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Win a free Legacy Film and capture a life story that matters

Have you ever wished you could freeze time – preserve a loved one’s stories, laughter and quiet reflections so they can be cherished for generations to come? Now you can. Danika Armytage, founder of <a href="https://www.bigstorieslittlefilms.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Big Stories Little Films</a>, recently appeared on The Morning Show to share her mission: helping Australians preserve their life stories on film. And now, she’s giving one lucky person the chance to win a professionally made legacy film – completely free. Take a look: <iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/z1DPvQFmZFg?si=8yIDGnbaKRA20n_D" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> A legacy film is a beautifully crafted short documentary film that captures a life story, family history, and the wisdom passed between generations – something to treasure forever. Nominations are open throughout April, with the winner to be announced in May. Valued at over $3,000, the film can feature the life story of an individual or a couple. So how will the winner be chosen? “The story doesn’t need to be defined by fame or accolades,” Danika says. “Maybe the person has led an extraordinary life, overcome big obstacles, or perhaps this film is simply something their family deeply wants to preserve. When choosing the winning nomination, it’s really about the story that matters to the people who love them.” While the giveaway is open to everyone, Danika adds that they’re especially mindful of those for whom the timing feels particularly important. “There are some stories that really can’t wait to be told,” she explains. “But truly, I encourage everyone to apply.” If you or someone you love has a story worth telling – and treasuring – head to <a href="https://www.bigstorieslittlefilms.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bigstorieslittlefilms.com.au</a> to submit a nomination. And if you DO win, be sure to contact us via <a href="mailto:contact@oversixty.com.au" target="_blank" rel="noopener">contact@oversixty.com.au</a> so we can share it with the world! Images: Big Stories Little Films

Movies

New details emerge after Gold Coast Hilton Hotel catches fire

New details have emerged after a massive fire erupted at the Hilton Surfers Paradise Hotel on the Gold Coast overnight, prompting the evacuation of hundreds of guests and staff. The blaze originated on the roof of the hotel's western tower at around 2am, with debris falling onto the second-floor restaurant area, notably affecting establishments like Steampunk Surfers Paradise. Emergency services responded promptly, with multiple fire crews arriving to combat the flames. The Queensland Fire Department reported that the fire on the pool deck was extinguished by around 2:20am, and the roof fire was under control by 2:40am. Guests were then permitted to return to their rooms at around 3am. Surfers Paradise resident Joevy Lyn captured dramatic footage of debris tumbling 120m from the roof to the streets below. Legendary Australian jockey Shane Dye, who was staying on the 34th floor of a neighbouring tower, witnessed the fire firsthand and told the Courier Mail: "Everything was on fire and in flames, I couldn't believe it. It was right outside my window." Dye evacuated his building amid initial confusion, saying that hotel staff were initially unaware of the severity of the situation. Another guest, Leah Nicholson, who was staying at the Hilton with her wife and three-year-old daughter, reported not hearing any alarms but, upon contacting the front desk, was told of the fire. The family then descended 14 flights of stairs to evacuate, only hearing evacuation alarms upon reaching the ground level. Queensland police assisted in the evacuation, and while the cause of the fire remains under investigation, a woman staying at an apartment across the road reportedly said she believed the Hilton sign had exploded. “The H on top of the Hilton building just started to catch on fire and then it all started to explode,” the woman told 7NEWS. “Parts of it started to fall which caught … other parts of the building on fire. It was quite intense.” Images: 7NEWS

