge, checking the door is parallel with the side then secure the second screw at the top and attach the latch bolts. Image: Bunnings

Home & Garden

Extremely valuable snake found hiding in city bin

An abandoned pet snake has been spotted on bustling Oxford Street in the Sydney CBD, with authorities saying the precious reptile is worth around $1000.The very out-of-place diamond head python was discovered hiding in a bin outside a Paddington barber's shop, after which a helpful bystander coaxed the snake into a leather bag for safe-keeping.The native Australian reptile's rare appearance has sparked concern among authorities and wildlife carers, with the incident now set to be investigated by police.<img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/snake-on-bin.jpg" alt="" width="471" height="261" />The snake was taken to a vet to be treated for minor injuries, which are believed to have been inflicted by its previous owner.Once given the all-clear, the python will be given the chance to find a new owner and fresh start.According to Australia Zoo, diamond pythons are closely related to the commonly recognised carpet python.They are often black in colour with cream or yellow, diamond-shaped blotches covering the entire length of their body. Being a python, they are non-venomous. They constrict their prey in order to kill it and then consume it whole.Image: Nine News

Travel Trouble

Lisa Wilkinson describes Australia’s handling of COVID-19 as a “bin fire”

The Project host Lisa Wilkinson has described Australia’s handling of COVID-19 as a “bin fire”, particularly when compared to New Zealand’s. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced tougher restrictions from midnight Sunday in an effort to combat the growing spread of the Omicron variant, moving the nation to an alert level of red. The new restrictions mean that household close contacts may be forced to isolate for 24 days, while anyone with Covid must isolate for 14 days. While lockdowns are no longer a possibility, masks are mandatory on public transport, in retail environments, and for children above grade four in schools. In addition, there are capacity limits on retail, and hospitality and gym venues, as well as weddings, can have up to 100 people. The government has stated, however, that if the new restrictions don’t stop the spread, then it will change the rules and stop trying to prevent every case. Meanwhile, Australia has embraced a much more laid back approach, which some have described as “letting it rip”. Ardern even confirmed the cancellation of her own wedding, announcing, “My wedding will not be going ahead, but I just joined many other New Zealanders who have had an experience like that as a result of the pandemic. “And to anyone who’s caught up in that scenario, I’m so sorry. Such is life.” WIlkinson was amazed at New Zealand’s new rules, exclaiming, “Wowee – 24 days! If that doesn’t give you an indication that Jacinda Ardern has looked across the ‘ditch’ at our bin fire and gone, ‘Not doing that!’ Wow!” Ardern said of New Zealand’s approach, “Our plan for managing Omicron in the early stage remains the same as Delta, where we will rapidly test, contact trace and isolate cases and contacts.” Director General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said, “We’ve just gone back up to that in light of Omicron and to help with managing the spread in this early stage. We think we still have a good opportunity to potentially stamp it out or really reduce the Omicron transmission. “Because it is Omicron we have taken an approach at this point in time where we are isolating contacts of close contacts initially until those close contacts return that negative day five test, then those second tier group of contacts can go about their normal day.” Image: The Project

News

Woman’s angry post sparks debate about bin diving

A Sydney resident’s Facebook post about a bin diver has made headlines, as residents of her south-Sydney suburb debated whether bin diving is ethical or not. Following the introduction of container refund schemes in Australia, which have served as a way to encourage recycling and money saving in kids, “bin diving” has seen a sharp increase, with people rummaging through others’ bins in an effort to find cans and bottles they can turn in to NSW’s Return and Earn program. The program gives residents 10 cents for every can and bottle they hand in, and there are reports that some are earning as much as $2000 a week through the scheme. A Mortdale resident learned about the lengths people will go to in order to collect recyclables this weekend, after finding an elderly man on her property on Sunday morning, going through her son’s collection of cans. Submitting her complaint to a Mortdale community group on Facebook, she wrote, “Was awoken this morning 21/11/21 to our dog barking, only to find this elderly man had entered our property (via the front gate) and was caught red handed helping himself to my son's recycle can collection, located up the side of our house.” She included a photo of the man, hoping the community would be able to identify him. The woman went on to explain that her “very large” husband came outside after hearing the commotion, and tried to take the bag of recycling from the man. The man refused to let go, and subsequently slipped. The woman made various claims about the man’s English abilities, namely that he was pretending he couldn’t speak English, and said he was “of sound mind and knew exactly what he was doing”. She finished, “If you know of this man, please let him know that trespassing on other people's properties is not only illegal, but may end up terribly for him, should a man of a different disposition to my hubby (or an aggressive dog) decide to take matters into their own hand!!” Many were quick to agree with her that his behaviour was inappropriate, with people calling him a thief and calling for him to be locked up. One commenter wrote that she should have “turn[ed] the hose on him”, while another wrote that there was “no excuse to steal”. Others weren’t as harsh, with several saying that there was no need to post about the ordeal. One commenter urged the woman to “try compassion”, while another said that she was not being “very nice”. One person said, “I do not condone theft but if someone is stealing veggies out of my garden, my first response is to find out why,” while another wrote that they would have given him the cans along with $10. “I am so blessed and feel for the old and elderly that may be having a hard time getting money for food.” Image: Maskot

