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David Campbell's tearful acceptance of heartwarming award

<p>David Campbell was unable to hold back his tears as he delivered an emotional speech after he and his father Jimmy Barnes jointly won the 2024 Australian Father of the Year Award. </p> <p>The <em>Today Extra</em> host became emotional when he accepted the award on Thursday, reflecting on what being a father means to him. </p> <p>“I can honestly tell you we won the lottery, we really did,” Campbell said, slowly tearing up.</p> <p>“They teach us how to parent them as individuals for all their own needs, their talents and their unbelievable zest for life, I am the father that I am today - of the year - because I fathered them.”</p> <p>“So to Leo, Billy and Betty, thank you for being patient, I had no idea what I was doing, but you make me laugh and the most part you listen to your mum and I when we try to guide you through this fantastical life that you’re going to live,” he added, wiping the tears from his eyes and trying to retain his composure.</p> <p>David Campbell's own father Jimmy Barnes was unable to be at the award ceremony after undergoing emergency surgery to his hip, but that didn't stop Campbell paying tribute to his famous dad. </p> <p>“He takes fatherhood really, really personally, he had a very traumatic childhood growing up and it was really, really difficult for him,” Campbell explained.</p> <p>“He had a lot of trauma, a lot of abuse, which he’s written about and he’s had to overcome all of that and of course, he had a lot of problems in his life."</p> <p>“But the fact that he then became a parent with Jane, to my brothers and sisters and to me, has been the thing that he’s been able to improve his past and change the future by raising us and giving us the tools that we needed to be better.” </p> <p>“And for me, no matter what, he’s been my North Star, even with his mistakes, because I watch him improve on that all the time and he’s an incredible grandfather to not only my kids, but the 127 grandkids he has."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Today Extra</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Even after the government’s aviation crackdown, Australia will lag behind on flyers’ rights

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ian-douglas-2932">Ian Douglas</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a></em></p> <p>When it comes to consumer protections for airline passengers, Australia has long been dragging its feet.</p> <p>The limited protections we do have rely heavily on the general <a href="https://consumer.gov.au/index.php/australian-consumer-law">Australian Consumer Law</a>. The “consumer guarantees” provided in this law only require services to be delivered in the arguably vague framework of a “reasonable time”.</p> <p>That might be okay if we’re just getting a sofa delivered from a furniture retailer. The cost of a late delivery is low.</p> <p>But these guarantees were not tailored to the unique impacts delayed or cancelled flights can have on travellers. Australia’s lack of aviation-specific protections has long been a severe <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/system/files/Airlines%20Terms%20and%20Conditions%20Report.pdf">pain point</a> for flyers, only heightened by pandemic disruption.</p> <p>The government’s much-awaited <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/infrastructure-transport-vehicles/aviation/aviation-white-paper">Aviation White Paper</a>, released in full on Monday, promised to address this issue. At the heart of the reforms, Australia will get a new aviation ombud scheme, and a new charter of customer rights for passengers.</p> <p>The recognition that new protections are needed is a step in the right direction. But this once-in-a-generation white paper missed the chance to achieve far more, by moving Australia to the style of consumer protection that have now been offered for 20 years in <a href="https://www.airhelp.com/en-int/ec-regulation-261-2004/">Europe</a>.</p> <h2>Why is air travel unique?</h2> <p>Airline customers have a reasonable expectation of arriving at their destination, at (or close to) the time published by the airline in its schedule at the time the reservation was paid and ticketed.</p> <p>If this can’t be achieved, they should at least arrive at some amended time that was advised far enough in advance to allow related reservations and bookings to be adjusted.</p> <p>Air travel has to be punctual because it doesn’t have any substitutes. On even a modest deadline, driving from Perth or even Sydney to Melbourne, for example, is not a comparable option.</p> <p>And a passenger’s options to adapt their travel plans diminish as the departure date approaches. In the final days before travel, hotel cancellation deadlines pass and alternative connecting flight options sell out or spike in price.</p> <p>In some cases, travelling to a specific event can become pointless for a passenger if a delay is lengthy enough.</p> <h2>Australia is playing catch-up</h2> <p>In contrast with Australia, aviation-specific protections have long existed in many other developed economies.</p> <p>In the European Union (EU), for example, <a href="https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=LEGISSUM%3Al24173">regulations</a> make clear that airlines have specific obligations and responsibilities in the event of delays, cancellations and denied boardings. This includes the <a href="https://www.airhelp.com/en-int/ec-regulation-261-2004/">right to compensation</a> of up to €600 (A$988).</p> <p>These protections and the levels of compensation payable for failure to meet specified requirements for different kinds of flights are comprehensively legislated.</p> <p>Canada has a <a href="https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-2019-150/index.html">slightly different approach</a> – smaller regional carriers have different obligations to mainline operators. But as with the European regulation, it imposes an obligation to get the passenger to the ticketed destination, or to refund the ticket if the journey has become pointless.</p> <p>The absence of such legislated protections in Australia means we typically have to rely on the goodwill of the airline when things go wrong.</p> <h2>Real action has been delayed</h2> <p>The centrepiece proposal of the <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/infrastructure-transport-vehicles/aviation/aviation-white-paper">white paper</a> is to create a new ombud scheme with “the power to direct airlines and airports to provide remedies to consumers and investigate customer complaints about airlines’ and airports’ conduct”. This will replace the existing <a href="https://www.airlinecustomeradvocate.com.au/General/Default.aspx">Airline Customer Advocate</a>.</p> <p>A new charter of customer rights, to be produced by the scheme, will aim to give flyers “greater certainty about what they can expect when flights are cancelled and delayed” and require airlines to be more transparent about their performance.</p> <p>The white paper noted the poor on-time performance of Australian carriers. It also pointed out that the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/system/files/Airlines%20Terms%20and%20Conditions%20Report.pdf">identified</a> problems with consumer protections for air travel in Australia as far back as 2017. But its proposals offer no real quantifiable or enforceable improvements to consumer rights.</p> <p>Despite the well-established models in comparable countries – many of which have <a href="https://theconversation.com/if-australia-had-an-aviation-ombudsman-passengers-could-get-compensation-for-cancelled-flights-235679">followed the EU’s lead</a> – Australians will need to wait for yet another discussion process to be complete before they see what protections may eventually be introduced.</p> <p>The government’s white paper has largely just kicked the can down the road.</p> <p>At a minimum, passengers on Australian carriers deserve the assurances given to those travelling in and from Europe: in the event of a cancellation or long delay, that they will be transported to their destination on an alternative flight as quickly as possible.</p> <p>They should also be given appropriate meals and accommodation until they can make this onward journey, receive compensation for lengthy delays, and have the option to return home with a full refund if their travel has become pointless.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/237469/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ian-douglas-2932">Ian Douglas</a>, Honorary Senior Lecturer, UNSW Aviation, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/even-after-the-governments-aviation-crackdown-australia-will-lag-behind-on-flyers-rights-237469">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Domestic Travel

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Larry Emdur takes home Gold Logie in star-studded awards

<p>The 2024 TV Week Logies kicked off on Sunday night to celebrate the world of Australian TV and entertainment, with actors and presenters alike dressing in their best frocks and heading to Sydney's The Star. </p> <p>For the second year in a row, hosting the show was Sam Pang, known for his hilarious comedy on <em>Have You Been Paying Attention?</em> on Channel Ten, as he took to the stage for a memorable opening monologue. </p> <p>Pang used the Logies stage, which was being broadcast by Channel Seven, to take a swipe at the struggling network, roasting Seven for their spate of recent scandals, such as the Bruce Lehrmann-<em>Spotlight</em> scandal</p> <p>"Firstly, Channel 7, well, I'm just letting you all know I'm going to say whatever I want tonight," he said as he kicked things off. </p> <p>"I stand before you safe in the knowledge that whatever I say, this network will defend me in court, and with their impeccable record in defamation cases over the last 12 months I reckon I'll be fine."</p> <p>Amid a string of jobs being cut at Seven, Sam then joked that he wasn't getting paid by the network for his hosting gig and said they would instead be paying his rent.</p> <p>"Full disclosure - I'm not getting paid by Channel Seven tonight. Instead, for the next 12 months, they're paying my rent," he quipped. "Which is handy as they'll know what address to send the Thai masseuse to."</p> <p>Pang then took aim at Network Ten, his usual employer, to call out their difficult year of cancelled shows. </p> <p>"It's been a tough 12 months for Channel Ten, although they did bring back <em>Deal Or No Deal</em> hosted by Grant Denyer, a show where contestants get to open a briefcase and try to guess how much money the network is losing each week," he said. </p> <p>As the awards ceremony kicked off, one young talent stole the hearts of the nation, as 15-year-old Felix Cameron, who recently starred in Netflix's drama <em>Boy Swallows Universe</em> based on the novel by Trent Dalton, took home two awards: the Graham Kennedy Award for Most Popular New Talent and Best Lead Actor in a Drama. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-z8mimvbAK/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-z8mimvbAK/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by TV Week Magazine (@tvweekmag)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>More tears flooded the stage when acting legend Rebecca Gibney was inducted into the Hall of Fame for her decades of work in the Aussie TV industry. </p> <p>Gibney was surprised as a myriad of co-hosts reflected on memories they shared on set, with Hugh Jackman even sending in a video message to share how she is "perfection and excellence personified". </p> <p>Presenting Gibney with the award was her son Zachary, who gave an emotional speech about his mum and her stellar career. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C-0krp3zp7j/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C-0krp3zp7j/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Zac Bell 🦝 (@zacpuff)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>"I feel so lucky to have been raised by someone with so much love to give and be guided through life watching her show so much kindness to everyone that she meets...</p> <p>"So many people love Rebecca Gibney, the actor. I will always love her as the kindest, most-loving mum anyone could ask for. And, tonight, all of us in this room, and industry, celebrate her. I love you, Ma, to the moon and back and I'm so proud of you."</p> <p>Rounding out the night was the award everyone was waiting for: the coveted Gold Logie. </p> <p><em>The Morning Show</em> host Larry Emdur took out the gold, in a move which surprised even him as he explained in his acceptance speech, reflecting on being “television’s most axed man”. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-0HQ_ZP0gV/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-0HQ_ZP0gV/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Channel 7 (@channel7)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“I love television. I’ve never done anything else, and I’ve never wanted to do anything else,” he said.</p> <p>During his speech, Larry also recalled a promise he made if he were to win the award, recalling, “I just remembered I did say if I won this, during the week ... I was so convinced that I wasn’t going to win this that I said that if I did win it, I would have all the nominees’ initials tattooed on my a*** live tomorrow morning,” he said, prompting the room to explode into laughter.</p> <p>“We’ll see you on The Morning Show tomorrow I guess.“</p> <p><em>Image credits: Seven/Norman Ko/Shutterstock Editorial  </em></p>