Travel Trouble

Best hotels in Australia revealed

The <a href="https://www.forbestravelguide.com/award-winners" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2025 Forbes Travel Guide</a> has announced the winners of the Star Awards, with nine hotels and experiences in Australia being named in the list. Every property in the running for the awards is visited by highly trained inspectors who provide an evaluation based on up to 900 objective criteria. According to Forbes, the Star Rating system "emphasises service because your experience at a hotel, restaurant or spa goes beyond looks". Over 2000 hotels, experiences, restaurants and cruises were named on the global list, with nine Aussie winners featuring in the prestigious list. The only property in the country to receive a 5-star accommodation rating in the 2025 Forbes Travel Guide was Crown Towers in Perth. Touted as "the pinnacle of Perth luxury", Forbes described the property as "Perth's most extravagant stay. Exuding understated glamour." In the spa category the Crown Spa Perth, which is tucked away in Crown Towers Perth, was awarded 4-stars for its "unbridled opulence". The Darling Sydney has once again received recognition in the Forbes Travel Guide for the ninth consecutive year, while The Darling's "world class" spa was also featured. Check out the list below. 9. The Langham - Sydney 8. Park Hyatt - Sydney 7. Park Hyatt - Melbourne 6. Capella - Sydney 5. Como The Treasury - Perth 4. The Darling Spa - Sydney 3. The Darling - Sydney 2. Crown Spa - Perth 1. Crown Towers - Perth Image credits: Crown Hotels <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', system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Fira Sans', 'Droid Sans', 'Helvetica Neue'; 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;">

Domestic Travel

Bakery offering free food if you beat the boss at a simple game

After struggling with dwindling customer numbers during the pandemic, a small bakery in Melbourne has come up with a unique way to drum up more business. The Pie Place in Coburg, north of Melbourne, is offering a free pie to any customer who can defeat the owner, Justin Talbot, in a simple game of Rock, Paper, Scissors. Justin admitted to <a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/today/free-pies-melbourne-baker-unique-offer-for-customers-who-beat-him-at-rock-paper-scissors/483a1355-d491-4b77-a1b0-50b0c72fe503">Today</a> that while the idea is unconventional, he said that when free food is involved, “you can’t go wrong”. "I was at home having a few beers and I thought, how can I drum up more business?" he said. "So I thought, why not have a bit of fun with my customers? We've been here for 40 years this month. I've been here for 10 years and I love being here, I love interacting with my customers, having a yarn with them, having a joke with them - it's pretty much my favourite part of work.” "Rock Paper Scissors is something out of the ordinary, everyone knows how to play, it's fun and if you win, you get a free pie." The initiative has gone down a treat with locals, with many claiming the shop has the “best pies” and are willing to risk their hand for a freebie. As Justin’s game gets more and more popular, he said he is willing to fork out whatever it costs to give out the free pies in order to connect with the community. <iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1TKgHxU0m8E?si=Rs9-G3TCQhQako8o" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> Image credits: Today

