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Julian Assange has been in the headlines for almost two decades. Here’s why he’s such a significant public figure

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/matthew-ricketson-3616">Matthew Ricketson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a> “The price of freedom is eternal vigilance” is a famous quotation usually attributed to Thomas Jefferson, a founder of US democracy. For Julian Assange, the price of freedom has been five years in jail while he fought extradition to the United States to face charges no democracy worthy of the name should ever have brought. It is profoundly heartening news to see Assange’s release from London’s Belmarsh prison and flight home to Australia via a US territory in the western pacific. He’ll face a hearing and sentencing <a href="https://theconversation.com/julian-assange-plea-deal-what-does-it-mean-for-the-wikileaks-founder-and-what-happens-now-233207">this morning</a> in Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands, to formalise a plea deal with the US government. It is profoundly disheartening, though, to see the lengths to which a nation state has gone to punish a publisher who released documents and videos that revealed US troops allegedly committing war crimes in the Iraq war two decades ago. Assange has been a controversial international figure for so many years now it’s easy to lose sight of what he has done, why he attracted such fiercely polarised views, and what his incarceration means for journalism and democracy. <h2>What did he do?</h2> Assange, an Australian national, came to prominence in the 2000s for setting up <a href="https://wikileaks.org/">WikiLeaks</a>, a website that published leaked government, military and intelligence documents disclosing a range of <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-47907890">scandals</a> in various countries. Most of the documents were released in full. For Assange, this fulfilled his aim of radical transparency. For critics, it led to the release of documents that could <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2011/9/3/wikileaks-criticised-over-uncensored-cables">endanger the lives</a> of intelligence sources. This remains a point of contention. Some have asserted Assange’s attitude toward those named in leaked documents was cavalier and that the publication of some documents was <a href="https://apnews.com/article/b70da83fd111496dbdf015acbb7987fb">simply unnecessary</a>. But critics, especially those in the US military, have been unable to point to <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-new-book-argues-julian-assange-is-being-tortured-will-our-new-pm-do-anything-about-it-183622">specific instances</a> in which the release of documents has led to a person’s death. In 2010, Joe Biden, the then vice-president, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna40702904">acknowledged</a> WikiLeaks’ publications had caused “no substantive damage”. Then US Defense Secretary Robert Gates <a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/04/12/712659290/how-much-did-wikileaks-damage-u-s-national-security">said</a> at the time countries dealt with the US because it was in their best interests, “not because they believe we can keep secrets”. The key to WikiLeaks’ success was that Assange and his colleagues found a way to <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-11026659">encrypt the documents</a> and make them untraceable, to protect whistleblower sources from official retribution. It was a strategy later <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jun/05/guardian-launches-securedrop-whistleblowers-documents">copied</a> by mainstream media organisations. WikiLeaks became famous around the globe in April 2010 when it released hundreds of thousands of <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-47907890">documents</a> in tranches known as the Afghan war logs, the Iraq war logs and Cablegate. They revealed numerous alleged war crimes and provided the raw material for a shadow history of the disastrous wars waged by the Americans and their allies, including Australia, in Afghanistan and Iraq following the September 11 2001 terrorist attacks. Documents are one thing, video another. Assange released <a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/6/61/CollateralMurder.ogv/CollateralMurder.ogv.360p.vp9.webm">a video</a> called “Collateral Murder”. It showed US soldiers in a helicopter shooting and killing Iraqi civilians and two Reuters journalists in 2007. Apart from how the soldiers in the video speak – “Hahaha, I hit them”, “Nice”, “Good shot” – it looks like most of the victims are civilians and the journalists’ cameras are mistaken for rifles. When one of the wounded men tries to crawl to safety, the helicopter crew, instead of allowing their US comrades on the ground to take him prisoner as required by <a href="https://www.icrc.org/en/rules-of-war">the rules of war</a>, seeks permission to shoot him again. <hr /> <iframe id="tc-infographic-1064" class="tc-infographic" style="border: none;" src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/infographics/1064/0f0903c8d2249ac24316f2a86f5e0f231b6546e6/site/index.html" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe> <hr /> The soldiers’ request for authorisation to shoot is granted. The wounded man is carried to a nearby minibus, which is then shot to pieces with the helicopter’s gun. The driver and two other rescuers are killed instantly while the driver’s two young children inside are seriously wounded. US army command investigated the matter, <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-new-book-argues-julian-assange-is-being-tortured-will-our-new-pm-do-anything-about-it-183622">concluding</a> the soldiers acted in accordance with the rules of war. Despite this, US prosecutors <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/jun/15/julian-assange-indictment-fails-to-mention-wikileaks-video-that-exposed-us-war-crimes-in-iraq">didn’t include</a> the video in its indictment against Assange, leading to accusations it didn’t want such material further exposed in public. Equally to the point, the public would never have known an alleged war crime had been committed without the release of the video. <h2>Going into exile</h2> Assange and WikiLeaks had no sooner become famous than it all began to come to a halt. He was alleged to have sexually assaulted <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-50473792">two women</a>. He holed up the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/17/world/americas/ecuador-to-let-assange-stay-in-its-embassy.html">Ecuadoran embassy</a> in London for <a href="https://apnews.com/article/7276b35e8d5944e7b5ca280ab0390b26">seven years</a> to avoid being extradited to Sweden for questioning over the alleged assaults, from where he could then be extradited to the US. Then he was <a href="https://mondediplo.com/2024/02/11assange">imprisoned in England</a> for the past five years. It has been confusing to following the byzantine twists and turns of the Assange case. His character has been reviled by his opponents and revered by his supporters. Even journalists, who are supposed to be in the same business of speaking truth to power, have adopted contradictory stances towards Assange, oscillating between giving him awards (a <a href="https://www.walkleys.com/board-statement-4-16/">Walkley</a> for his outstanding contribution to journalism) and shunning him (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/23/opinion/julian-assange-wikileaks.html">The New York Times</a> has said he is a source rather than a journalist). <h2>Personal suffering</h2> After Sweden eventually <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-50473792">dropped</a> the sexual assault charges, the US government swiftly ramped up its request to extradite Assange to face charges under the Espionage Act, which, if successful, could have led to a jail term of up to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/article/2024/jun/25/explainer-who-is-julian-assange-and-what-are-the-details-of-his-plea-deal#:%7E:text=After%20his%20departure%20from%20the,to%20175%20years%20in%20prison.">175 years</a>. Until this week, most of the recent headlines about Assange have been about this extradition attempt. Most recently, he was granted the <a href="https://theconversation.com/julian-assanges-appeal-to-avoid-extradition-will-go-ahead-it-could-be-legally-groundbreaking-227859">right to appeal</a> the UK Home Secretary’s order that he be extradited to the US. This brings us to now, where if all goes according to legal planning, Assange will <a href="https://theconversation.com/julian-assange-plea-deal-what-does-it-mean-for-the-wikileaks-founder-and-what-happens-now-233207">plead guilty</a> to one count under the US Espionage Act, then fly back to Australia. But the long, protracted and very public case, legal or otherwise, has raised questions yet to be fully reckoned with. Nils Melzer, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture, thoroughly investigated the case against Assange and laid it out in forensic detail in a <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-new-book-argues-julian-assange-is-being-tortured-will-our-new-pm-do-anything-about-it-183622">2022 book</a>. In it, he wrote: <blockquote> The Assange case is the story of a man who is being persecuted and abused for exposing the dirty secrets of the powerful, including war crimes, torture and corruption. It is a story of deliberate judicial arbitrariness in Western democracies that are otherwise keen to present themselves as exemplary in the area of human rights. </blockquote> He’s also suffered significantly in legal and diplomatic processes in at least four countries. Since being imprisoned in 2019, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/article/2024/jun/25/julian-assange-plea-deal-with-us-free-to-return-australia#:%7E:text=WikiLeaks%20said%20on%20X%20that,isolated%2023%20hours%20a%20day%E2%80%9D">Assange’s team says</a> he’s spent much of that time in solitary confinement for up to 23 hours a day, has been denied all but the most limited access to his legal team, let alone family and friends, and was kept in a <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-54060427">glass box</a> during his seemingly interminable extradition hearing. His physical and mental health have suffered to the point where he has been put on <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/wikileaks-julian-assange-at-very-high-risk-of-suicide-attempt-psychiatric-expert-tells-court/">suicide watch</a>. Again, that seems to be the point, as Melzer writes: <blockquote> The primary purpose of persecuting Assange is not – and never has been – to punish him personally, but to establish a generic precedent with a global deterrent effect on other journalist, publicists and activists. </blockquote> So while Assange himself is human and his suffering real, his lengthy time in the spotlight have turned him into more of a symbol. This is true whether you think of him as the hero exposing the dirty secrets of governments, or as something much more sinister. If his experience has taught us anything, it’s that speaking truth to power can come at an unfathomable personal cost.<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/233232/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/matthew-ricketson-3616">Matthew Ricketson</a>, Professor of Communication, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a> Image credits: Vianney Le Caer/Shutterstock Editorial 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/julian-assange-has-been-in-the-headlines-for-almost-two-decades-heres-why-hes-such-a-significant-public-figure-233232">original article</a>. </div>