TV

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Australia to introduce new "gold standard" in ID verification

<p>The Australian government is set to introduce a new "gold standard" in ID verification that will protect valuable information from potential data leaks. </p> <p>Government Services Minister Bill Shorten will is set to use his address to the National Press Club on Tuesday to announce the national Trust Exchange, or TEx program, which is currently at the “proof-of-concept stage”, and is slated to be rolled out at the end of the year. </p> <p>The program will connect to a user's MyGov Wallet or digital ID without the need to hand over any documents, allowing businesses to verify your identity using a government-issued QR code.</p> <p>The QR codes could be used for job applications, hotel bookings, or entry into a pub or RSL clubs, eliminating the need to hand over physical driver's licenses or passports.</p> <p>The technology will store information such as someone’s date-of-birth, address, citizenship, visa status, qualifications, occupational licences or working with children check, and other information already held by the government.</p> <p>"Services Australia is partnering with other government systems to develop TEx which would give Australians the ability to verify their identity and credentials based on official information already held by the Australian Government," Shorten is set to say in his National Press Club speech.</p> <p>"That means sharing only the personal information to get the job done, and in some cases, not handing over any personal information at all."</p> <p>“You control what details are exchanged. You then have in your wallet a record of sharing, say, your passport and trade certificate with your employer.”</p> <p>Shorten will say codes "digitally shake hands with your myGov wallet," leaving you with a record in your account of what you shared, and who you shared it with.</p> <p>"All that has been exchanged has been a digital 'thumbs up' from the Government that you are who you say you are," Shorten will say.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p>

Legal

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People who are bad with numbers often find it harder to make ends meet – even if they are not poor

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/wandi-bruine-de-bruin-275600">Wändi Bruine de Bruin</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/usc-dornsife-college-of-letters-arts-and-sciences-2669">USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/paul-slovic-359838">Paul Slovic</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-oregon-811">University of Oregon</a></em></p> <h2>The big idea</h2> <p>People who are bad with numbers are more likely to experience financial difficulties than people who are good with numbers. That’s according to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0260378">our analyses</a> of the <a href="https://wrp.lrfoundation.org.uk/explore-the-poll">Lloyd’s Register Foundation World Risk Poll</a>.</p> <p>In this World Risk Poll, people from 141 countries were asked if 10% was bigger than, smaller than or the same as 1 out of 10. Participants were said to be bad with numbers if they did not provide the correct answer – which is that 10% is the same as 1 out of 10. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0260378">Our analyses</a> found that people who answered incorrectly are often among the poorest in their country. Prior studies in the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0297.2010.02394.x">United States</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-5890.2007.00052.x">United Kingdom</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joep.2016.02.011">the Netherlands</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/joca.12294">Peru</a> had also found that people who are bad with numbers are financially worse off. But <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0260378">our analyses of the World Risk Poll</a> further showed that people who are bad with numbers find it harder to make ends meet, even if they are not poor.</p> <p>When we say that they found it harder to make ends meet, we mean that they reported on the poll that they found it difficult or very difficult to live on their current income, as opposed to living comfortably or getting by on their current income.</p> <p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0260378">Our analyses</a> also indicate that staying in school longer is related to better number ability. People with a high school degree tend to be better with numbers than people without a high school degree. And college graduates do even better. But even among college graduates there are people who are bad with numbers – and they struggle more financially.</p> <p><iframe id="yOIiX" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: 0;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/yOIiX/3/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p> <p>Of course, being good with numbers is not going to help you stretch your budget if you are very poor. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0260378">We found</a> that the relationship between number ability and struggling to make ends meet holds across the world, except in low-income countries like Ethiopia, Somalia and Rwanda.</p> <p><iframe id="RejA1" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: 0;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/RejA1/8/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p> <h2>Why it matters</h2> <p>The ability to understand and use numbers is also called <a href="http://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190861094.001.0001">numeracy</a>. Numeracy is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1787/1f029d8f-en">central to modern adult life</a> because numbers are everywhere.</p> <p>A lot of well-paying jobs involve working with numbers. People who are bad with numbers often perform worse in these jobs, including <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/ecin.12873">banking</a>. It can therefore be hard for people who are bad with numbers to <a href="http://www.doi.org/10.1108/00400919710164125">find employment and progress in their jobs</a>.</p> <p>People who are bad with numbers are less likely <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/116/39/19386.short">to make good financial decisions</a>. Individuals who can’t compute how interest compounds over time <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6261.2009.01518.x">save the least and borrow the most</a>. People with poor numerical skills are also more likely <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.41.3.586">to take on high-cost debt</a>. If you’re bad with numbers, it is hard to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/S1474747215000232">recognize</a> that paying the US$30 minimum payment on a credit card with a $3,000 balance and an annual percentage rate of 12% means it will never be paid off.</p> <h2>What still isn’t known</h2> <p>It is clear that people who are bad with numbers also tend to struggle financially. But we still need to explore whether teaching people math will help them to avoid financial problems.</p> <h2>What’s next</h2> <p>In her book “<a href="http://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190861094.001.0001">Innumeracy in the Wild</a>,” Ellen Peters, director of the Center for Science Communication Research at the University of Oregon, suggests that it is important for students to take math classes. American high school students who had to <a href="https://doi.org/10.3368/jhr.51.3.0113-5410R1">take more math courses</a> than were previously required had better financial outcomes later in life, such as avoiding bankruptcy and foreclosures.</p> <p>Successfully teaching numeracy also means helping students gain confidence in using numbers. People with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1903126116">low numerical confidence</a> experience bad financial outcomes, such as a foreclosure notice, independent of their numeric ability. This is because they may not even try to take on complex financial decisions.</p> <p>Numerical confidence can be boosted in different ways. Among American <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.41.3.586">elementary school children</a> who were bad with numbers, setting achievable goals led to better numerical confidence and performance. Among American <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0180674">undergraduate students</a>, a writing exercise that affirmed their positive values improved their numerical confidence and performance.</p> <p>Other important next steps are to find out whether training in numeracy can also be provided to adults, and whether training in numeracy improves the financial outcomes of people who do not live in high-income countries.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/172272/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/wandi-bruine-de-bruin-275600"><em>Wändi Bruine de Bruin</em></a><em>, Professor of Public Policy, Psychology and Behavioral Science, USC Sol Price School of Public Policy, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/usc-dornsife-college-of-letters-arts-and-sciences-2669">USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/paul-slovic-359838">Paul Slovic</a>, Professor of Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-oregon-811">University of Oregon</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/people-who-are-bad-with-numbers-often-find-it-harder-to-make-ends-meet-even-if-they-are-not-poor-172272">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Money & Banking

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Want to sleep longer? Adding mini-bursts of exercise to your evening routine can help

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jennifer-gale-1548741">Jennifer Gale</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-otago-1304">University of Otago</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/meredith-peddie-1548807">Meredith Peddie</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-otago-1304">University of Otago</a></em></p> <p>Exercising before bed has <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352721815000157">long been discouraged</a> as the body doesn’t have time to wind down before the lights go out.</p> <p>But <a href="https://bmjopensem.bmj.com/content/10/3/e001774">new research</a> has found breaking up a quiet, sedentary evening of watching television with short bursts of resistance exercise can lead to longer periods of sleep.</p> <p>Adults spend almost one third of the 24-hour day sleeping. But the quality and length of sleep can affect long-term health. Sleeping too little or waking often in the night is associated with an <a href="https://academic.oup.com/sleep/article-lookup/doi/10.5665/sleep.1382">increased risk of heart disease</a> and <a href="https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article/33/2/414/27149/Quantity-and-Quality-of-Sleep-and-Incidence-of">diabetes</a>.</p> <p>Physical activity during the day can help improve sleep. However, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352721815000157">current recommendations</a> discourage intense exercise before going to bed as it can increase a person’s heart rate and core temperature, which can ultimately disrupt sleep.</p> <h2>Nighttime habits</h2> <p>For many, the longest period of uninterrupted sitting happens at home in the evening. People also usually consume their largest meal during this time (or snack throughout the evening).</p> <p>Insulin (the hormone that helps to remove sugar from the blood stream) tends to be at a lower level in the evening than in the morning.</p> <p>Together these factors promote elevated blood sugar levels, which over the long term can be bad for a person’s health.</p> <p>Our <a href="https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/fulltext/2023/08000/breaking_up_evening_sitting_with_resistance.14.aspx">previous research</a> found interrupting evening sitting every 30 minutes with three minutes of resistance exercise reduces the amount of sugar in the bloodstream after eating a meal.</p> <p>But because sleep guidelines currently discourage exercising in the hours before going to sleep, we wanted to know if frequently performing these short bursts of light activity in the evening would affect sleep.</p> <h2>Activity breaks for better sleep</h2> <p>In our latest research, we asked 30 adults to complete two sessions based in a laboratory.</p> <p>During one session the adults sat continuously for a four-hour period while watching streaming services. During the other session, they interrupted sitting by performing three minutes of body-weight resistance exercises (squats, calf raises and hip extensions) every 30 minutes.</p> <p>After these sessions, participants went home to their normal life routines. Their sleep that evening was measured using a wrist monitor.</p> <p>Our research found the quality of sleep (measured by how many times they woke in the night and the length of these awakenings) was the same after the two sessions. But the night after the participants did the exercise “activity breaks” they slept for almost 30 minutes longer.</p> <p>Identifying the biological reasons for the extended sleep in our study requires further research.</p> <p>But regardless of the reason, if activity breaks can extend sleep duration, then getting up and moving at regular intervals in the evening is likely to have clear health benefits.</p> <h2>Time to revisit guidelines</h2> <p>These results add to <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1087079221001209">earlier work</a> suggesting current sleep guidelines, which discourage evening exercise before bed, may need to be reviewed.</p> <p>As the activity breaks were performed in a highly controlled laboratory environment, future research should explore how activity breaks performed in real life affect peoples sleep.</p> <p>We selected simple, body-weight exercises to use in this study as they don’t require people to interrupt the show they may be watching, and don’t require a large space or equipment.</p> <p>If people wanted to incorporate activity breaks in their own evening routines, they could probably get the same benefit from other types of exercise. For example, marching on the spot, walking up and down stairs, or even dancing in the living room.</p> <p>The key is to frequently interrupt evening sitting time, with a little bit of whole-body movement at regular intervals.</p> <p>In the long run, performing activity breaks may improve health by improving sleep and post-meal blood sugar levels. The most important thing is to get up frequently and move the body, in a way the works best for a person’s individual household.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/234896/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jennifer-gale-1548741">Jennifer Gale</a>, PhD candidate, Department of Human Nutrition, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-otago-1304">University of Otago</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/meredith-peddie-1548807">Meredith Peddie</a>, Senior Lecturer, Department of Human Nutrition, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-otago-1304">University of Otago</a></em></p> <p><em>Image </em><em>credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/want-to-sleep-longer-adding-mini-bursts-of-exercise-to-your-evening-routine-can-help-new-study-234896">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Body