Food & Wine

Man slapped with $76,000 bill on free cruise

A couple from the US have been slapped with a five-figure bill after embarking on a cruise that they won. Mark and Tami were onboard the Norwegian Cruise Line ship Encore, after winning their trip for free, to celebrate Tami given a clean bill of health after the successful removal of a “mass from her lungs” in October 2024 following a cancer diagnosis. Just four days after setting off on their five-week journey, Mark fell ill and was taken to the ship's dedicated ICU with flu symptoms and reduced oxygen levels. He received oxygen, a catheter, IV medications, and X-rays, and when he felt better the next morning, asked to quarantine in his cabin room for the remainder of the trip. However, he was not allowed to leave the medical ward, and so the costs of his stay there continued to climb. “Mike spent a total of four days in the medical ward and asked to be released each day,” his daughter Krystal Cameron wrote in a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/relieve-mike-and-tamis-medical-burden?attribution_id=sl:5f4f89c5-bda8-4947-8f2b-5c9203b2cf8f&lang=en_US&utm_campaign=man_ss_icons&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link-type="article-inline">GoFundMe</a> to help pay the $75,800 ($47,638 USD) medical bill. During that time, she said staff would not remove his IV line, or the catheter which Tamra claims had been incorrectly fitted and was “leaking”. “Not on your life would I put my life in these people’s hands,” Tamra added in a social media post. “Should have demanded to get off at (the) port (on the) British Virgin Islands, where I was lied to that they had no good hospital.” Norwegian Cruise Line confirmed to <a href="https://7news.com.au/news/mark-won-a-free-holiday-with-norwegian-cruise-line-then-he-was-slapped-with-a-75800-bill-onboard-c-17618959" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7News</a> that Mike’s medical procedures and resulting expenses have been reviewed internally by the company, writing in a statement, “Mr Cameron was admitted to the onboard medical centre and received appropriate treatment for his condition, followed by 62 hours of critical care." “We are committed to providing quality medical services and each of our ships is equipped with a state-of-the-art onboard medical centre, staffed with highly qualified physicians and nurses, to provide care for both guests and crew while at sea." The couple had purchased travel insurance and said the Norwegian Cruise Line medical secretary reassured them they were covered for $20,000 USD ($31,987 AUD) and told “not to worry” when they raised concerns. However, Norwegian Cruise Line maxed out both credit cards they had on file for the couple when charging them with the final bill, adding, “Medical insurance is not accepted onboard.” “We strongly encouraged the guest to file a claim with their health insurance provider post-cruise," Norwegian Cruise Line told 7News. “As the guest did purchase travel insurance for their vacation, we have recommended they follow up on their claim with the insurance provider, after they have filed the claim with their health insurance provider.” But Krystal said “neither their travel insurance nor their personal health insurance will cover the medical treatments received”. The travel insurance company requires the couple’s health insurance company to initially pay the bill, but their health insurance company states because the incident happened abroad it is not covered by the policy, Krystal said. “Between Tami’s recent cancer diagnosis and surgery ... and my father’s illness ... their medical debt is quickly adding up,” Krystal said. Image credits: GoFundMe / Facebook

Legal

From securing pets to building ‘insect hotels’ – here are 7 ways to attract birds to your garden