Legal

Handy tip to keep birds out of your bin

We all know that birds and other wildlife can wreak havoc on bin day by sorting through our garbage bins. But a woman has discovered a handy trick to stop this from happening. The woman posted her trick to the Cleaning and Organising Inspiration Australia <a rel="noopener" href="https://honey.nine.com.au/social-media" target="_blank" title="Facebook">Facebook </a>group, saying she'd seen the method on one of her neighbour's rubbish bins. "On my walk today whilst in lockdown I came across one of the smartest tricks I've seen in a while," she posted. Her post showed a photo of a red garbage bin with two water bottles cable-tied to its handles. The woman added: "The reason for this is to keep birds out of your bins so they don't create mess. Thought it may be helpful to someone who may be having this problem.” The woman’s post received over 1600 reactions, with hundreds sharing their appreciation for the simple trick in the comments. "So clever!!!" one person wrote. "This is genius; I'm sick of the birds getting in and rubbish flying everywhere. Thanks," another person praised. Birds are the main culprits It seems that birds - particularly cockatoos – are the main culprits for picking through garbage bins on bin day. However, a woman shared evidence it can be other wildlife also doing some sifting and sorting: The woman posted: "We have this problem too except found out at night time it wasn't birds!!” While some people aren’t so worried about wildlife going through their bins quite a few others noted the handy trick could be useful against the natural elements. "Great idea for windy days to keep the lid down too," one person added. "Also would stop your bin blowing over," another poster wrote. Image: Facebook

Home & Garden

Bin Laden's notorious Pink Palace up for sale

Ibrahim bin Laden, Osama bin Laden’s brother, has listed his Bel Air mansion for sale, with an asking price of $AUD 38.1 million ($US 28 million) according to the <a rel="noopener" href="https://nypost.com/2021/07/30/osama-bin-ladens-bel-air-estate-is-on-sale-for-28m/" target="_blank">New York Post</a>. Property records show that Ibrahim, the older half-brother of the late terrorist, has owned the property for nearly four decades. When he purchased the Mediterranean-style mansion in 1983, Ibrahim spent $US 163,000 at the time - equating to roughly $US 5.5 million after adjusting for inflation. However, the home has been unoccupied since the September 11 attacks in 2001. Ibrahim was vacationing overseas at the time of the attack, but never returned to the US. The listing describes the home as “ready for redoing, owner has not been here for over 20 years”. Since the property has been long abandoned, interior photos of the home are hard to find, and the hefty price tag is based on “land value only” and location, rather than the state of the home itself. The almost 100-year-old home, in the prestigious lower Bel Air neighbourhood, spans 600 sqm and sits on more than 8100 sqm of land. The seven-bedroom, five-bathroom mansion was built in 1931 and features an unusual exterior of concrete that has been painted pink. The property was previously owned by Hollywood producer Arthur Freed, who produced The Wizard of Oz, An American in Paris, and Singin’ in the Rain. Ibrahim lived in the home with his former wife, Christine Hartunian Sinay, and employed “full-time groundskeepers, household help, chauffeurs, and private security”, according to Steve Coll’s biography, The Bin Ladens: An Arabian Family in the American Century. Images: Realtor.com