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Think you’ve decided what to buy? Actually, your brain is still deciding – even as you put it in your basket

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tijl-grootswagers-954175">Tijl Grootswagers</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092">Western Sydney University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/genevieve-l-quek-1447582">Genevieve L Quek</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092">Western Sydney University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/manuel-varlet-156210">Manuel Varlet</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092">Western Sydney University</a></em></p> <p>You are standing in the cereal aisle, weighing up whether to buy a healthy bran or a sugary chocolate-flavoured alternative.</p> <p>Your hand hovers momentarily before you make the final grab.</p> <p>But did you know that during those last few seconds, while you’re reaching out, your brain is still evaluating the pros and cons – influenced by everything from your last meal, the health star rating, the catchy jingle in the ad, and the colours of the letters on the box?</p> <p>Our recently published <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-62135-7">research</a> shows our brains do not just think first and then act. Even while you are reaching for a product on a supermarket shelf, your brain is still evaluating whether you are making the right choice.</p> <p>Further, we found measuring hand movements offers an accurate window into the brain’s ongoing evaluation of the decision – you don’t have to hook people up to expensive brain scanners.</p> <p>What does this say about our decision-making? And what does it mean for consumers and the people marketing to them?</p> <h2>What hand movements tell us about decision-making</h2> <p>There has been <a href="https://www.annualreviews.org/content/journals/10.1146/annurev-psych-010419-051053">debate within neuroscience</a> on whether a person’s movements to enact a decision can be modified once the brain’s “motor plan” has been made.</p> <p>Our research revealed not only that movements can be changed after a decision – “in flight” – but also the changes matched incoming information from a person’s senses.</p> <p>To study <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-62135-7">how our decisions unfold over time</a>, we tracked people’s hand movements as they reached for different options shown in pictures – for example, in response to the question “is this picture a face or an object?”</p> <p>When choices were easy, their hands moved straight to the right option. But when choices were harder, new information made the brain change its mind, and this was reflected in the trajectory of their hand movements.</p> <p>When we compared these hand movement trajectories to brain activity recorded using neuroimaging, we found that the timing and amount of evidence of the brain’s evaluation matched the movement pattern.</p> <p>Put simply, reaching movements are shaped by ongoing thinking and decision-making.</p> <p>By showing that brain patterns match movement trajectories, our research also highlights that large, expensive brain scanners may not always be required to study the brain’s decision evaluation processes, as movement tracking is much more cost-effective and much easier to test on a large scale.</p> <h2>What does this mean for consumers and marketers?</h2> <p>For consumers, knowing our brains are always reevaluating decisions we might think of as “final” can help us be more aware of our choices.</p> <p>For simple decisions such as choosing a breakfast cereal, the impact may be small. Even if you have preemptively decided on a healthy option, you might be tempted at the last minute by the flashy packaging of a less healthy choice.</p> <p>But for important long-term decisions such as choosing a mortgage, it can have serious effects.</p> <p>On the other side of the coin, marketers have long known that many purchase decisions are <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969698912000781">made on the spot</a>.</p> <p>They use strategies such as attractive packaging and strategic product placement to influence people’s decisions.</p> <p>New ways of studying how people’s brains process information – right up to the last minute – can help marketers design more effective strategies.</p> <h2>Opportunities for further research</h2> <p>Further research in this area could explore how different types of information, such as environmental cues or memories, affect this continuous decision evaluation process in different groups of people. For example, how do people of different ages process information while making decisions?</p> <p>Our finding – that hand movements reflect the inner workings of the brain’s decision making process – could make future studies cheaper and more efficient.</p> <p>The ability to fine-tune marketing in this way has implications beyond just selling products. It can also make public strategic messaging far more effective.</p> <p>This could include tailoring a public health campaign on vaping specifically for people aged under 30, or targeting messaging about superannuation scams more effectively at those of retirement age.</p> <p>The act of reaching for a product is not a simple consequence of a decision already made; it’s a highly dynamic process. Being aware of what influences our last-minute decision-making can help us make better choices that have better outcomes.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/234167/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tijl-grootswagers-954175">Tijl Grootswagers</a>, Senior Research Fellow in Cognitive Neuroscience, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092">Western Sydney University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/genevieve-l-quek-1447582">Genevieve L Quek</a>, Research Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092">Western Sydney University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/manuel-varlet-156210">Manuel Varlet</a>, Associate Professor in Cognitive Neuroscience, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092">Western Sydney University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/think-youve-decided-what-to-buy-actually-your-brain-is-still-deciding-even-as-you-put-it-in-your-basket-234167">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Mind

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Cheaper mortgages, tamed inflation and even higher home prices: how 29 forecasters see Australia’s economic recovery in 2024-25

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/peter-martin-682709">Peter Martin</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/crawford-school-of-public-policy-australian-national-university-3292">Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University</a></em></p> <p>Australia’s top economic forecasters expect the Reserve Bank to start cutting interest rates by March next year, taking 0.35 points of its cash rate by June.</p> <p>If passed on in full, the cut would take $125 off the monthly cost of servicing a $600,000 variable-rate mortgage, with more to come.</p> <p>The panel of 29 forecasters assembled by The Conversation expects a further cut of 0.3 points by the end of 2025. This would take the cash rate down from the current 4.35% to 3.75% and produce a total cut in monthly payments on a $600,000 mortgage of $335.</p> <p>The forecasts were produced <em>after</em> last week’s news of a higher than expected <a href="https://theconversation.com/australias-inflation-rate-jumps-to-4-putting-an-rba-rate-rise-back-on-the-agenda-233331">monthly consumers price index</a>.</p> <p>Several of those surveyed revised up their predictions for interest rates in the year ahead, while continuing to predict cuts by mid next year.</p> <p>Only two expect higher rates by mid next year. Only four expect no change.</p> <hr /> <p><iframe id="6eIe8" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/6eIe8/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe></p> <hr /> <p>Now in its sixth year, The Conversation survey draws on the expertise of leading forecasters in 22 Australian universities, think tanks and financial institutions – among them economic modellers, former Treasury and Reserve Bank officials and a former member of the Reserve Bank board.</p> <p>Eight of the 29 expect the first cut to come this year, by either November or December.</p> <p>One of them is Luci Ellis, who was until recently assistant governor (economic) at the Reserve Bank and is now at Westpac. She and her team are forecasting three interest rate cuts by the middle of next year, taking the cash rate from 4.35% to 3.6%.</p> <h2>Reserve Bank a ‘reluctant hiker’</h2> <p>Ellis says inflation isn’t falling fast enough for the bank to be confident of being able to cut before November. But after that, even if inflation isn’t completely back within the bank’s target band but is merely moving towards it, a “forward-looking” board would want to start easing interest rates.</p> <p>Another forecaster, Su-Lin Ong of RBC Capital Markets, says in her view the bank should hike at its next board meeting in August after the release of figures likely to show inflation is still too high. But she says the bank is a “reluctant hiker” and keen to keep unemployment low.</p> <p>Although several panellists expect the Reserve Bank to hike rates in the months ahead, almost all expect rates to be lower in a year’s time than they are today.</p> <hr /> <p><iframe id="2xF3M" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/2xF3M/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe></p> <hr /> <p>The panel expects inflation to be back within the Reserve Bank’s 2-3% target band by June next year, and to be close to it (3.3%) by the end of this year.</p> <p>Twelve of the panel expect inflation to climb further when the official figures are released at the end of this month, but none expect it to climb further beyond that. And all expect inflation to be lower by the end of the financial year than it is today.</p> <p>One, Percy Allan, a former head of the NSW Treasury, cautions that the tax cuts and other government support measures due to start this month run the risk of boosting spending and falling progress on inflation.</p> <hr /> <p><iframe id="LGJa7" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/LGJa7/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe></p> <hr /> <p>The panel expects wages growth to fall from 4% to 3.5% over the year ahead, contributing to downward pressure on inflation, but to remain higher than prices growth, producing gains in so-called <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/r/realincome.asp">real wages</a>.</p> <p>It expects wages growth to moderate further, to 3.2%, in 2025-26.</p> <hr /> <p><iframe id="iV7mZ" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/iV7mZ/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe></p> <hr /> <p>Consumer spending is expected to remain unusually weak, growing by only 1.7% in real terms over the next 12 months, up from 1.3% in the latest national accounts.</p> <p>Mala Raghavan, from the University of Tasmania, said even though inflation was falling, previous price rises meant the prices of essentials remained high. AMP chief economist Shane Oliver expected the boost from the <a href="https://treasury.gov.au/tax-cuts">Stage 3 tax cuts</a> to be offset by the depressing effect of a weaker labour market.</p> <h2>Unemployment to climb modestly</h2> <p>The panel expects Australia’s unemployment rate to climb steadily from its present historically low 4% to 4.4%.</p> <p>Moodys Analytics economist Harry Murphy Cruise said although the increase wasn’t big, the effect on pay packets would be bigger. Employers were shaving hours and easing back on hiring rather than letting go of workers.</p> <hr /> <p><iframe id="SM8PI" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/SM8PI/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe></p> <hr /> <p>Panellists expect China’s economic growth to slip from 5.3% to 5% and US growth to slip from 2.9% to 2.4%.</p> <p>Australia’s economic growth is expected to climb from the present very low 1.1% to 1.3% by the end of this year and to 2% by the end of next year. Although none of the panel are forecasting a recession, most of those who offered an opinion said if there was a recession, it would start this year when the economy was weak.</p> <p>Some said we might later discover that we have been in a recession if the very weak economic growth of 0.1% recorded in the March quarter is revised and turns negative when updated figures are released in September.</p> <hr /> <p><iframe id="3I49o" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/3I49o/1/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe></p> <hr /> <p>Home prices are expected to continue to climb notwithstanding economic weakness. Sydney prices are expected to increase a further 5% in the year ahead after climbing 7.4% in the year to May. Melbourne prices are expected to rise a further 2.8% after climbing 1.8% in the year to May.</p> <p>Percy Allan said Sydney had fewer homes available than Melbourne, and Victoria’s decisions to extend land tax and boost rights for tenants had upset landlords, many of whom were offloading their holdings.</p> <h2>Home prices to climb further</h2> <p>Julie Toth, chief economist at property information firm PEXA, said rapid population growth was colliding with an ongoing decline in household size since COVID. At the same time, fewer new homes were being commissioned and long delays and high construction costs were also keeping supply tight.</p> <hr /> <p><iframe id="JzLaY" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/JzLaY/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe></p> <hr /> <p>The panel expects non-mining business investment to continue to climb in the year ahead, by 5.2%, down from 6.9%.</p> <p>It expects the Australian share market to climb by a further 5.6%</p> <p><strong>Read the answers on <a href="https://cdn.theconversation.com/static_files/files/3350/2024-25_The_Conversation_AU_Forecasting_Survey.pdf">PDF</a>, download as <a href="https://cdn.theconversation.com/static_files/files/3351/2024-25_The_Conversation_AU_forecasting_survey.xlsx?1719478737">XLS</a></strong></p> <hr /> <h2>The Conversation’s Economic Panel</h2> <p><em>Click on economist to see full profile.</em></p> <p><iframe id="tc-infographic-1066" class="tc-infographic" style="border: none;" src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/infographics/1066/93fb29ba32e178ec2dcda111f014a50cf7ea1f49/site/index.html" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe><!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/233244/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/peter-martin-682709">Peter Martin</a>, Visiting Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/crawford-school-of-public-policy-australian-national-university-3292">Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/cheaper-mortgages-tamed-inflation-and-even-higher-home-prices-how-29-forecasters-see-australias-economic-recovery-in-2024-25-233244">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Money & Banking