Legal

Manhunt after masked figures steal puppy from backyard

A single mother of six has been left devastated after two masked dog-snatchers jumped the fence of their family home and stole their new puppy from the backyard in broad daylight on Tuesday. “We only got it two days ago, and it was a puppy to my children,” Jamie-Lee told 7NEWS. The puppy - a pug named Willow - was bought on Sunday, and according to the mum problems started arising not long after, when the vendor demanded the puppy back. “(They said) if we didn’t give the dog back, they were going to steal it — 48 hours later that’s exactly what they did,” she said. She added that they also returned just after midnight on Wednesday, with CCTV footage capturing their car driving past their home that night. “I don’t know if they were coming back for the second dog,” she said. “It’s yeah, very scary.” Police are appealing for information and have asked anyone who might've seen the dog, who has distinct brown and blue eyes, to contact them. “We paid for this dog, we own this dog, it is our puppy,” Jamie-Lee said. Image: 7News

Legal

Bruce Lehrmann revealed as "high-profile" figure accused of rape in Queensland

Former Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann has been charged with two counts of rape, relating to an incident alleged to have occurred in Queensland in October 2021. What makes this case even more intriguing is the legal battle over the public identification of the accused. For the first time, the "high-profile man" accused of rape in Toowoomba, west of Brisbane, can be named. This case has raised complex issues surrounding mental health, the administration of justice, and the changing legal landscape in Queensland. The legal saga surrounding Lehrmann's identity took a convoluted path through the Queensland legal system. The matter was first listed in the Toowoomba Magistrates Court in January 2023, but the accused's name remained under wraps. Lehrmann's legal team initially argued for an ongoing suppression order on his name, citing concerns about his mental health. They contended that the risk to his mental health was a fluid and ever-changing factor. However, the Queensland Supreme Court judge, Peter Applegarth, made a pivotal decision on October 26, 2023, rejecting Lehrmann's application for a continued suppression order. He concluded that there was insufficient evidence to establish the necessity of the non-publication order for the defendant's safety. Interestingly, the complainant in the case actively supported the public naming of Lehrmann, contradicting previous laws that prohibited the identification of the accused before committal. This shift allowed media outlets to finally disclose his name as of October 3, 2023. The decision to allow the media to name Lehrmann reflected a growing sentiment in favour of transparency in legal proceedings. Lehrmann's legal team had previously cited concerns about his mental health and submitted a letter from a psychologist mentioning suicidal ideation as part of the suppression order application. While these concerns played a significant role in the legal proceedings, it ultimately was not enough to sway the courts in favour of maintaining the suppression order. This case highlights the intricate interplay between mental health, public safety and the administration of justice. While the legal system must protect the rights of the accused, it also must balance those rights with the public's right to know and the interests of justice. Lehrmann has not yet entered a plea, and he has not been committed for trial, which will play out in the magistrates court. This legal battle will undoubtedly continue to garner attention as it moves forward, both in the courtroom and in the court of public opinion. Image: Getty Images

Legal

Why it’s so difficult to figure out what to do with your life – and three steps to take