Real Estate

Young mum found dead inside charity bin identified

A woman who passed away after she became stuck in the opening of a charity bin has been identified. Alarrah Lawrence, 33, was looking inside a Good Sammys clothing donation bin at Stockland Baldivis Shopping Centre, Western Australia when she became “trapped and unable to remove herself”, police told reporters. The tragedy took place at about 1:40 am, and her body was later found at around 5 am on Tuesday. Reports claim the mother was standing on a plastic bucket to reach inside the bin, until the bucket slipped beneath her feet and left her trapped. The Australian reported her body remained “half in, half out” of the bin, with just a small pile of clothing on the ground beneath her. Rockingham Detective Senior Sergeant Andrew says police believe Ms Lawrence died from asphyxiation. Ms Lawrence’s partner penned a devastating tribute to his “soulmate” on Facebook in the hours after her death. “This is a cruel world can't believe your gone devastated word can't explain I'm going to miss U I just wish I could tell U I love U 1 more time my soulmate [sic],” he wrote. “Raining sadness for my family,” another family member said. “Alarrah you won’t be forgotten.” Ms Lawrence leaves behind a 15-month-old son. Police do not think Ms Lawrence’s death is suspicious. Sadly enough, her death follows just three months after a 43-year-old mother was found dead in a charity bin on the Gold Coast. Mikki O’Shea, was tragically found trapped in the bin, near a shopping centre in Burleigh Heads in April. At the time, Queensland Police said firefighters had to cut the woman’s body free, after the bin lid had come down onto Ms O’Shea.

Caring

Community rocked by death of teenager killed in bin

A community in South Australia has been left devastated following news of a 13-year-old boy being killed after a bin he and his two mates were sleeping in was picked up by a garbage truck. New information regarding why the boys came to be inside the bin has just shown how tragic the circumstances were. Spencer Benbolt Junior, 13, was asleep in an industrial bin in Port Lincoln early on Tuesday with two other boys – aged 11 and 12. It began being emptied due to a scheduled collection. One boy managed to escape injury by jumping out, but the other two children became trapped. The 12-year-old boy who escaped immediately began to bang on the driver’s door to alert him of the tragedy, and emergency services were called to the Reoco car park just after 5.20am. Spencer suffered serious injuries and sadly died at the scene. The other boy was unharmed despite also being thrown into the truck. The group of boys had been wandering around their town for hours in an effort to escape the rain and cold, the Daily Mail reports. The trio stopped off at the nearby Grand Tasma Hotel to ask for water at about 12.30am. The boys reportedly made it clear to the local pub goers that they had no intention on going home that night. The group wandered to Port Lincoln’s industrial area where they reportedly tried to seek shelter at a McDonald. They would then decide to crawl into the industrial bin for the night. South Coast Local Service Area officer in charge Paul Bahr told reporters on Tuesday that the boys were not classified as homeless and had “places to stay … with beds they could sleep in”. “We’re not aware of any reports of children sleeping in bins in Port Lincoln. This is the first time we’ve become aware of it,” he said. “Port Lincoln has an issue with homelessness like every community and from time to time we do get rough sleepers (but) I’m not aware of children sleeping rough.” The Department of Child Protection said the boy was not in state care. On Tuesday Spencer’s aunty released a statement to Nine News on behalf of the family. “Spencer always had a close relationship with his parents, brothers and grandmothers, who he loved and adored,” she read. “He loved hunting, fishing, camping, was a cheeky boy who had a big imagination.” It is believed Spencer, known as Budda to his friends and family, had been staying with friends recently. Holly Puckridge, who was a friend of Spencer’s told 7News he had asked to “stay with us for a couple of days and we let him sleep over”. Mother Jess Bettoncelli said her 12-year-old son often hung out with the group and would join them in sleeping outside services stations and at local sporting grounds. “He’s very shaken up, he’s I think confused,” she told the outlet. “He’s I guess wondering and suspecting that that could have been him last night.” <img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7841164/bear.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/34bbb4ff971c4ba188867ad3396efe70" /> Superintendent Bahr said the two other boys involved in the incident have been left “traumatised” by what happened. “The background as to how they’ve ended up in this industrial bin is something that’s really going to take some time to understand,” he said. “It will be a strong part of the coronial investigation that we’ve begun.” The truck driver was not aware the boys were inside the bin when he picked it up, and has been reportedly left “extremely shaken” by the incident. Superintendent Bahr also said it was a “terrible event”. “Dealing with a young child who is suffering significant trauma and not being able to save their life after a lot of effort has gone into attempting to revive him is going to be very difficult to them,” he said. images: Supplied

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