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Why you should expect to pay more tourist taxes – even though the evidence for them is unclear

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rhys-ap-gwilym-1531623">Rhys ap Gwilym</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bangor-university-1221">Bangor University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/linda-osti-1431286">Linda Osti</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bangor-university-1221">Bangor University</a></em></p> <p>In April 2024, Venice began its controversial experiment to <a href="https://www.timeout.com/news/venice-will-charge-tourists-5-to-enter-the-city-from-next-year-090823">charge day trippers</a> €5 (£4.30) to visit the city on some of the busiest days of the year. But it’s not just the lagoon city, with its <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/travel/article/20230928-venices-new-5-entry-fee-explained#:%7E:text=Over%20the%20past%20three%20decades%2C%20Venice%20has%20become,thirds%20of%20visitors%20come%20just%20for%20the%20day.">30 million visitors</a> a year which is interested in trying out new tourism taxes.</p> <p>In the UK, a council in the county of Kent <a href="https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheconversationuk.cmail20.com%2Ft%2Fr-l-tiuhhult-iukktlluuk-o%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cr.a.gwilym%40bangor.ac.uk%7C39ac5db833674c1a026508dc63a24fa7%7Cc6474c55a9234d2a9bd4ece37148dbb2%7C0%7C0%7C638494795990617858%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=D6oVizx3pFoiwRaTcKaakQ079%2FIQx86jcbFpj2%2FS0RQ%3D&amp;reserved=0">has recommended</a> introducing a tourism tax on overnight stays in the county. In Scotland, it seems likely that <a href="https://edinburgh.org/planning/local-information/visitor-levy-for-edinburgh/#:%7E:text=The%20Edinburgh%20Visitor%20Levy%2C%20otherwise%20referred%20to%20as,would%20then%20be%20invested%20back%20into%20the%20city.">visitors to Edinburgh</a> will be paying a fee by 2026, and the Welsh government <a href="https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/welsh-government-announces-tourists-pay-26591498">plans to introduce</a> similar legislation later this year.</p> <p>Such taxes may seem new to the UK, but there are more than 60 destinations around the world where this type of tax is already in place. These vary from a nationwide tax in Iceland to various towns across the US. Some have been in place for a long time (France was the <a href="https://www.impots.gouv.fr/taxe-de-sejour">first in 1910</a>), but most were introduced during the last decade or two.</p> <p>Before the pandemic really struck (and tourism was put on hold), 2020 was described by one newspaper as the <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/news/tourist-tax-amsterdam-venice/">“year of the tourist tax”</a>, as Amsterdam joined an ever-growing list of destinations, which includes Paris, Malta and Cancun, to charge visitors for simply visiting.</p> <p>Introducing these tourist taxes has often been controversial, with industry bodies <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-62707152">voicing concerns</a> about the potential impacts on the tourist trade.</p> <p>And it appears that the link between such levies and visitor numbers is not simple, with several studies reaching different conclusions. For example, some have suggested that tourism levies have hindered <a href="https://www-sciencedirect-com.bangor.idm.oclc.org/science/article/pii/S0261517704000238">international tourism in the Balearics</a> and <a href="https://journals-sagepub-com.bangor.idm.oclc.org/doi/pdf/10.1177/00472875211053658">the Maldives</a>, and that they may dissuade people from participating in <a href="https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/35087/1/ADEDOYIN%2C%20Festus%20Fatai_Ph.D._2020.pdf">domestic tourism</a>.</p> <p>Yet in one of the world’s most popular tourism spots with a levy, Barcelona, visitor numbers have <a href="https://groupnao.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/TOURISM-TAXES-BY-DESIGN-NOV12-2020_rettet-compressed-2.pdf">consistently risen</a>, with hotel guests increasing from 7.1 million in 2013 to 9.5 million in 2019.</p> <p>In fact, the relationship between a visitor levy and tourist flow is so complex that there is no unified view, even within the same country. Italy has been one of the most studied, and results <a href="https://crenos.unica.it/crenosterritorio/sites/default/files/allegati-pubblicazioni-tes/Indagine_Villasimius_Quaderno_Crenos_ISBN.pdf">are inconsistent</a> <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/jtr.2123">there too</a>.</p> <p>Another study, looking at three neighbouring Italian seaside spots finds that only in one destination has the visitor levy <a href="https://www.rivisteweb.it/doi/10.1429/77318">reduced tourist flow</a>. And a study on the Italian cities of Rome, Florence and Padua shows that these cities <a href="https://link-springer-com.bangor.idm.oclc.org/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-61274-0_23">have not experienced any negative effects</a> either in terms of domestic or international demand.</p> <p>So the impact of tourism taxes on visitor numbers is inconclusive.</p> <p>But what about other effects, such as the potential benefits of spending the revenues raised? As part of an ongoing research project, we looked at seven different destinations in which tourist taxes are levied to look at how the money raised is then spent.</p> <p>For most places, tourism tax revenues were being used to fund marketing and branding – so invested directly into promoting more tourism. The income was also commonly used to fund tourism infrastructure, from public toilets and walking or cycling paths to a multi-billion dollar <a href="https://www.occc.net/About-Us-Media-Relations-Press-Releases/ArticleID/569/Orange%20County%20Board%20Votes%20to%20Approve%20Convention%20Center%20Completion%20with%20Tourist%20Development%20Tax%20Revenues">convention centre</a> in Orange County, Florida.</p> <p>In <a href="https://www.caib.es/sites/impostturisme/en/l/projects/?mcont=95762">the Balearics</a>, revenues tend to go to projects that mitigate the negative impacts of tourism on the environment, culture and society of the islands. These include waste management, conserving natural habitats and historical monuments, and social housing.</p> <p>But in general, tourism taxes have been implemented successfully across the destinations we looked at, and there is little evidence of tourists being put off from visiting.</p> <p>Research also suggests that when tourists are told what the levy is used for – and when it relates directly to <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7099/5/2/21">improving their experience</a> or <a href="https://ejtr.vumk.eu/index.php/about/article/view/2813/605">enhancing sustainable tourism</a> – <a href="https://www-sciencedirect-com.bangor.idm.oclc.org/science/article/pii/S2212571X20301621?casa_token=HcD-yQh65XcAAAAA:GhVRo4vX9JY1E3Lcx5ZPaTr5ZHArMGNrmK_2ASJCtMPjVpdCQLdun25BmFEYquGgz8-1riOWdg">tourists are willing to accept and pay</a> the levy.</p> <h2>Day trippers</h2> <p>For many tourism destinations, the major problem is not overnight tourists, but rather <a href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/fuming-snowdonia-visitors-demand-self-30203642">day visitors</a> who use local resources while making little in the way of a financial contribution. For these reasons, taxes might also be used to deter day visits and instead encourage longer stays.</p> <p><a href="https://www.economist.com/why-venice-is-starting-to-charge-tourists-to-enter?utm_medium=cpc.adword.pd&amp;utm_source=google&amp;ppccampaignID=18156330227&amp;ppcadID=&amp;utm_campaign=a.22brand_pmax&amp;utm_content=conversion.direct-response.anonymous&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjw_qexBhCoARIsAFgBleshST3IQMYR8hONLSLnA_loj9dukAqxURhdVCn1RmGeD5iOQzw_r2caAsqrEALw_wcB&amp;gclsrc=aw.ds">Venice is at the forefront</a> of this shift. And in April 2024, after long discussions between the local authority, residents and business owners, Venice started a <a href="https://cdamedia.veneziaunica.it/en/video/it-is-difficult-to-book-a-visit-to-venice/">trial</a> of a day visitor tax (a so-called <a href="https://cda.veneziaunica.it/en">“access fee”</a>).</p> <p>Back in Kent, it may take longer for any such radical plans to come to fruition. In contrast to Scotland and Wales, there are currently no national plans to <a href="http://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2023-09-13/199425">introduce tourist taxes</a> in England.</p> <p>This might be considered shortsighted, given the dire need of many destinations in England to improve local infrastructure that tourists rely on, including <a href="https://www.reading.ac.uk/news/2024/Research-News/Swimming-in-sewage-Bathing-forecasts-not-keeping-people-safe">clean bathing water</a> and <a href="https://www.lancs.live/news/cumbria-news/lake-district-warning-parking-issues-27173650">public transport</a>. In <a href="https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/business/finance-strategy/manchester-acts-as-trailblazer-for-tourist-tax">Manchester</a> and <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/0e0385e6-29ec-4302-9903-6fbf63d8854a">Liverpool</a>, businesses have implemented voluntary overnight charges on visitors, in the absence of the statutory basis to implement compulsory levies.</p> <p>Many other English towns and cities will probably follow their lead. Tourism taxes are something we might all have to consider budgeting for in our future travel plans, wherever we choose to visit.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/229134/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rhys-ap-gwilym-1531623">Rhys ap Gwilym</a>, Senior Lecturer in Economics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bangor-university-1221">Bangor University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/linda-osti-1431286">Linda Osti</a>, Senior Lecturer in Tourism Management, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bangor-university-1221">Bangor University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-you-should-expect-to-pay-more-tourist-taxes-even-though-the-evidence-for-them-is-unclear-229134">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Travel Trouble