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/marina-milosheva-1337343">Marina Milosheva</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/edinburgh-napier-university-696">Edinburgh Napier University</a> What do you want to be when you grow up? Practically from the moment you start talking, you’re asked this question. As a child, you’re encouraged to make decisions about school subjects, activities and higher education, all in pursuit of a future career. These decisions, which have major repercussions for how the rest of your life will unfold, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/careers/young-people-take-career-decisions-too-early">are often hastily made</a>. Careers advice can be challenging to navigate and tends to focus on <a href="https://www.bi.team/blogs/moments-of-choice-how-young-people-make-career-decisions/">“moments of choice”</a>: those crucial transition points at which you need to make career decisions, such as when leaving secondary school. However, <a href="https://www.careersandenterprise.co.uk/media/m31lm1qo/moments_of_choice_report.pdf">“moments of inspiration”</a> are equally important. These are the times in which you are free to reflect on what you would really like to do, free of pressure or external influence. Many young professionals in their 20s and 30s find themselves trapped in the wrong job. Some feel unfulfilled, while others feel that they are overeducated and that <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/millions-stuck-in-the-wrong-job-study-finds-10968708">their talents are underutilised</a>. According to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics, one in three graduates are <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/news/news/oneinthreegraduatesovereducatedfortheircurrentrole">overeducated for their current role</a>. By 2030, things are expected to tip in the other direction: the rapidly changing work landscape might cause millions of UK workers to become <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/future-of-work/the-future-of-work-rethinking-skills-to-tackle-the-uks-looming-talent-shortage">underskilled</a> in digital, decision-making, communication and leadership skills. <h2>Why is it so hard to figure out what to do with your life?</h2> Career decisions are a balancing act. You have to align your interests and aptitudes with the current demands of the labour market, neither of which are static entities. Your skills and interests (<a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/9781118970843.ch53">and to some extent, even your personality</a>) change over time, and the labour market is in a constant state of flux. The pandemic-related increases in vacancies in <a href="https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/how-has-the-pandemic-affected-industries-and-labour-in-the-uk/">certain sectors</a> and the potential effect of automation on the <a href="https://www.pwc.co.uk/economic-services/assets/international-impact-of-automation-feb-2018.pdf">displacement of jobs in others</a> are just two examples of labour market trends that you may need to consider. Here are three ways to figure out what you want to do with your life. <h2>1. Set a career goal</h2> While many people conflate the terms <a href="https://napier-repository.worktribe.com/output/2747064/new-information-literacy-horizons-making-the-case-for-career-information-literacy">“work” and “career”</a>, I take care in my research to distinguish between them. While work refers to employment, career is something different. It is a continuing personal development project. It begins not on the first day of a new job, but by setting career goals. These goals depend on your strengths and interests and, above all, on your values. There are many ways to approach the task of goal-setting, either on your own or with the help of others. As a starting point, you could complete a career quiz (such as this fun one called <a href="https://animalme.myworldofwork.co.uk/">Animal Me</a>) or reflect on where you see yourself in five or ten years. Consider what you most enjoy doing and what you excel at. What tasks and experiences do you find most fulfilling and rewarding? If you don’t know your strengths or what you might enjoy doing, talk to others who know you well. Family members, friends and coworkers may be able to help you see yourself and what you bring to the table through their eyes. <h2>2. Make a plan</h2> The next step is to gather information on how you can achieve your vision, and set milestones along the way. If you’re looking to change career direction, you would first need to find out if you need training, work experience or further education. You would then need to identify specific companies or institutions in your area that match the criteria you have set out in your plan. If you’re after a more minor career adjustment, you might have fewer steps to go through. You could consider different roles that you are already qualified to do, or look through the job openings at your current company. If you feel stuck, you can get in touch with your local career service for free and impartial career information, advice and guidance. In the UK, these are the <a href="https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/">National Careers Service</a> (England), <a href="https://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/what-we-do/scotlands-careers-services/our-centres/">Skills Development Scotland</a> and <a href="https://careerswales.gov.wales/">Careers Wales</a>. And if you’re feeling bold, you could also contact people who are in your dream job and ask them how they got there. <h2>3. Find decent and meaningful work</h2> Until you figure out that dream role, you should try to look for what careers scholars such as <a href="https://careerguidancesocialjustice.wordpress.com/2021/08/24/everyone-has-a-right-to-a-decent-and-dignified-life-that-includes-a-meaningful-career-an-interview-with-david-blustein/">David Blustein</a> and <a href="https://iep.utm.edu/sen-cap/">Amartya Sen</a> have described as decent and meaningful work. <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00407/full">Decent work</a> upholds the basic principles of social justice and human rights. You will know that you are in a decent job when you are fairly compensated, your role is not precarious, and work does not make you chronically stressed or ill. Meaningful work is aligned with your values and lets you achieve the kind of life that you value. Any work can be meaningful work, as long as it is compatible with what you consider to be important. A meaningful job can be one that allows you to have a good work-life balance, or one that comes with high pay. It could be a job that helps others, or one that lets you express yourself creatively. It could also be a job that facilitates your personal growth or a job that contributes to the greater good. Career planning takes time, but so does being stuck in the wrong job. British people spend an average of <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/british-people-work-days-lifetime-overtime-quit-job-survey-study-a8556146.html">3,507 days at work</a> over their lives. Why not spend that time doing something you love?<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/209266/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/marina-milosheva-1337343">Marina Milosheva</a>, PhD Candidate, Social Informatics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/edinburgh-napier-university-696">Edinburgh Napier University</a> Image credits: Getty Images 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-its-so-difficult-to-figure-out-what-to-do-with-your-life-and-three-steps-to-take-209266">original article</a>.

Caring

Woman hit with six-figure fine after using social media to lay false claim against neighbours