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rochelle-steven-22148">Rochelle Steven</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/murdoch-university-746">Murdoch University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/david-newsome-117672">David Newsome</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/murdoch-university-746">Murdoch University</a> Home gardens can provide vital habitat for Australian birds. But there’s more to it than just planting certain types of shrubs and flowering trees. After decades of encouragement to include native plants in home gardens, urban environments have come to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989423003700">favour certain species</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1442-9993.2006.01584.x">neglect others</a> including some of our most loved birds, such as fairy-wrens. Birds that thrive on nectar such as honeyeaters, and bossy birds with bold personalities such as noisy miners, some parrots and magpies, tend to dominate the scene. But it doesn’t have to be this way. We wanted to explore how urban gardens can best support a wider range of Australian birds. <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10531-025-03011-2">Our new review</a> of research on this topic revealed seven key considerations. These fall into two themes: reducing threats and improving habitat. We found there’s no point doing just the good things (such as plantings) if we don’t stop doing the bad things (such as killing insects, poisoning owls and letting cats hunt). It’s like trying to fill a bucket with a hole in it. So let’s acknowledge the complexity of nature and take a broader approach to attracting birds to our gardens, by ticking off the items on this shopping list. <h2>1. Secure pets</h2> Domestic cats kill <a href="https://www.publish.csiro.au/wr/pdf/WR19174">millions of Australian birds every year</a>. So no matter how innocent your cat looks, it remains a highly evolved predator. The only guaranteed way to protect birds and other wildlife from cats is to keep them contained inside or in purpose-built enclosures, 24 hours a day. You can find out about building your own cat enclosure from <a href="https://agriculture.vic.gov.au/livestock-and-animals/animal-welfare-victoria/cats/enclosures-and-fencing/building-a-cat-enclosure-attached-to-an-existing-structure">government</a> and <a href="https://catiospaces.com/catios-cat-enclosures/cat-behavior-enrichment/build-diy-catio-plan-for-your-cat/">retail</a> experts online. Dogs can also stop birds taking up residence in your garden. The mere <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2013.10.005">presence of a dog can deter some birds</a>. Keeping dogs contained at night can reduce the level of disturbance to nocturnal birds. But if you really want to attract birds to your garden, you may choose to keep your dog inside more. <h2>2. Avoid using insecticides and outside lights</h2> Many flying and ground-dwelling insects are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2002549117">in decline</a>. This is bad news for many birds including fairy-wrens, willie wagtails, fantails and robins who rely almost entirely on insects for food. But we can avoid using insecticides or any other form of lethal control such as bug zappers in our own gardens. Ideally, accept insects as a natural part of your garden. Don’t try to deter them, unless they pose a risk to public safety, such as swarming European honeybees or hordes of European wasps. You can also consider favouring native plants that naturally are resisitant to unwanted insect attack. Excess artificial light is also taking a toll on insects. Consider whether you really need to leave that outdoor light on all night. Review your existing outdoor lighting using the <a href="https://darksky.org/resources/guides-and-how-tos/lighting-principles/">five principles for responsible outdoor lighting</a>, ensuring all artificial light is useful, targeted, low-level, controlled and warm-coloured. <h2>3. Stop poisoning raptors</h2> The use of rat poison, especially those labelled as “fast action”, is <a href="https://theconversation.com/rat-poison-is-killing-our-beloved-native-owls-and-tawny-frogmouths-and-thats-the-tip-of-the-iceberg-212184">killing native owls</a> and other <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147673">birds of prey</a> at an alarming rate due to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.06.207">secondary poisoning</a>. In other words, raptors are