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Logies 2024 Award nominations revealed

<p>The nominations for the 2024 Logie Awards has just dropped and here are all the stars and shows going for gold this year. </p> <p>Andy Lee, known as the host of <em>The Hundred with Andy Lee</em> is returning to the Logies with his first nomination since 2015, and is hoping to get his very first Gold Logie win for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television.</p> <p>"It's a super exciting time for me and for our show <em>The Hundred</em> which just keeps getting bigger and bigger," he told<em> 9Entertainment</em>.</p> <p>"I think there must've been an administration error and they've confused my name with Hamish [Blake's]," he joked.</p> <p>He is up against, Julia Morris, Robert Irwin and Sonia Kruger among other stars vying for this year's Gold Logie. </p> <p><em>60 Minutes</em> and <em>A Current Affair </em>were both nominated in the Best Current Affairs Program category, while<em> Travel Guides</em> and <em>Better Homes and Gardens </em>picked up a nomination in the lifestyle program category. </p> <p>This year's Logies will be hosted by comedian Sam Pang and will be broadcast on Channel Seven on Sunday, August 18. </p> <p>Here is the full list of nominations: </p> <h4>Most popular awards </h4> <p><strong>Gold Logie Award for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television</strong></p> <ul> <li>Andy Lee</li> <li>Asher Keddie</li> <li>Julia Morris</li> <li>Larry Emdur</li> <li>Robert Irwin</li> <li>Sonia Kruger</li> <li>Tony Armstrong </li> </ul> <p><strong>Bert Newton Award for Most Popular Presenter</strong></p> <ul> <li>Hamish Blake, Lego Masters Australia, 9Network</li> <li>Julia Morris, I'm A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here!, Network 10</li> <li>Larry Emdur, The Chase Australia and The Morning Show, Seven Network</li> <li>Robert Irwin, I'm A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here!, Network 10</li> <li>Sonia Kruger, Dancing With The Stars, The Voice Australia and Big Brother, Seven Network</li> <li>Tony Armstrong, ABC News Breakfast, ABC</li> </ul> <p><strong>Graham Kennedy Award for Most Popular New Talent</strong></p> <ul> <li>Alyla Browne, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, Prime Video</li> <li>Ava Caryofyllis, Bay of Fires, ABC</li> <li>Felix Cameron, Boy Swallows Universe, Netflix</li> <li>Imi Mbedla, Bay of Fires, ABC</li> <li>Lee Tiger Halley, Boy Swallows Universe, Netflix</li> <li>Tristan Gorey, Home and Away, Seven Network</li> </ul> <h4>Best awards </h4> <p><strong>TV WEEK SILVER LOGIE for Best Lead Actor in a Drama</strong></p> <ul> <li>Felix Cameron, Boy Swallows Universe, Netflix</li> <li>Hugo Weaving, Love Me, BINGE</li> <li>Rob Collins, Total Control, ABC</li> <li>Rob Collins, RFDS, Seven Network</li> <li>Sam Reid, The Newsreader, ABC</li> <li>Simon Baker, Boy Swallows Universe, Netflix</li> </ul> <p><strong>TV WEEK SILVER LOGIE for Best Lead Actress in a Drama</strong></p> <ul> <li>Aisha Dee, Safe Home, SBS</li> <li>Anna Torv, The Newsreader, ABC</li> <li>Deborah Mailman, Total Control, ABC</li> <li>Phoebe Tonkin, Boy Swallows Universe, Netflix</li> <li>Rachel Griffiths, Total Control, ABC</li> <li>Sigourney Weaver, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, Prime Video</li> </ul> <p> </p> <ul class="ContentAlignment_marginBottom__4H_6E ContentAlignment_overflowVisible__N2zKU List_unordered__yNZx8" style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5rem; overflow: visible; color: #000000; font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;" role="list" data-component="List"> <li class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; position: relative; padding-left: 1.5rem; margin-bottom: 0.5rem;" data-component="ListItem"> </li> </ul> <p> </p> <p class="paragraph_paragraph___QITb" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1rem; color: #000000; font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">TV WEEK SILVER LOGIE for Best Lead Actor in a Comedy</strong></p> <ul> <li class="paragraph_paragraph___QITb" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Ben Feldman, Population 11, Stan</span></li> <li class="paragraph_paragraph___QITb" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Bob Morley, In Limbo, ABC</span></li> <li class="paragraph_paragraph___QITb" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Lincoln Younes, C*A*U*G*H*T, Stan</span></li> <li class="paragraph_paragraph___QITb" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Matt Okine, Mother and Son, ABC</span></li> <li class="paragraph_paragraph___QITb" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Rob Sitch, Utopia, ABC</span></li> <li class="paragraph_paragraph___QITb" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Ryan Corr, In Limbo, ABC</span></li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">TV WEEK SILVER LOGIE for Best Lead Actress in a Comedy</span></strong></p> <p> </p> <ul> <li>Celia Pacquola, Utopia, ABC</li> <li>Danielle Walker, Gold Diggers, ABC</li> <li>Denise Scott, Mother and Son, ABC</li> <li>Kate Box, Deadloch, Prime Video</li> <li>Kitty Flanagan, Utopia, ABC</li> <li>Madeleine Sami, Deadloch, Prime Video</li> </ul> <p> </p> <ul class="ContentAlignment_marginBottom__4H_6E ContentAlignment_overflowVisible__N2zKU List_unordered__yNZx8" style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5rem; overflow: visible; color: #000000; font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;" role="list" data-component="List"> <li class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; position: relative; padding-left: 1.5rem; margin-bottom: 0.5rem;" data-component="ListItem"> </li> </ul> <p> </p> <p class="paragraph_paragraph___QITb" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1rem; color: #000000; font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">TV WEEK SILVER LOGIE for Best Supporting Actor</strong></p> <ul> <li class="paragraph_paragraph___QITb" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Bryan Brown, Boy Swallows Universe, Netflix</span></li> <li class="paragraph_paragraph___QITb" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Guy Pearce, The Clearing, Disney+</span></li> <li class="paragraph_paragraph___QITb" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Jay Ryan, Scrublands, Stan</span></li> <li class="paragraph_paragraph___QITb" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Lee Tiger Halley, Boy Swallows Universe, Netflix</span></li> <li class="paragraph_paragraph___QITb" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Stephen Curry, Bay of Fires, ABC</span></li> <li class="paragraph_paragraph___QITb" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Travis Fimmel, Boy Swallows Universe, Netflix</span></li> </ul> <p> </p> <ul class="ContentAlignment_marginBottom__4H_6E ContentAlignment_overflowVisible__N2zKU List_unordered__yNZx8" style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5rem; overflow: visible; color: #000000; font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;" role="list" data-component="List"> <li class="" style="box-sizing: border-box; position: relative; padding-left: 1.5rem; margin-bottom: 0.5rem;" data-component="ListItem"> </li> </ul> <p> </p> <p class="paragraph_paragraph___QITb" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1rem; color: #000000; font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">TV WEEK SILVER LOGIE for Best Supporting Actress</strong></p> <ul> <li class="paragraph_paragraph___QITb" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Ariel Donoghue, Wolf Like Me, Stan</span></li> <li class="paragraph_paragraph___QITb" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Kerry Fox, Bay of Fires, ABC</span></li> <li class="paragraph_paragraph___QITb" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Leah Purcell, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, Prime Video</span></li> <li class="paragraph_paragraph___QITb" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Mabel Li, Safe Home, SBS</span></li> <li class="paragraph_paragraph___QITb" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Michelle Lim Davidson, The Newsreader, ABC</span></li> <li class="paragraph_paragraph___QITb" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Sophie Wilde, Boy Swallows Universe, Netflix</span></li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">TV WEEK SILVER LOGIE for Best News or Public Affairs Presenter</span></strong></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Ally Langdon, A Current Affair, 9Network</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">David Speers, Insiders, ABC</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Liz Hayes, Under Investigation with Liz Hayes, 9Network</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Michael Usher, 7NEWS and 7NEWS Spotlight, Seven Network</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Peter Overton, 9News, 9Network</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Sarah Ferguson, 7.30, ABC</span></li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Best Drama Program</span></strong></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Love Me, BINGE</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">NCIS: Sydney, Paramount+</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">RFDS, Seven Network</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">The Newsreader, ABC</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">The Tourist, Stan</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Total Control, ABC</span></li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Best Miniseries or Telemovie</span></strong></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Boy Swallows Universe, Netflix</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Erotic Stories , SBS</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Safe Home, SBS</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">The Claremont Murders, Seven Network</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">The Clearing, Disney+</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, Prime Video</span></li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Best Entertainment Program</span></strong></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">ABC New Year's Eve, ABC</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Australian Idol, Seven Network</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Dancing With The Stars, Seven Network</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Take 5 With Zan Rowe, ABC</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">The Voice Australia, Seven Network</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Vision Australia's Carols by Candlelight, 9Network</span></li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Best Current Affairs Program</span></strong></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">7.30, ABC</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">60 Minutes, 9Network</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">A Current Affair, 9Network</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Australian Story, ABC</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Foreign Correspondent, ABC</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Four Corners, ABC</span></li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Best Scripted Comedy Program</span></strong></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Deadloch, Prime Video</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">In Limbo, ABC</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Mother and Son, ABC</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Population 11, Stan</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Strife, BINGE</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Utopia, ABC</span></li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Best Comedy Entertainment Program</span></strong></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Gruen, ABC</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Hard Quiz, ABC</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Have You Been Paying Attention?, Network 10</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Thank God You're Here, Network 10</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">The Weekly With Charlie Pickering, ABC</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">The Yearly With Charlie Pickering, ABC</span></li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Best Competition Reality Program</span></strong></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Alone Australia, SBS</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Australian Survivor: Titans V Rebels, Network 10</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">I'm A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, Network 10</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Lego Masters Australia, 9Network</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">MasterChef Australia, Network 10</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">The Block, 9Network</span></li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Best Structured Reality Program</span></strong></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Farmer Wants A Wife, Seven Network</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Gogglebox Australia, FOXTEL and Network 10</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Married at First Sight, 9Network</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Muster Dogs, ABC</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Old People's Home For Teenagers, ABC</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">SAS Australia, Seven Network</span></li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Best Lifestyle Program</span></strong></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Better Homes and Gardens, Seven Network</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Gardening Australia, ABC</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Love It Or List It Australia, FOXTEL</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Restoration Australia, ABC</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Selling Houses Australia, FOXTEL</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Travel Guides, 9Network</span></li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Best News Coverage or Public Affairs Report</span></strong></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">A Silver Lining: Silverchair, Australian Story, ABC</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Ben Roberts-Smith: The Truth, 60 Minutes, 9Network</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Bishop of Broome, 7NEWS, Seven Network</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Israel-Hamas War, 7NEWS, Seven Network</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Old School — Louise Milligan, Four Corners, ABC</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">The Forever War — John Lyons, Four Corners, ABC</span></li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Best Factual or Documentary Program</span></strong></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Hot Potato: The Story of The Wiggles, Prime Video</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">John Farnham: Finding The Voice, Seven Network</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Matildas: The World at Our Feet, Disney+</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Nemesis, ABC</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Revealed: Ben Roberts-Smith Truth on Trial, Stan</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">War On Waste, ABC</span></li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Best Sports Coverage</span></strong></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">2023 AFL Finals Series, Seven Network</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">2023 NRL Grand Final, 9Network</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">2023 State of Origin, 9Network</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Australian Open, 9Network</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">FIFA Women's World Cup 2023™, Seven Network</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Fox League Las Vegas Week, FOXTEL and Kayo Sports</span></li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Best Children's Program</span></strong></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Beep and Mort, ABC</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Bluey, ABC</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Eddie's Lil' Homies, NITV and Netflix</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Gardening Australia Junior, ABC</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Ginger and the Vegesaurs, ABC</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Play School, ABC</span></li> </ul> <p><em><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Images: Nine/ Seven</span></em></p>