A Queensland woman has been slapped with a nearly $280,000 fine after she falsely branded her neighbours as paedophiles in a post to a local Facebook group. Zoe Anne Gooding was ordered to pay de facto partners Mianka Rodgers and Michael Usher $200,000 in compensatory damages, $65,000 in aggravated damages and $14,179.32 in interest by the Queensland District Court on June 23 2023 after the couple sued Gooding for defamation in February 2022. The court heard how much the false claims impacted the couple’s life, including forcing them to abandon their plans to become foster parents. The $280,000 fine included a $15,000 compensation payment to Usher for Gooding running him over with her car after he sued her, leaving him with a fractured rotor cuff and three broken ribs. The parties had been neighbours in the close-knit coastal suburb of Bushland Brach in Townsville’s north and had gone to several barbecues and other social gatherings in their peaceful cul-de-sac, where about 50 residents were well acquainted. In September 2023, Gooding posted to the Bushland Beach Crime Alert group, which had close to 5,000 members, “Paedophile 12 Holbourne Street.” She then posted two follow-up comments. “When it’s your kid being touched then you wouldn’t be saying it’s a wild accusation,” she responded to a query. “We know cos they tried getting our six-year-old to go with them multiple times,” she said in a separate comment. Several members of the group responded with comments like, “Are the cops doing anything about it?”, “Have they been arrested?” and, “That’s disgusting. Please report to police.” About 90 minutes after her initial post, Gooding took to the group again claiming she had been “hacked”, writing, “Hi everyone. So looked [sic] like my FB had been hacked. Neighbour just went mental and we were wondering why. Have reset my settings. Apologies.” Members were sceptical, with one writing, “You put a post up about a paedophile and there [sic] apparent address. Gonna need a bit more explaining than ‘we got hacked’.” District Court Judge John Coker said it was “noteworthy” that, amid Gooding’s later admission, the statement that she had been hacked was “demonstrably false”. “It is also clear that the consequences for the first and second plaintiffs has been significant,” he said. Usher was only made aware of the post after a friend he was with received a text message with a screenshot from the group and showed him. Rodgers, who was working as a FIFO chef at the Moranbah North Coal Mine found out after she finished her shift and received a message from Usher. The couple told the court how their “life changed following the defamatory post”, with them fearing leaving home or socialising with neighbours. Mick did not want to leave the house,” Rodgers said in her affidavit. “He closed all the curtains and would not go outside to mow the grass. He told me repeatedly that he felt ashamed and embarrassed. He became progressively more withdrawn from communicating with me, his friends and neighbours. Our social life in Holbourne Street stopped dead.” She noted that she had changed where she goes shopping, travelling an additional 10 to 20km to go to a different Coles where she wouldn’t be recognised. “The defamatory post has changed me,” she said. “Whereas I was previously quite an outgoing person, I am now more shy of social interaction. I don’t like telling people about what happened with the defamatory post. Also, I will not touch anybody’s child. Due to the impact of the defamatory post Mick and I have abandoned our plans to become foster parents.” After launching the defamation proceedings in June 2022, Usher said Gooding struck him twice with her car on Holbourne Street. “I have been interviewed by the police in respect to the incident and they have advised me that Zoe Gooding has been charged with various offences,” Usher said in his affidavit. “I am awaiting further details of those charges.” Rodgers added that the pair felt they had “no choice but to take steps to try and restore our reputation as best we could in the circumstances”. “The allegations made against Mick and I are dreadful and have left a terrible stain on our reputations and on our address,” she explained. “It is important that people understood clearly that Mick and I are not paedophiles. However, I do not believe that whatever we do we will ever be able to wash the stain away entirely.” Gooding gave a voluntary admission in April 2022 to confirm she was the sole publisher of the post, leading to a default judgement being entered in July 2022. The next step was an assessment of damages. Lawyers for the couple had trouble contacting Gooding, who eventually responded in an email in November 2022 to say she was “currently residing in a women’s shelter in North Brisbane and have no capacity to return to Townsville to attend”. “I have no assets to my name,” she wrote. “The only income I receive is $300 per fortnight through family tax benefit $175 of which goes to paying for my accommodation and food. I would be willing to submit the remainder of this as a payment plan for the defendants until the court appointed amount is payed [sic]. To be blunt it was foolhardy of your clients to proceed with the matter as it was known to them that I was poor.” In the ruling, Judge Coker said the couple’s reputations had been “gravely injured” by Gooding’s conduct and there was “the need for a very real penalty to be imposed in relation to the aggravated nature of the publication”. “Of particular significance here, is that the subsequent conduct of the defendant in running the second plaintiff over in a motor vehicle, following the institution of these proceedings is evidence, or it can be inferred from it, of the defendant’s improper motivations and intentions,” he said. “In that regard, the conduct of the defendant, it is said, simply reaffirms the defamatory statement that she made and her actions.” Image credit: Getty

Legal

Astonishing new wax figure of Queen Camilla Consort unveiled

A new tribute to King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla has been unveiled in London ahead of the highly-anticipated coronation. As the Queen Consort prepares for a crowning of her own, Madame Tussauds London has created a wax figure of the 75-year-old wearing a tiara, gown and sash. The statue was first shown on April 27, ahead of being displayed beside one of King Charles’ waxworks. Queen Camilla’s wax figure shows her in a midnight blue dress, made by one of her favourite designers, Anna Valentine, and decked with a royal blue sash and star of the Order of the Garter. The royal is also seen in a replica of the late Queen’s Belgian sapphire tiara and matching George VI sapphire necklace. The necklace was a wedding gift from her father, King George VI when she married Prince Philip in 1947. The Queen Consort was seen in the Belgian tiara at the first state banquet of King Charles’ reign, where they hosted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at Buckingham Palace in November 2022. Both the royal’s Art Deco engagement ring and Welsh gold wedding band are seen on the figure. "Whilst for many people this will be their first experience of a coronation, the Coronation of King Charles III will be the eighth that Madame Tussauds London has celebrated," General Manager Tim Waters said. "We're incredibly proud of our centuries long link with The Palace and what better way to mark the official start of this new chapter in the history of the British Monarchy than with the creation of our brand new soon-to-be Queen Camilla to stand alongside her husband, The King." Image credit: Getty

Art

“Once-in-a-lifetime find”: Man discovers gold nugget worth six figures

A man from Victoria has struck gold armed with his budget metal detector. The man, who wishes to not be named, discovered a 4.6kg rock in Victoria’s “Golden Triangle” which stretches between Ballarat, Bendigo and up to St Arnaud. Unsure of whether it was worth anything, he brought the rock to Lucky Strike Gold in Geelong for evaluation where Gold trader Darren Kamp discovered it contained a staggering 2.6kg of gold worth $240k. “He said, ‘Oh, do you think there’s $10,000 worth in it?’, and as soon as it hit my hand I looked at him and said: ‘Try a $100,000’,” Kamp told 9News. "And he said, 'Oh wow, the wife's going to be happy with that," said Kamp. Funnily enough, the man had only brought in half of the rock and left the other half “at home”. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime find,” said Kamp. Small nuggets of gold are worth up to $1000, but the value of gold has soared due to inflation. “You’ll hear the term, ‘if it’s got your name on it, you’ll find it’,” Kamp said. “You just need some luck and persistence. It’s like a Tattslotto ticket, you’re never going to win it unless you’ve got a ticket,” he added. The gold nuggets from this region were famous for their quantity, size and purity, and were mostly found in streams or river beds. Image: Nine News

Money & Banking

Streaming service giant pays woman 5 figures to watch content

If you think you spend too much time on Amazon Prime, think again as one lucky lady has snatched up her “dream” job with the streaming service. The woman, Alex Bain, 36, has been dubbed Prime Video’s “Buff”, and her job entails reviewing content for Amazon Prime, which came after the platform searched nationwide to fill the role of watching new content. Here’s the real kicker, the 36-year-old will be paid $40,000 for three months of viewing new content and sharing her opinions. She is not new to the scene of content review as she frequently posts to her Instagram, TikTok and Youtube reviewing various TV shows and movies. Upon seeing the advertisement from Amazon Prime, one of Bain’s friends encouraged her to apply. “Everything on it, it was like seeing a list of what would be my ideal job,” Ms Bain told NCA NewsWire. “I’m 36, so I want to do something I’m passionate about, so I decided to just go for it. “I got a phone call from Amazon saying I’d been short-listed, and I was like, ‘Oh my God!’” She said the time between applying for the role and being told she was successful went “so quickly”. Not long after, she received the news she was the lucky one chosen to fill the role. Image credit: Instagram