dying after eating rats and mice that have taken the bait. Many countries have regulated the sale and use of these products for this reason, but Australia is lagging behind. So if you “give a hoot” about our owls, <a href="https://kb.rspca.org.au/knowledge-base/what-is-the-most-humane-way-to-kill-pest-rats-and-mice/">switch to snap traps</a>. There are also various other effective, humane and efficient <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-control-invasive-rats-and-mice-at-home-without-harming-native-wildlife-180792">options</a> available, including removing unwanted fruit from the ground, keeping sheds tidy, and securing compost bins to keep rodents under control. <h2>4. Prevent window strikes</h2> Birds can fly into windows when they’re unable to differentiate between the glass and the surrounding environment. Strikes may be lethal upon impact or result in injury. A stunned bird is also more vulnerable to predators. In Australia, bird lovers can <a href="https://birdlife.org.au/preventing-bird-strike/#:%7E:text=Why%20do%20birds%20collide%20with,help%20solve%20this%20problem%20too.">reduce the risk</a> by using <a href="https://store.birdlife.org.au/product/anti-collision-bird-stickers/">decals</a> which are decorative stickers intended <a href="https://www.sureguard.com.au/page/birds-eye-view-window-strike-deflector">for windows</a>. Screens, hanging plants or mobiles can also be placed in front of windows to help the birds avoid collisions. <h2>5. Create an inclusive garden</h2> The diversity in Australian birds extends to their diets. Beyond honeyeaters, the nation is home to huge numbers of insectivores, carnivores, seed-eaters and fruit peckers. Australian gardens typically have plenty of bottlebrush and grevilleas, which <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2004.06.004">stacks the deck in the bold honeyeaters’ favour</a>. So when buying new garden plants, try catering for a wider variety of bird species. Choose dense shrubs with small white, yellow or blue flowers to attract insects. These bushy plants also make excellent habitat for small birds. Retaining trees ensures our larger birds have nesting sites too. If you get the garden design right, with a variety of plants to suit all tastes, there is <a href="https://birdlife.org.au/a-guide-to-feeding-wild-birds-in-australia/?srsltid=AfmBOooHbf9Du1CarsSg044tVUVFxfBdopOwrOmELrQWcCSdwfKv432v">no need to feed the birds</a>. <h2>6. Encourage insects</h2> <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-11-09/blue-banded-bee-australian-insect-of-the-year-inaugral-vote/104572938">Native bees</a> and flies play a crucial role in ecosystems, both as pollinators and food for birds. You can provide insects with nesting habitat in the form of insect “hotels”, food (namely flowers and other insects) and safety from pesticides. These <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2015.05.003">small gestures can make a huge difference</a>. <h2>7. Water the birds too</h2> With the <a href="https://climatekids.nasa.gov/heat-islands/">urban heat island</a> effect and growing frequency of extreme heat waves, birds are in need of reliable sources of fresh water. Offer this <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11252-024-01530-4">crucial resource</a> in a water feature such as a bird bath or pond. <h2>Whole neighbourhoods for birds</h2> Your garden has never been more important for birds. Doing your bit in your own backyard can make a visible difference – you will see the birds for yourself. But true conservation gains can only be made when people work together at a larger scale. Why not start a conversation with your neighbour about attracting birds to your garden? Creating one garden for birds is great, but when we start talking about whole neighbourhoods for birds, that’s magic!<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/247561/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rochelle-steven-22148">Rochelle Steven</a>, Lecturer in Environmental Management, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/murdoch-university-746">Murdoch University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/david-newsome-117672">David Newsome</a>, Assoc. Professor of Environmental Science, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/murdoch-university-746">Murdoch University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/from-securing-pets-to-building-insect-hotels-here-are-7-ways-to-attract-birds-to-your-garden-247561">original article</a>. </div>