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Do you have a mental illness? Why some people answer ‘yes’, even if they haven’t been diagnosed

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jesse-tse-1429151">Jesse Tse</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nick-haslam-10182">Nick Haslam</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722"><em>The University of Melbourne</em></a></em></p> <p>Mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety disorders have become more prevalent, especially among <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/mental-health/overview/prevalence-and-impact-of-mental-illness#changeovertime">young people</a>. Demand for treatment is surging and prescriptions of some <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35176912/">psychiatric medications</a> have climbed.</p> <p>These upswinging prevalence trends are paralleled by rising public attention to mental illness. Mental health messages saturate traditional and social media. Organisations and governments are developing awareness, prevention and treatment initiatives with growing urgency.</p> <p>The mounting cultural focus on mental health has obvious benefits. It increases awareness, reduces stigma and promotes help-seeking.</p> <p>However, it may also have costs. Critics worry <a href="https://www.bacp.co.uk/bacp-journals/therapy-today/2023/april-2023/the-big-issue/">social media</a> sites are incubating mental illness and that ordinary unhappiness is being pathologised by the overuse of diagnostic concepts and “<a href="https://www.bustle.com/wellness/is-therapy-speak-making-us-selfish">therapy speak</a>”.</p> <p>British psychologist <a href="https://www.psych.ox.ac.uk/team/lucy-foulkes">Lucy Foulkes</a> argues the trends for rising attention and prevalence are linked. Her “<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0732118X2300003X">prevalence inflation hypothesis</a>” proposes that increasing awareness of mental illness may lead some people to diagnose themselves inaccurately when they are experiencing relatively mild or transient problems.</p> <p>Foulkes’ hypothesis implies that some people develop overly broad concepts of mental illness. Our research supports this view. In a new study, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666560324000318?via%3Dihub">we show</a> that concepts of mental illness have broadened in recent years – a phenomenon we call “<a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1047840X.2016.1082418">concept creep</a>” – and that <a href="https://bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-023-05152-6">people differ</a> in the breadth of their concepts of mental illness.</p> <h2>Why do people self-diagnose mental illnesses?</h2> <p>In our new <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmmh.2024.100326">study</a>, we examined whether people with broad concepts of mental illness are, in fact, more likely to self-diagnose.</p> <p>We defined self-diagnosis as a person’s belief they have an illness, whether or not they have received the diagnosis from a professional. We assessed people as having a “broad concept of mental illness” if they judged a wide variety of experiences and behaviours to be disorders, including relatively mild conditions.</p> <p>We asked a nationally representative sample of 474 American adults if they believed they had a mental disorder and if they had received a diagnosis from a health professional. We also asked about other possible contributing factors and demographics.</p> <p>Mental illness was common in our sample: 42% reported they had a current self-diagnosed condition, a majority of whom had received it from a health professional.</p> <p>Unsurprisingly, the strongest predictor of reporting a diagnosis was experiencing relatively severe distress.</p> <p>The second most important factor after distress was having a broad concept of mental illness. When their levels of distress were the same, people with broad concepts were substantially more likely to report a current diagnosis.</p> <p>The graph below illustrates this effect. It divides the sample by levels of distress and shows the proportion of people at each level who report a current diagnosis. People with broad concepts of mental illness (the highest quarter of the sample) are represented by the dark blue line. People with narrow concepts of mental illness (the lowest quarter of the sample) are represented by the light blue line. People with broad concepts were much more likely to report having a mental illness, especially when their distress was relatively high.</p> <p>People with greater mental health literacy and less stigmatising attitudes were also more likely to report a diagnosis.</p> <p>Two interesting further findings emerged from our study. People who self-diagnosed but had not received a professional diagnosis tended to have broader illness concepts than those who had.</p> <p>In addition, younger and politically progressive people were more likely to report a diagnosis, consistent with some <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666560321000438">previous research</a>, and held broader concepts of mental illness. Their tendency to hold these more expansive concepts partially explained their higher rates of diagnosis.</p> <h2>Why does it matter?</h2> <p>Our findings support the idea that expansive concepts of mental illness promote self-diagnosis and may thereby increase the apparent prevalence of mental ill health. People who have a lower threshold for defining distress as a disorder are more likely to identify themselves as having a mental illness.</p> <p>Our findings do not directly show that people with broad concepts over-diagnose or those with narrow concepts under-diagnose. Nor do they prove that having broad concepts <em>causes</em> self-diagnosis or results in <em>actual</em> increases in mental illness. Nevertheless, the findings raise important concerns.</p> <p>First, they suggest that rising mental health awareness may <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25934573-900-why-being-more-open-about-mental-health-could-be-making-us-feel-worse/">come at a cost</a>. In addition to boosting mental health literacy it may increase the likelihood of people incorrectly identifying their problems as pathologies.</p> <p>Inappropriate self-diagnosis can have adverse effects. Diagnostic labels may become identity-defining and self-limiting, as people come to believe their problems are enduring, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165032724002489?via%3Dihub">hard-to-control</a> aspects of who they are.</p> <p>Second, unwarranted self-diagnosis may lead people experiencing relatively mild levels of distress to seek help that is unnecessary, inappropriate and ineffective. Recent <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37844607/">Australian research</a> found people with relatively mild distress who received psychotherapy worsened more often than they improved.</p> <p>Third, these effects may be particularly problematic for young people. They are most liable to hold broad concepts of mental illness, in part due to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010440X22000682?via%3Dihub">social media</a> <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10810730.2023.2235563">consumption</a>, and they experience mental ill health at relatively high and rising rates. Whether expansive concepts of illness play a role in the youth mental health crisis remains to be seen.</p> <p>Ongoing cultural shifts are fostering increasingly expansive definitions of mental illness. These shifts are likely to have mixed blessings. By normalising mental illness they may help to remove its stigma. However, by pathologising some forms of everyday distress, they may have an unintended downside.</p> <p>As we wrestle with the mental health crisis, it is crucial we find ways to increase awareness of mental ill health without inadvertently inflating it.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/231687/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jesse-tse-1429151">Jesse Tse</a>, PhD Candidate at Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nick-haslam-10182">Nick Haslam</a>, Professor of Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/do-you-have-a-mental-illness-why-some-people-answer-yes-even-if-they-havent-been-diagnosed-231687">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Mind

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Bondi cop receives special valour award for "exceptional bravery"

<p>The police officer who stopped the Bondi massacre has been honoured with a valour award at a police induction ceremony.</p> <p>Inspector Amy Scott fatally shot Joel Cauchi in the middle of his terrifying rampage through the Bondi Junction Westfield shopping centre, which resulted in the deaths of six people. </p> <p>On Friday, ten weeks on from the mass stabbing, NSW Premier Chriss Minns announced the officer would receive a Commissioner’s Valour Award “for displaying exceptional bravery in a life-threatening situation” at a police graduation ceremony. </p> <p>“She has been rightly labelled a hero,” he said. “She was calm, decisive, and as a result she saved many lives.”</p> <p>“She gives us all an example of what we ask of our police, many of whom are young, to walk into terrible situations as an ordinary part of their job.”</p> <p>The special award is a commendation for officers who display exceptional bravery in life-threatening situations, and is reserved for the most decorated officers.</p> <p>Inspector Scott was the first officer on scene on April 13th, confronting the 40-year-old Cauchi alone before shooting him dead with a bullet to the chest.</p> <p>While waiting for back-up officers to arrive, Scott performed CPR on Cauchi and some of his victims. </p> <p>The award for Ms Scott was part of a larger ceremony to welcome 169 new probationary constables into the NSW Police at the Goulburn Police Academy.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

Caring

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The hen-some winners of Australia's next top chicken awards

<p>The winners of Australia's Next Top Chicken competition have been crowned, with the winners ranging from feathered and fluffy, to just utterly fabulous. </p> <p>The annual competition, run by <a href="https://www.thegoodlifebackyard.com.au/australias-next-top-chicken-competition/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Good Life Backyard</a>, gives farm enthusiasts a chance to show off their feathered friends, with the competition receiving hundreds of entrants this year. </p> <p>Tens of thousands of votes were cast by the public, ultimately crowning a Buff Laced Polish Frizzle, named Little Bird, the top chook for 2024. </p> <p>The top award is given to a chicken that embodies all the qualities of a standout star, and will be featured in the coveted spot on the 2025 Top Chicken calendar. </p> <p>The winner of Australia's next top rooster is Big Boy McFuzzle, who rules the roost with presence and charisma.</p> <p>Awards were also handed out to the funniest picture, as well as two random prize winners. </p> <p>Each year competition organisers draw random entries "ensuring everyone has a shot at winning".</p> <p>"Every chicken deserves a chance," organisers said.</p> <p>"This year's event was such a wonderful display of all breeds, abilities, disabilities and dedication to raising healthy, happy chickens."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Good Life Backyard</em></p> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; font-family: proxima-nova, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: #333333; caret-color: #333333;"> </p>

Family & Pets

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Hilarious moment unassuming Aussie unknowingly interviews award-winning director