Painting by four-legged Van Gogh sells for five figures

A very good boy named Van Gogh has raised a hefty sum of money for a good cause. The one-eared four-legged artist has used his extraordinary talents to create his own rendition of his namesake’s masterpiece Starry Night. At an online benefit auction for the <a href="https://www.happilyfureverafter.org/">Happily Furever After Rescue</a> in Connecticut, USA, pet food company Pedigree paid $10,000 for the artwork. The rescue home was the one that found Van Gogh his new forever home, after sharing his artistic talents online. All the proceeds of Van Gogh the dog’s auction will benefit the rescue efforts of Happily Furever After, which specialises in rehoming dogs like pit bulls, who can sometimes have a hard time finding homes. The paintings in the current auction, titled “Van Gogh Reimagined,” are all based on compositions by the original Van Gogh. However, unlike a painting by the Dutch master, the dog’s art starts the bidding at just $25 a piece. “Having Van Gogh create some of history’s most famous paintings felt like big shoes to fill,” founder Jaclyn Gartner told <a href="https://news.artnet.com/market/van-gogh-rescue-dog-charity-auction-2264707">Artnet News</a>. “There was a lot more attention to detail this time around to make sure to incorporate all the colours and try to recreate the pieces as closely as possible.” Since finding his new home, Van Gogh has created more than 150 new works of art. To make each masterpiece, a person applies blobs of colours of paint to a canvas placed inside a plastic bag. The talented dog then completes the artwork by licking off a coating of peanut butter or other dog-friendly treats from the outside of the bag, making the artwork inside. “The most exciting part about Van Gogh painting is never really knowing what it’s going to come out to look like as it depends on how his tongue slides across the peanut butter coated bag,” Gartner said. “Since we did the art gallery in October, Van Gogh has explored more tasty toppings,” she added. “We have begun incorporating other things like ground up liverwurst, pumpkin puree, and goat whip. Painting has become an even more delicious hobby for Van Gogh!“ Image credits: Happily Furever After Rescue

Art

Carrie Bickmore’s “seven figure” job negotiation

Carrie Bickmore could be heading into the South African jungle for her latest job. After finishing up on The Project in December 2022, the presenter is rumoured to be negotiating a hefty salary for a potential role on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me out of Here! Carrie has been absent from any on-air roles since her departure from the panel show, and is using her friendly connections at Network Ten to secure the new deal. The 42-year-old is rumoured to have the full support of the show's co-host Dr Chris Brown, who is long-time friends with Bickmore and her producer ex-partner Chris Walker. Bickmore and Brown have allegedly been attending secret meetings with executives at Network Ten since the beginning of the year, with inside sources saying producers are willing to pay her “up to $1 million” for the gig, according to reports from <a href="https://www.newidea.com.au/carrie-bickmore-im-a-celeb" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New Idea</a>. “It's been about three months of closed-door negotiations at Network Ten and while nothing has been locked in yet, TV executives are willing to wait until the very last minute if they have to,” an insider said. “They have thrown a lot of money at Carrie to get her on board,” they added. If Bickmore does secure the seven-figure payday, she will become the second highest-paid contestant to appear on the show, behind the late cricketer Shane Warne, who earned $2million for his stint in the jungle in 2016. Dr Chris has long been a public friend and supporter of Bickmore, sharing a heartfelt message after her final appearance on The Project last year. He wrote at the time, “Your time on The Project not only gave us all a masterclass in how to host with realness, humour, humanity…and a casual Qantas integration but it also gave me an amazing friend. Thank you. What a delight you are!” The newest season of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! will premiere on Sunday April 2nd, with co-hosts Brown and Julia Morris at the helm. Image credits: Instagram

"Sheer terror": Pensioner slapped with five-figure government fine

Pensioner Rosemary Gay opened up about the “sheer terror” she faced upon receiving a letter from the government demanding she pay back the $65,000 Robodebt bill they claimed she had been overpaid. Rosemary’s nightmare began on September 19, 2016, when the letter arrived, an event that Rosemary confesses “turned my life upside down and created an enormous emotional and mental strain on me." The letter detailed that she was required to pay the total of $64,999.17 in overpaid welfare benefits. Centrelink claimed this was because her declared amounts did not reflect what she actually earned during the period of July 9, 2010, to 6 October, 2016. “It turned my life upside down,” Rosemary told the Robodebt Royal Commission on Monday, “I’ve never earned that much money, how could I owe that much money? And the fact I was to come up with it within a matter of three or four weeks, it was sheer terror.” The emotional 76-year-old admitted that she feared she would have to sell her home to cover the debt, and detailed the bleak path she saw before her, “all I could see was that I may be faced with selling my home and losing everything that I had worked for in my 70 years, and I just saw it all going away instantly.” After contacting Centrelink, Rosemary confirmed that what she had reported was the same as what was on the paperwork. She admitted to assuming that would “be the end of it.” Officials at Centrelink eventually told Rosemary that it came down to a “glitch”, and after a review, the total of her debt was reduced to $6,600. Of her Robodebt experience, Rosemary said, “it was a very dark period of time for me and one that is very difficult to re-live. My mental health and physical health, at that stage, were at a very low ebb.” A second review brought a new letter to Rosemary in December 2016, this time stating that her debt had been reduced to $120. Finally in 2020, Rosemary was informed by Centrelink that she would be refunded the $120, with the Coalition government winding up the unlawful scheme - ruled as such by the Federal Court in 2019. It is suspected that more than 381,000 people were affected, and that over $750m was wrongfully recovered from the victims. “I was shocked and angry by this time to think they could initially cause such a traumatic experience to anybody accessing support from a pension,” Rosemary told the Royal Commission, “it will continue to remain with me forever. It’s just something I will never get over and it has had a huge impact on my physical and mental wellbeing … “That they could turn someone’s life upside down and still get it so wrong over and over again.” Image: Getty Images