Home & Garden

From the bed sheets to the TV remote, a microbiologist reveals the shocking truth about dirt and germs in hotel rooms

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/primrose-freestone-315921">Primrose Freestone</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-leicester-1053">University of Leicester</a> For most of us, staying in a hotel room is either something of a necessity – think business travel – or something to look forward to as part of a holiday or wider excursion. But what if I told you there’s a large chance your hotel room, despite how it might appear to the naked eye, <a href="https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/922575">isn’t that clean</a>. And even if it’s an expensive room, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s any less dirty. Indeed, whoever has stayed in your room prior to you will have deposited bacteria, fungi and viruses all over the furniture, carpets, curtains and surfaces. What remains of these germ deposits depends on how efficiently your <a href="http://www.europeancleaningjournal.com/magazine/articles/european-reports/bacteria-that-breed-in-hotel-rooms">room is cleaned</a> by <a href="https://www.today.com/money/hotel-maids-how-much-how-little-do-they-really-clean-1D80287464">hotel staff</a>. And let’s face it, what is considered clean by a hotel might be different to <a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/dirty-spots-in-hotel-rooms_n_5ae09906e4b061c0bfa4356d">what you consider clean</a>. Typically, assessment of hotel room cleanliness is based on <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/26330308">sight and smell observations</a> –- not on the invisible microbiology of the space, which is where the infection risks reside. So let’s take a deep dive into the world of germs, bugs and viruses to find out what might be lurking where. <h2>It starts at the lift</h2> Before you even enter your room, think of the hotel lift buttons as germ hotspots. They are being pressed all the time by many different people, which can transfer microorganisms onto the button surface, as well back onto the presser’s fingers. Communal door handles can be similar in terms of germ presence unless sanitised regularly. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25005587/">Wash your hands</a> or use a hand sanitiser after using a handle before you next touch your face or eat or drink. The most common <a href="https://www.rd.com/list/ways-your-hotel-room-could-be-making-you-sick/">infections people pick up</a> from hotel rooms are tummy bugs – diarrhoea and vomiting – along with <a href="https://www.everydayhealth.com/cold-and-flu/surprising-ways-hotels-can-make-you-sick.aspx">respiratory viruses</a>, such as colds and pneumonia, as well as <a href="https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/28/3/21-2318_article?ACSTrackingID=USCDC_333-DM72795&ACSTrackingLabel=Latest%20Expedited%20Articles%20-%20Emerging%20Infectious%20Diseases%20Journal%20-%20December%2029%2C%202021&deliveryName=USCDC_333-DM72795">COVID-19</a>, of course. <a href="https://ami-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jam.15121">Toilets and bathrooms</a> tend to be cleaned more thoroughly than the rest of a hotel room and are often the least bacteriologically colonised environments. Though if the drinking glass in the bathroom is not disposable, wash it before use (body wash or shampoo are effective dishwashers), as you can never be sure if they’ve been cleaned properly. Bathroom door handles may also be colonised by pathogens from unwashed hands or dirty washcloths. <h2>Beware the remote</h2> The bed, sheets and pillows can also be home to some unwanted visitors. <a href="https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/26/9/20-1435_article">A 2020 study</a> found that after a pre-symptomatic COVID-19 patient occupied a hotel room there was significant viral contamination of many surfaces, with levels being particularly high within the sheets, pillow case and quilt cover. While <a href="https://www.rd.com/list/dirty-hotel-room/">sheets and pillowcases</a> may be more likely to be changed between occupants, bedspreads may not, meaning these fabrics may become invisible reservoirs for pathogens – <a href="https://www.indy100.com/science-tech/beds-more-germs-than-toilet">as much as a toilet seat</a>. Though in <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/travel/17444370/hotel-sheets-clean-changed-dirty/">some cases</a> <a href="https://www.insideedition.com/investigation-finds-sheets-werent-changed-between-guests-at-some-new-york-hotels-60419">sheets</a> <a href="https://www.frommers.com/tips/health-and-travel-insurance/hotels-dont-always-change-the-sheets-between-guests#:%7E:text=Sheets%20are%20usually%20changed%20between,they%20aren't%20washed%20regularly.">aren’t always changed between guests</a>, so it may be better to just bring your own. Less thought about is what lives on the hotel room desk, bedside table, telephone, kettle, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/srep17163?utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=commission_junction&utm_campaign=CONR_PF018_ECOM_GL_PHSS_ALWYS_DEEPLINK&utm_content=textlink&utm_term=PID100087244&CJEVENT=7cf55981c74311ed82a0034b0a18ba73">coffee machine</a>, light switch or <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hotel-room-tests-uncover-high-levels-of-contamination-1.1160859">TV remote</a> – as these surfaces aren’t always sanitised between occupancies. Viruses such as the <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/travel/17444370/hotel-sheets-clean-changed-dirty/">norovirus can live</a> in an infectious form for days on hard surfaces, as can COVID-19 – and the typical time interval between room changeovers is often less than 12 hours. Soft fabric furnishings such as cushions, chairs, curtains and blinds are also difficult to clean and may not be sanitised other than to remove stains between guests, so washing your hands after touching them might be a good idea. <h2>Uninvited guests</h2> If all those germs and dirty surfaces aren’t enough to contend with, there are also bedbugs to think about. These bloodsucking insects are experts at secreting themselves into narrow, small spaces, remaining dormant without feeding for months. Small spaces include the cracks and crevices of luggage, mattresses and bedding. <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/bedbugs/faqs.html">Bed bugs</a> are widespread throughout Europe, Africa, the US and Asia – and are <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0278431920301201">often found in hotels</a>. And just because a room looks and smells clean, doesn’t mean there may not be bed bugs lurking. Fortunately, <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/bedbugs/">bed bug bites</a> are unlikely to give you a transmissible disease, but the bite areas can become inflamed and infected. For the detection of bedbugs, reddish skin bites and blood spots on sheets are signs of an active infestation (use an antiseptic cream on the bites). Other signs can be found on your mattress, behind the headboard and inside drawers and the wardrobe: brown spots could be remains of faeces, bed bug skins are brownish-silvery looking and live bed bugs are brown coloured and typically one to seven millimetres in length. Inform the hotel if you think there are bed bugs in your room. And to avoid taking them with you when you checkout, carefully clean your luggage and clothes before opening them at home. As higher-status hotels tend to have more frequent room usage, a more expensive room at a five-star hotel does not necessarily mean greater cleanliness, as room cleaning costs reduce profit margins. So wherever you’re staying, take with you a pack of antiseptic wipes and use them on the hard surfaces in your hotel room. Also, wash or sanitise your hands often – especially before you eat or drink anything. And take slippers or thick socks with you so you can avoid walking barefoot on hotel carpets – known to be another <a href="https://www.rd.com/list/dirty-hotel-room/">dirt hotspot</a>. And after all that, enjoy your stay.<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/202195/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/primrose-freestone-315921">Primrose Freestone</a>, Senior Lecturer in Clinical Microbiology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-leicester-1053">University of Leicester</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/from-the-bed-sheets-to-the-tv-remote-a-microbiologist-reveals-the-shocking-truth-about-dirt-and-germs-in-hotel-rooms-202195">original article</a>. </div>