<p>An Aussie TikToker has been left red-faced after unknowingly interviewing a legend of the Australian movie industry. </p> <p>Georgia Godworth took to the streets of the Sydney inner west suburb of Newtown to ask members of the public for relationship advice. </p> <p>Ms Godworth began asking a man in a green leather jacket some questions about relationships, oblivious as to who she was speaking to.</p> <p>Turns out that man was award-winning director Baz Luhrmann.</p> <p>She captioned the clip, which was posted to TikTok, “no idea this was Baz Luhrmann”.</p> <p>In true director style, the video begins with Luhrmann instructing the social media star and her camera operator where to stand in order to get the best lighting for the clip. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C7lt6nypOLK/?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/C7lt6nypOLK/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Georgia Godworth (@god_worthy)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Mr Luhrmann seemed to take it all on the chin and enjoyed the unorthodox interview, sharing wisdom and insight into his own approach to marriage with his wife, Oscar-winning costume and production designer Catherine Martin.</p> <p>“During that journey of marriage, the person I’m married to and I found our own really genuine and authentic concept of what our contract to each other should be,” Mr Luhrmann said.</p> <p>“But I think more importantly, marriage is not so much about what exists between you and another person, it’s about advertising to other people that you love and care as to what the dealio is." </p> <p>“My own general philosophy is, if you care about someone and they’re your friend, but they fall in love with someone else or they like someone, there has to be some degree of acceptance.”</p> <p>At the end of the interview, Mr Luhrmann told Ms Godworth that he usually doesn’t “do interviews”, saying, “But you know what? Happy to be a part of yours.” </p> <p>Despite the light-hearted nature of the interview, people were quick to drag Ms Godworth for not recognising the famous director. </p> <p>“I feel like you shouldn’t work in media if you don’t know who Baz Luhrmann is. An insult to this genius,” one person wrote.</p> <p>“Please tell me you’re joking and you absolutely knew who this was,” wrote another. “This is really embarrassing for you."</p> <p>Others came to her defence and even found the situation humorous, with one person commenting, “Walking down the street and bumping into Baz Luhrmann is so Australian.”</p> <p>“This is SUCH a wild encounter!" another wrote. </p> <p><em>Image credits: TikTok </em></p>

Movies

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Award-winning documentary filmmaker dies at age 53

<p>Award-winning documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock has passed away at the age of 53. </p> <p>Spurlock, who was known for his hit 2004 documentary <em>Super Size Me</em>, died from complications of cancer, according to a statement released by his family. </p> <p>“It was a sad day, as we said goodbye to my brother Morgan,” Craig Spurlock, who worked with him on several projects, in the statement.</p> <p>“Morgan gave so much through his art, ideas, and generosity. The world has lost a true creative genius and a special man. I am so proud to have worked together with him.”</p> <p>Spurlock first made waves in Hollywood with <em>Super Size Me</em>: a documentary in which the filmmaker ate McDonald's everyday for a month to document the detrimental physical and psychological effects of fast food.</p> <p>He then returned in 2009 with a sequel documentary titled <em>Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!</em>, which offered a sobering look at an industry that processes 9 billion animals a year in America.</p> <p>Spurlock would go onto to direct numerous documentaries including <em>Where in the World is Osama bin Laden</em> about the US conflict in Afghanistan where he went searching for the now dead terrorist.</p> <p>He also directed a One Direction concert film titled <em>This is U</em>s and the 2011 documentary <em>POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold.</em></p> <p>Outside of his film work, Spurlock battled alcoholism, and admitted to once being accused of rape and paying to settle a sexual harassment case.</p> <p>He married three times throughout his life and is survived by sons Laken and Kallen and his wife Sara Bernstein.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Andrew H Walker / Shutterstock Editorial </em></p>

Caring

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The hilarious winners of the Comedy Pet Photography Awards

<p>The finalists of the annual Comedy Pet Photography Awards have been announced, with the winnings photographs showcasing a hilarious selection of animals in unusual predicaments. </p> <p>The competition runs each year and is open to photographers of all level of skill and ability, giving pet owners the chance to share the personalities of their furry friends. </p> <p>According to the website for the competition, the annual contest is designed to "promote positive awareness of animal welfare issues and celebrate the incredible and valuable contribution that pets can and do have on our lives.”</p> <p>"Behind the funny images and videos of the competition, there is a very serious and fundamental message to help, respect and care for our animals in the most humane way possible. And every year as our competition gets a little bigger, the message is getting a little louder and we can help more animals."</p> <p>This year's finalists come from all over the world, and show pets buried in snow, captured in mid-air, caught in the middle of cheeky destructions, and even a horse with no head. </p> <p>Fans can <a href="https://www.comedypetphoto.com/peoples-choice-award/vote-peoples-choice-award.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vote</a> for their favourite picture, with the ultimate fan favourite winner taking home a cash prize.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Comedy Pet Photography Awards</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Eye infections might seem like a minor complaint – but in some cases they can cause blindness and even death

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/adam-taylor-283950">Adam Taylor</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/lancaster-university-1176">Lancaster University</a></em></p> <p>When you think of eye infections, what comes to mind? Puffy, swollen bruised feeling eyelids that get glued together with gunk overnight? That feeling of having grit in your eye that can’t be cleaned away? Eye infections may seem like a relatively minor – if unsightly and inconvenient – complaint, but they can also be far more serious.</p> <p>Take the deadly outbreak of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5022785/">antibiotic resistant</a> bacteria <a href="https://www.cff.org/managing-cf/burkholderia-cepacia-complex-b-cepacia"><em>Burkholderia cepacia</em></a> in 2023-24, for example.</p> <p>Between January 2023 and February 2024, contaminated brands of lubricating eye gel were linked to the infection of at least 52 patients. <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/contaminated-eye-gel-outbreak-death-b2523446.html">One person died</a> and at least 25 others suffered serious infections.</p> <p>The outbreak has now subsided and products are <a href="https://www.gov.uk/drug-device-alerts/specific-brands-of-carbomer-eye-gel-recall-of-aacarb-eye-gel-aacomer-eye-gel-and-puroptics-eye-gel-potential-risk-of-infection-dsi-slash-2023-slash-11#update-2-april-2024">back on the shelves</a> but it isn’t the first time that <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8335909/">medicinal products</a> have led to outbreaks of <em>B cepacia</em>.</p> <p>The bacterium is an opportunistic pathogen known to pose a significant risk to people with cystic fibrosis, chronic lung conditions and weakened immune systems. The infection likely progresses from the mucous membranes of the eyelids to the lungs where it leads to pneumonia and septicaemia causing <a href="https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/17/2/295">death in days</a>.</p> <p>But it’s not just <em>B cepacia</em> that can threaten our health. Something as simple as rubbing our eyes can introduce pathogens leading to infection, blindness and, in the worst case, death.</p> <p>Bacteria account for up to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16148850/">70% of eye infections</a> and globally <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9032492/">over 6 million people</a> have blindness or moderate visual impairment from ocular infection. Contact lens wearers are at <a href="https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/contact-lens-related-eye-infections">increased risk</a>.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pWsx8i1kaxs?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>The eye is a unique structure. It converts light energy to chemical and then electrical energy, which is transmitted to the brain and converted to a picture. The eye uses about <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK11556/">6 million cones and 120 million rods</a> which detect colour and light.</p> <p>Eye cells have <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8775779/">no ability to regenerate</a> so, once damaged or injured, cannot be repaired or replaced. The body tries its best to preserve the eyes by encasing them in a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK531490/">bony protective frame</a> and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482428/">limiting exposure</a> having eyelids to defend against the environmental damage and ensure the eyes are kept lubricated.</p> <p>Despite our bodies’ best efforts to shield the eyes from harm, there are a number of common eye infections that can result from introducing potential pathogens into the eyes.</p> <h2>Conjunctivitis</h2> <p>The outer-most layer of the eye, the sclera, bears the brunt of exposure and to help protect it, it is lined by a thin moist membrane called the <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/24329-conjunctiva">conjunctiva</a>.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RZ4danuJwd0?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>The conjunctiva is <a href="https://innovations.bmj.com/content/9/4/253">highly vascularised</a>, which means it has lots of blood vessels. When microbes enter the eye, it is this layer that mounts an immune response causing <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8328962/">blood vessels to dilate</a> in the conjunctiva. This results in <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/conjunctivitis/about/symptoms.html">“pink eye”</a>, a common form of conjunctivitis. Conjunctivitis can be caused by bacteria, allergens or viruses and typically heals by itself.</p> <h2>Blepharitis</h2> <p>Blepharitis is an inflammation of the eyelid and usually affects both sides. It can cause itchy eyes and dandruff-like flakes. It’s most commonly caused by <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.3109/09273948.2013.870214"><em>Staphylococcus</em> bacteria</a>, or the <a href="https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/blepharitis/background-information/causes/">dysfunction of the glands</a> of the eyelids. It can be treated by <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/blepharitis/">cleaning the eyes</a> regularly.</p> <h2>Stye</h2> <p>A stye (also called <a href="https://www.college-optometrists.org/clinical-guidance/clinical-management-guidelines/hordeolum">hordeolum</a>) is a painful infection of the upper or lower eyelid. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5370090/">Internal styes</a> are caused by infection of an oil-producing gland inside the eyelid, whereas <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28723014/">external styes</a> develop at the base of the eyelash because of an infection of the hair follicle. Both are caused by bacteria, typically <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaophthalmology/fullarticle/1874715">the <em>S aureus</em> form of the <em>Staphylococcus</em> species</a>.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/INKrGOdy824?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>Styes can be treated by holding a clean flannel soaked in warm water against the affected eye for five to ten minutes, three or four times a day. Do not try to burst styes – this could spread the infection.</p> <h2>Keratitis</h2> <p>Keratitis is the inflammation of the cornea, the transparent part of the eye that light passes through. The cornea is part of the eye’s main barrier against dirt, germs, and disease. Severe keratitis can cause ulcers, damage to the eye and even blindness.</p> <p>The most common type is bacterial keratitis; however, it can also be caused by <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7998329/">amoeba</a>, which can migrate to other parts of the body – including the brain – and cause infection and <a href="https://theconversation.com/nasal-rinsing-why-flushing-the-nasal-passages-with-tap-water-to-tackle-hay-fever-could-be-fatal-225811">even death</a>.</p> <p>Noninfectious keratitis is most commonly caused by wearing contact lenses for too long, especially while sleeping. This can cause scratches, dryness and soreness of the cornea, which leads to inflammation.</p> <h2>Uveitis</h2> <p><a href="https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/uveitis/">Uveitis</a> is inflammation of the middle layer of the eye. Although relatively rare, it is a serious condition and usually results from viral infections such as <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8501150/">herpes simplex</a>, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29023181/">herpes zoster</a> or <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-09126-6_40">trauma</a>. Depending on where the inflammation is in the eye, the symptoms can be anything from redness, pain and floaters to blurred vision and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1772296/">partial blindness</a>.</p> <h2>Exogenous endophthalmitis</h2> <p>This is a rare but serious infection caused by eye surgery complications, penetrating ocular trauma (being stabbed in the eye with a sharp object) or foreign bodies in the eye. Foreign bodies can be anything from dirt and dust to small projectiles such as shards of metal from drilling, explosives or soil from farm machinery and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7286045/">many other sources</a>.</p> <h2>Dacryocystitis</h2> <p>Dacryocystitis is the inflammation of the nasolacrimal sac, which drains tears away from the eye into the nose. This condition can be <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8443113/">acute</a>, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/6700662">chronic</a> or <a href="https://www.jebmh.com/articles/a-study-of-congenital-dacryocystitis.pdf.pdf">acquired at birth</a>. Most cases are caused by <a href="https://bmcophthalmol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12886-020-01792-4"><em>Streptococcus pneumoniae</em> and <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em></a> bacteria.</p> <p>The condition mainly affects newborns and those over 40. Seventy-five per cent of cases are women and it’s most commonly found in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6039673/">white adults</a>. It can lead to the stagnation of tears, creating a breeding ground for microbes.</p> <h2>Careful with contacts</h2> <p>Proper eye hygiene reduces the risk of all these conditions – and this is even more important for contact lens wearers.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uENHAntJOIA?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>Appropriate hygienic cleaning of lenses is paramount. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30789440/">Non-sterile water</a>, <a href="https://www.aao.org/eye-health/glasses-contacts/contact-lens-care">spit</a> and other fluids can transfer <a href="https://www.science.org/content/article/bacteria-living-your-contact-lens-solution">potentially dangerous</a> <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3482476/">microbes</a> into the eye – a warm, moist environment that makes an ideal breeding ground for bacteria – leading to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9542356/">localised infection</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3972779/">blindness</a> or progress to a more serious <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9835757/">systemic infection or death</a>.</p> <p>Any persistent and painful redness or swelling of eyes should be checked by a registered health professional.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/227252/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/adam-taylor-283950">Adam Taylor</a>, Professor and Director of the Clinical Anatomy Learning Centre, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/lancaster-university-1176">Lancaster University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/eye-infections-might-seem-like-a-minor-complaint-but-in-some-cases-they-can-cause-blindness-and-even-death-227252">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