Money & Banking

Eco-activist attacks on museum artwork ask us to figure out what we value

In the last few weeks <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/23/arts/claude-monet-mashed-potatoes-climate-activists.html">climate change activists have perpetrated various acts</a> of reversible vandalism <a href="https://twitter.com/artnews/status/1585745905512169473">against famous works of art in public galleries</a>. In the latest incident on Oct. 27, two men entered <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/oct/27/girl-with-a-pearl-earring-vermeer-just-stop-oil-protest-mauritshuis-the-hague">the Mauritshuis gallery in the Hague</a>. After taking off their jackets to reveal t-shirts printed with anti-oil slogans, one proceeded to glue his head to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/famed-girl-with-pearl-earring-painting-targeted-by-climate-activists-nos-2022-10-27/">glass overtop</a> <a href="https://www.mauritshuis.nl/en/our-collection/artworks/670-girl-with-a-pearl-earring/">Johannes Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring</a>, while the other bathed the head of his partner-in-crime with what appeared to be tinned tomatoes before gluing his own hand to the wall adjacent to the painting. This was just the latest in a series of similar art attacks that have peppered the news. The motivation of the eco-activists involved is to draw attention to the crisis of climate change, the role of big oil in hastening the deterioration of the environment and the necessity to save our planet. By attacking a famous and high-value cultural target like Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring — it <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0335119/">even starred in its own movie</a> — the protesters are asking us to examine our values. <h2>Big oil protests</h2> The first Vermeer painting to come to auction for almost 80 years <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/vermeer-fetches-record-price-1.506190">sold for almost $40 million in 2004</a>. Today a Vermeer (<a href="http://www.essentialvermeer.com/how_many_vermeers.html">there are not that many)</a> could easily be valued at twice that. Whether you like Vermeer or not, the monetary value of the targets under attack enhances the sheer audacity and shock value of the current art attacks. The eco-activists want to appear to desecrate something that people associate with value and with culture. Their point is that if we don’t have a planet, we’ll lose all the things in it that we seem to value more. As activist Phoebe Plummer of Just Stop Oil <a href="https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/just-stop-oil-protestor-van-gogh-sunflowers-why-video-1234643678">told NPR after being involved in the attack on Van Gogh’s Sunflowers at London’s National Gallery</a>: “Since October, we have been engaging in disruptive acts all around London because right now what is missing to make this change is political will. So our action in particular <a href="https://www.npr.org/2022/11/01/1133041550/the-activist-who-threw-soup-on-a-van-gogh-explains-why-they-did-it">was a media-grabbing action to get people talking, not just about what we did, but why we did it</a>.” Note, the idea is disruption, not destruction. As acts designed for shock value, the activists did draw immediate public attention. <h2>Attacking art</h2> By staging their attacks in public galleries, where the majority of visitors carry cell phones, activists could be assured film and photos of the incidents would draw immediate attention. By sticking to non-corrosive substances and mitigating damage to the works under attack, they don’t draw the kind of public ire that wilful destruction would evoke. In recent news, attacking art as a form of public protest has largely been limited to public monuments outside the gallery space, like the <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/02/us/confederate-monuments-removed-2021-whose-heritage/index.html">destruction and removal of Confederate</a> or colonial statues. But it’s also true that works of museum art have come under attack before. Over the course of its history, <a href="https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2019/02/19/trimmed-splashed-and-slashed-the-anatomy-of-rembrandts-the-night-watch">Rembrandt’s Night Watch in the Rijksmuseum</a> in Amsterdam was stabbed in two separate incidents in 1911 and 1975; in 1990, it was sprayed with acid; but all of those attacks were ascribed to individuals with unclear and less clearly rational motives. I see a few issues at stake with assessing what these recent art attacks could mean. <h2>1. How effective is the messaging?</h2> The activists have been articulate about their objectives, but those objectives haven’t been <a href="https://twitter.com/BrydonRobert/status/1587587106997960705">obvious to everyone who sees</a> via social media, but doesn’t stick around to hear the explanation. When a broad <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-are-climate-activists-throwing-food-at-million-dollar-paintings-180981024/">range of media</a> <a href="https://time.com/6224760/climate-activists-throw-food-at-art/">outlets all</a> perceive <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/rebeccahughes/2022/08/05/why-are-climate-activists-gluing-themselves-to-art-in-italy/?sh=1e2e8a6a246a">the need to publish</a> editorials on why eco activists are targeting art, something is getting lost in translation. People see the endangerment of the works of art, but may ascribe that to the activists, not to the planetary erosion wrought by climate change. I don’t think everyone is getting the message. <h2>2. Possible misplaced outrage</h2> The incidents up until now have been pretty effective and harmless acts. But what if something is irreparably damaged? People will be outraged, but they’ll still be outraged about the art, not about the planet. And while there will be a call for stiff prison sentences, precedent suggests that’s an unlikely outcome. A man who damaged a Picasso valued at $26 million USD at the Tate Modern <a href="https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/tate-modern-picasso-damaged-man-sentenced-1234569349">in London in 2020 was sentenced to 18 months in jail</a>. <h2>3. Violation of public trust</h2> The third effect is what I consider a violation of the public trust, and this gives me pause. Works of art, even the most famous ones, lead precarious lives of constant endangerment; war, weather, fire, floods. The protesters are destabilizing the idea that public galleries are “safe” spaces for works of art, held in public trust. As fari nzinga, inaugural curator of academic engagement and special projects at the <a href="https://www.speedmuseum.org/">Speed Art Museum</a> in Louisville, KY, pointed out in a 2016 paper: “The museum doesn’t serve the public trust simply by displaying art for its members, <a href="https://incluseum.com/2016/11/29/public-trust-and-art-museums">it does so by keeping and caring for the art on behalf of a greater community of members and non¬members alike</a>, preserving it for future generations to study and enjoy.” Right now these acts, no matter how well-intentioned, could lead to increased security and more limited access, making galleries prisons for art rather than places for people. At the same time, part of the activsts’ point is that economy that sustains <a href="https://grist.org/climate/can-art-museums-survive-without-oil-money/">big oil is entwined with arts infrastructure</a> and the art market. <h2>The thing that saves us?</h2> The pandemic taught us, I think, that art could be the thing we share that saves us; think of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q734VN0N7hw">people during quarantine in Italy singing opera together from their balconies</a>. Eco-activists engaged in performance protests ask us to question our public institutions and make us accountable for what they, and we, value. Their climate activism is dedicated to our shared fate. If you’re willing to fight for the protection of art, maybe you’re willing to fight to protect the planet. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/eco-activist-attacks-on-museum-artwork-ask-us-to-figure-out-what-we-value-193575" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Art

King Charles’ wax figure vandalised by climate activists

A group of activists have thrown chocolate cake at King Charles III wax figure in London. Just Stop Oil activists shared footage of themselves throwing chocolate cake into the face of King Charles waxwork at Madame Tussauds. Two supporters, Eilidh McFadden, 20, and Tom Johnson 29, were seen stepping closer to the King’s figure before taking off their jumpers to show the “Just Stop Oil” shirts. Eilidh first smashes the cake at King Charles’ figure before Tom does the same thing just after 10.30am (8.30pm AEDT) on Monday. A woman could be heard shouting stop at the pair but they ignored her. “The science is clear. The demand is simple: just stop new oil and gas. It’s a piece of cake,” their tweet reads. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> 🎂 BREAKING: JUST STOP OIL CAKES THE KING 🎂 👑 Two supporters of Just Stop Oil have covered a Madame Tussauds waxwork model of King Charles III with chocolate cake, demanding that the Government halts all new oil and gas licences and consents.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FreeLouis?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FreeLouis</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FreeJosh?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FreeJosh</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/A22Network?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#A22Network</a> <a href="https://t.co/p0DJ8v3XVB">pic.twitter.com/p0DJ8v3XVB</a> — Just Stop Oil ⚖️💀🛢 (@JustStop_Oil) <a href="https://twitter.com/JustStop_Oil/status/1584491199771316225?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 24, 2022</a></blockquote> London’s Metropolitan Police confirmed four people were arrested for criminal damage in relation to the incident. “We responded quickly to an incident at Madame Tussauds after two people threw food at a statue at approximately 10.50am,” they said in a statement. The activists’ actions comes just weeks after two people from the same group <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/art/climate-activists-attack-van-gogh-s-sunflowers-with-soup" target="_blank" rel="noopener">attempted to destroy an iconic Van Gogh artwork</a> in London’s National Gallery in the name of climate activism. They threw cans of tomato soup at Van Gogh’s Sunflowers (1888), the museum confirmed in a statement. Luckily, the painting was saved by the glass covering, with the frame only suffering minor damage. Image: Twitter

Art

Retiree figures out how to win the lotto

A retired couple have beaten possibly all odds when it comes to winning the lottery thanks to “simple math”. Jerry and Marge Selbee from Evart, Michigan, are multimillionaires because of a loophole in the gambling game. After retiring in 2003, Jerry decided to follow the lotto closely and discovered that it's easier than he thought to win, saying, “Anyone could have done it.” The retiree inspected the game called WinFall and found that if no one won the jackpot of US$5 million ($7 million AUD), then the money would go to ticket holders with fewer winning numbers. "I looked at the probabilities of the game and it said that when the WinFall actually occurred and no one won the jackpot, that the prize level would go up by a factor of 10," Jerry said on <a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/60-minutes/jerry-and-marge-go-large-lotto-tips-selbee-how-retired-couple-won-39-million/1e5093b5-be35-400f-a142-8ecdf0c289d0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">60 Minutes</a>. "US$50 for a three-number winner and US$1,000 for a four-number winner and the odds were one in, one in 56 and a half for a three-number winner and one in 1032 for a four-number winner." Jerry went on to explain that part of the problem when it comes to playing the lotto is that people think it is structured. "I did not have to be lucky to win. I had to be unlucky to lose." Almost akin to placing a bet on himself, Jerry decided to test his theory and realised that he was right – and quickly came clean to his wife Marge who was all for it. The couple would buy hundreds of thousands of tickets for the WinFall game – but disaster eventually struck when no more tickets were sold in their hometown. Soon the pair had to drive 15 hours to Massachusetts to keep winning a similar style of lottery with the same "loophole" structure, but it was something they were both keen to do. Eventually, they were caught out by investigators but Jerry and Marge were in fact not doing anything illegal. Their story eventually became well known to the point that a film is being made for streaming service Paramount+ and will feature Breaking Bad’s Bryan Cranston. Despite their lifetime of winnings – in the many tens of millions over the years – Jerry and Marge remain quite humble, spending their money on education for their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Images: Nine

Money & Banking

Notorious underworld figure shot dead

Investigations are underway after a prominent underworld figure was shot dead on Wednesday night. Mahmoud “Brownie” Ahmad was found with multiple gun wounds to his body outside a home on Narelle Crescent, Greenacre in Sydney’s west. Emergency services rushed to the scene but were unable to revive him. He was declared dead at the scene with the gunman still on the run. A black Porsche sedan and black BMW were found burnt out in Greenacre and nearby suburb Belmore. Police are investigating whether they are related to the shooting. Mahmoud had only recently returned from Lebanon despite knowing there was a $1 million bounty on his head by a fellow underworld figure. He had escaped to Lebanon after his brother Walid “Wally” Ahmad was shot dead in April 2016 outside Bankstown Centro Shopping Centre. Walid’s death came just weeks after he shot dead Safwan Charbaji in the head and chest while he was driving in Condell Park. The two deaths caused a bigger rife between the underworld figures which eventually saw Mahmoud flee to Lebanon for safety. Images: Nine News

News

Chrissie Swan reveals the secret to her incredible new figure

Chrissie Swan has shown off her incredible body transformation in an Instagram post ahead of her appearance on The Project, and shared her secret to her new figure. The 48-year-old shared a snap of her transformation on her social media account of her toned figure that she achieved through giving up alcohol during Victoria's gruelling lockdowns. During a panel discussion on The Project in October, Chrissie said she has given up alcohol after turning to it to cope with the stress of lengthy lockdowns, and how much the change has positively impacted her life. “It was a decision I made for myself after giving it a fair nudge in the first lockdown last year,” Chrissie said. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CWUvpLOlwpE/?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> <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;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CWUvpLOlwpE/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Chrissie Swan (@chrissieswan)</a> </div> </blockquote> “I do recommend it. If you’re thinking, ‘Oh, maybe I’m drinking a bit much’ or ‘it’s not helping me anymore’, I think that’s the biggest thing I’ve taken from it, is that it didn’t help. “With the pressures and anxieties and worries and being responsible for kids and their whole life has changed and you’re their parent, you feel enormous guilt, though it’s all out of your control, you kind of feel like having a few drinks will take the edge off and a couple of drinks does but eventually it’s at the stage where it doesn’t help and it certainly wasn’t helping me.” Chrissie also revealed that her sleeping schedule has drastically improved since she made the decision to go sober. “Alcohol is diabolical for sleep and anxiety too,” she wrote on Instagram. Earlier this year, Chrissie said she overhauled her exercise routine in order to achieve her slimmer figure, as she has taken up meditation and regular long walks. “Learning how to meditate kicked it off for me and I realised after the first 10-minute block that it was the first time in ages I’d stopped and slowed down with my own wellbeing top of mind,” she said. <div class="media image portrait side-by-side">“I don’t put pressure on myself but I walk *somewhere* most days. Sometimes for 20 minutes, sometimes for an hour. Sometimes three little walks, sometimes none!”</div> Image credits: Instagram @chrissieswan