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Are you a victim of elder abuse without even realising it?

<p>A wealthy widow being told how to manage her money. A retired couple being denied access to their grandchildren. A single woman paying her high income-earning son’s credit card debt with her superannuation. Very different Australians with one unfortunate thing in common – they are all victims of elder abuse.</p> <p>While most people are familiar with the term ‘domestic violence’, the term ‘elder abuse’ is less well known. Which in itself is part of the problem: a lack of awareness helps perpetuate the cycle.</p> <p>The World Health Organization (WHO) <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/abuse-of-older-people" target="_blank" rel="noopener">defines elder abuse</a> as:</p> <p><em>“a single or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust, which causes harm or distress to an older person. This type of violence constitutes a violation of human rights.”</em></p> <p>It isn’t necessarily restricted to actions that leave physical scars – which can make it harder to identify, even for victims themselves.</p> <p>The absence of physical violence or financial theft can provide a false sense of security. Not recognising the signs that something is amiss lets mistreatment go unnoticed altogether. Alternatively, excuses are made for a loved one’s behaviour or concerns aren’t raised in order to ‘keep the peace’.</p> <p><strong>How prevalent is elder abuse in Australia?</strong></p> <p>The limited discussion of elder abuse in the media and society in general would suggest it isn’t common in Australia. Sadly, this couldn’t be more wrong.</p> <p><a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/family-domestic-and-sexual-violence/population-groups/older-people#abuse" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Government figures</a> estimate that one in six older people – around 598,000 individuals – were directly affected in 2023.</p> <p>Psychological abuse was the most widespread, while 2.1 per cent of older Australians – 83,800 people – experienced financial abuse. </p> <p><strong>Who is responsible?</strong></p> <p>The saddest fact of all is that elder abuse is typically committed by people their victims should be able to trust the most.</p> <p>More than half (53 per cent) of perpetrators are family members: adult children are the most common, with partners/spouses ranking third. </p> <p>Friends are the second most common perpetrators.</p> <p><strong>What are the impacts?</strong></p> <p>Impacts of elder abuse are typically far-reaching and depend on the type of abuse involved. </p> <p>Among them are:</p> <ul> <li>Loss of control and independence</li> <li>Physical and mental health issues</li> <li>Relationship breakdowns</li> <li>Financial losses</li> <li>Insecure living arrangements</li> </ul> <p>It is not uncommon for older people to be pressured over how to manage their finances and estate planning, influencing everything from how much they have to live off in retirement to care arrangements in their final years and who benefits from their estate. </p> <p>Much of the abuse and subsequent fallout centres around the family home. </p> <p>Charity <a href="https://www.theforgottenwomen.org.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Forgotten Women</a> notes there are over 40,000 women aged 55-plus who are homeless in Queensland alone. Elder abuse is often a contributing – if not causal – factor, such as one woman forced to live in her car while her son occupies her home. </p> <p>Meanwhile, the current housing crisis creates ideal conditions for abuse to flourish. Multi-generational households risk reduced independence and increased control over older people. A lack of proper agreements and structures when the Bank of Mum and Dad assists with a home deposit and/or loan guarantee opens the door to expectations of further financial assistance or threats to default on guaranteed loans.</p> <p><strong>Warning signs of elder abuse</strong></p> <p>Besides physical violence, red flags to look for include:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Coercive control</strong> – undue pressure over decision-making, living arrangements, spending and investment strategies, pensions, superannuation, tax, legal affairs and wills, ownership of assets, power of attorney.</li> <li><strong>Guilt</strong> – emotional manipulation and ‘guilt-tripping’ for not meeting particular demands.</li> <li><strong>Isolation</strong> – from family and friends as well as from independent professional advisers (your accountant, financial adviser, lawyer, healthcare professionals etc.).</li> <li><strong>Money mismanagement</strong> – taking cash without consent; restricting access to money and assets; pressure to pay expenses that aren’t yours.</li> <li><strong>Neglect and abandonment</strong> – withholding essentials or anything that is needed to maintain quality of life.</li> <li><strong>Blackmail</strong> – a tragically common example is withholding access to grandchildren unless financial or legal demands are met.</li> </ul> <p>Given the potentially disastrous consequences, it is important to recognise the signs and act quickly. Don’t suffer in silence or hope that things will sort themselves out.</p> <p>If you or someone you know is experiencing elder abuse, seek help straight away. Speak to a trusted relative or friend. Seek independent legal and financial advice about your affairs. Or call the government’s <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/contacts/elder-abuse-phone-line" target="_blank" rel="noopener">free elder abuse line on 1800 353 374</a>. And if your life is in danger, call triple zero (000) immediately.</p> <p><strong>About the Author:</strong> Helen Baker is a licensed Australian financial adviser and author of <em>On Your Own Two Feet: The Essential Guide to Financial Independence for all Women</em>. Helen is among the 1% of financial planners who hold a master’s degree in the field. Proceeds from book sales are donated to charities supporting disadvantaged women and children. Find out more at <a href="http://www.onyourowntwofeet.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.onyourowntwofeet.com.au</a></p> <p><em>Disclaimer: The information in this article is of a general nature only and does not constitute personal financial or product advice. Any opinions or views expressed are those of the authors and do not represent those of people, institutions or organisations the owner may be associated with in a professional or personal capacity unless explicitly stated. Helen Baker is an authorised representative of BPW Partners Pty Ltd AFSL 548754.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

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The captivating winners of the Mobile Photography Awards

<p>It turns out your smartphone camera can do much more than capture pictures of your pets, family holidays and fancy meals. </p> <p>These budding photographers have pushed the limits of their smartphone camera and emerged victorious in the first <a href="https://www.britishphotographyawards.org/2024-mobile-photography-awards/gallery" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mobile Photography Awards</a>, launched this year by the British Photography Awards (BPA), in partnership with Samsung.</p> <p>Entrants submitted their snaps under categories including Portrait, Landscape, Night Scenes, Food & Drink, Pets and Zoom In, creating some of the most breath-taking pics that look as though they have been taken with a professional camera. </p> <p>BPA Awards Director & Photographer, Hugo Donnithorne-Tait, said, "As photography continues to develop as a medium, it is clear that the way people take and enjoy photos is changing too.'</p> <p>"More and more photographs today are being captured only because people have a top camera in their pocket when they need it. This means so many more of life’s moments are being documented."</p> <p>This year's winning photos feature a father and son sleeping side by side, a hiker atop the Scottish Highlands, the bustling London streets from above and below, a furry friend at bath time, and a few hungry seagulls. </p> <p><em>All image credits: British Photography Awards</em></p>

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The shocking amount of compensation awarded to the Abdallah family

<p>The Abdallah family have been awarded a tiny amount of compensation, four years after the deaths of three young kids. </p> <p>In February 2020, Samuel William Davidson was driving in the Sydney suburb of Oatlands when he struck a group of four kids, killing Abdallah children Antony, 13, Angelina, 12 and Sienna Abdallah, 9, and their cousin Veronique Sakr, 11.</p> <p>Now, four years on, father Danny and mother Leila have won a payout from Davidson totalling a mere $90,000. </p> <p>The NSW District Court ordering Davidson pay $60,000, plus costs, to Abdallah's three surviving children, Liana, Alex and Michael. </p> <p>Mr Abdallah sued Mr Davidson last year seeking payment for ongoing trauma to Liana, who was injured but survived the catastrophic accident, and his sons who suffered the psychological trauma of losing their siblings. </p> <p>The court order, obtained by <em><a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13234123/Abdallah-family-compensation-Oatlands-crash.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Mail Australia</a></em>, said that the net sum for three children was to be paid to the NSW Trustee and Guardian for investment until each of them turns 18 years old. </p> <p>Following the deadly crash, Samuel William Davidson, who was under the influence of alcohol and drugs at the time of the incident, was sentenced in 2021 to 28 years' jail with a non-parole period of 21 years, which was reduced on appeal last year to a maximum of 20 years with a minimum of 15 years.</p> <p>Mr Abdallah's court action against Davidson, who will be in prison until at least 2035, is believed to have been lodged against the driver's insurance company which will make the payout.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p>

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