Body

There’s an easy way to figure out if you’ll have enough money to retire

The Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia estimates that the lump sum needed for a couple to retire comfortably is $640,000, or $545,000 for a single person - far from the $1 million that’s often cited. If you aren’t sure if you have enough money to retire, there are a couple of online tools that will help you figure it out quick smart. One is <a href="https://www.superguru.com.au/">ASFA’s Super Balance Detective</a>. To use it, you simply enter your year of birth, and the calculator shows you how much super you should have today. Naturally, there are many underlying assumptions behind that number, but it is primarily based on average investment returns and average fees. It’s also based on how much the ASFA Retirement Standard calculates you need to live on after retiring at the age of 67. So how much super should you have by now? If you were born in 1970, you should have about $285,000; for those born in 1965, it’s $360,000; for those born in 1960, it should be around $449,000. Those born in 1955 should have about $535,000 saved up, putting them just $10,000 from retiring comfortably (assuming they’re single). Another handy calculator is the government’s <a href="https://moneysmart.gov.au/how-super-works/superannuation-calculator">moneysmart super calculator</a>. Enter your specific super balance, along with your age and income/super contribution details. The calculator will then give you a forecast balance at the retirement age of your choosing, based on achievable investment assumptions (the default settings are for an investment return of 7.5 per cent annually, but you can adjust this number as you see fit). There are several things you can do to boost your super. Ensuring your fees are low is one way to get the most out of your super fund’s investment performance. The government’s moneysmart calculator uses investment fees of 0.85 per cent and an administration fee of $74; using these as a guide, if you’re paying more than that, make sure your returns are higher to match. Checking in your fund’s performance is also a good idea, and can be done using the ATO’s <a href="https://www.ato.gov.au/Calculators-and-tools/YourSuper-comparison-tool/">YourSuper comparison tool</a>. It ranks MySuper products on both fees and returns, and now labels underperforming super funds as such. It will also prompt you to resolve the problem if your super is leaking money because you have multiple accounts and thus, multiple sets of fees. Image: Marko Geber/Getty Images

Retirement Income

Disturbing figures show child abduction rates in the past year

As the search for missing 4-year-old Cleo Smith continues, some alarming statistics have emerged on the number of child abductions in Western Australia in the past 12 months. According to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.police.wa.gov.au" target="_blank">WA Police</a> records, there were 15 seperate incidents of kidnapping and "child stealing" in the last financial year. Seven of those incidents have occurred this year alone. Four happened in the Perth metro area, but one happened in the Mid West/Gascoyne region where Cleo disappeared in the early hours of October 16th. The disturbing figures show there have been a total of 328 abductions in Western Australia since January 2007. Thirteen of those have occurred in the Mid West/Gascoyne region where Cleo Smith was last seen. Despite these confronting figures, a WA Police spokesperson said Cleo’s suspected abduction is “highly unusual” and “incredibly rare” because of the specific circumstances. They went on to say that most kidnapping and child-stealing incidents are usually related to family custody matters. The WA Police website defines kidnapping or child-stealing as “the abducting of a person against their will and depriving them of their personal liberty.” This can include the taking of minors with the intent to deprive a person of the “lawful care of the child,” as well as “fraudulently enticing the child away” and “receiving/harbouring a child”. At this stage of the investigation into Cleo Smith's disappearance, police have named no suspects, and believe her parents are not involved. Cleo went missing from a family tent at the Blowholes campsite at Macleod, near Carnarvon, in the early hours of October 16th. Image credits: 7News

Travel Trouble

She’s still got it! Jess Rowe flaunts her figure at 51

Jessica Rowe is not letting Sydney’s two-week lockdown stop her from having a good time. The former Studio 10 host kicked off her first day of stay-at-home orders by masquerading around in a silver sequin dress. “How are you doing tonight? Hope you’re okay. I’m managing by dressing up in fringes,” she wrote in a post of the number. The 51-year-old was fully dolled up, and even finished off the look with matching Miu Miu closed-toe heels, pink earrings and a bold makeup look. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842061/jess-rowe.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/1bf155c7582f45739a1f19418eb4271c" /> Fans were not shy to let Rowe know they approve of the lockdown attire. “OMG! I wouldn’t normally comment on your posts (because squillions of others do) … but that dress just screams, “screw you lockdown”! Love it!” one follower wrote. “I feel like this is the most appropriate way to handle lockdown. All the sequins and bubbles,” another added. “Everyone copes with lockdown in different ways. Keep on doing what you do!! Thinking of you all!! From us here in Melbourne!!” added a third. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQc2lJ8jmGf/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="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;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQc2lJ8jmGf/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Jessica Rowe (@jessjrowe)</a> </div> </blockquote> Taking to Instagram on Wednesday, the former TV presenter also shared another snap of herself all dolled up in a leopard jumpsuit, for her 51st birthday. “All dressed up and staying at home for my 51st birthday! Life is good and I love getting older!” she wrote.

Beauty & Style

The Beast shows off slimmed down figure

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> Mark Labbett, known as The Beast from the popular quiz show The Chase has shown off his incredible weight loss to fans. He shared a snap on Instagram of himself dressed in a suit. “What’s more likely? Bit part in next Kingsman or Oddjob in the Goldfinger remake?,” Labbett wrote. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CO8m38eslrk/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="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;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CO8m38eslrk/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Mark Labbett (@markthebeastlabbett)</a> </div> </blockquote> Fans were shocked by the 55-year-old's transformation. “Looking fabulous,” one commented. Labbett revealed that his type 2 diabetes diagnosis inspired him to lose weight. “My colleague Paul Sinha also got the diagnosis and he rapidly lost two stone (12.7kg) and he went from being diabetic to pre or non-diabetic,” he told Loose Women. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CLH2VnSsjMt/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="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;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CLH2VnSsjMt/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Mark Labbett (@markthebeastlabbett)</a> </div> </blockquote> “I’m still eating very well – I’m just cutting out sugar because of the type 2 diabetes.” Labbett has documented his weight loss on Instagram in previous posts, much to the delight of fans. </div> </div> </div>

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