Travel Trouble

Holiday budgeting tips for over-60s: Expert advice for a stress-free season

<div> The festive season is a time for joy, but it can sometimes also bring a little extra financial stress. With the rising cost of essentials, many Aussies in retirement might be feeling the pinch. And it’s not your imagination – recent <a title="https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/___https:/nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.superannuation.asn.au%2Fmedia-release%2Frising-insurance-premiums-add-strain-to-retirees-finances-says-super-peak-body%2F*23%3A~%3Atext%3DThe%2520latest%2520figures%2520from%2520ASFA%2Cover%2520the%2520last%252012%2520months.&data=05%7C02%7Cdardisa%40we-worldwide.com%7C3306a1dfb9de4e30dd3b08dcfecff5e5%7C3ed60ab455674971a5341a5f0f7cc7f5%7C0%7C0%7C638665416381860501%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=3ePPI8b1SEXOATgcY6vYWJRi8gBzZHv0jM1dgqkIoUI%3D&reserved=0___.YzJ1OndlY29tbXVuaWNhdGlvbnM6YzpvOmMyMDk4YTI2ZGE5OWUzY2FhZWQ2Nzc5ZTg1YWM0OGJiOjY6YjM1NDo4YTdiNGQ5MTcwZjBhYzgwNzI4ZDVmYTlhNTA0OWVhYThkZTU0NWJhN2FhZDgzZGQ2MGQ1ZjZiYWU5MTc3MGI1OnA6VDpG" href="https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/___https:/nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.superannuation.asn.au%2Fmedia-release%2Frising-insurance-premiums-add-strain-to-retirees-finances-says-super-peak-body%2F*23%3A~%3Atext%3DThe%2520latest%2520figures%2520from%2520ASFA%2Cover%2520the%2520last%252012%2520months.&data=05%7C02%7Cdardisa%40we-worldwide.com%7C3306a1dfb9de4e30dd3b08dcfecff5e5%7C3ed60ab455674971a5341a5f0f7cc7f5%7C0%7C0%7C638665416381860501%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=3ePPI8b1SEXOATgcY6vYWJRi8gBzZHv0jM1dgqkIoUI%3D&reserved=0___.YzJ1OndlY29tbXVuaWNhdGlvbnM6YzpvOmMyMDk4YTI2ZGE5OWUzY2FhZWQ2Nzc5ZTg1YWM0OGJiOjY6YjM1NDo4YTdiNGQ5MTcwZjBhYzgwNzI4ZDVmYTlhNTA0OWVhYThkZTU0NWJhN2FhZDgzZGQ2MGQ1ZjZiYWU5MTc3MGI1OnA6VDpG" data-auth="Verified" data-outlook-id="1a0a0a08-2e36-4601-a0a3-f9c8bb379afe">data</a> from the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) reveals that the cost of maintaining a comfortable retirement has increased by 3.7% in the last year. For those in retirement, managing holiday spending can help ensure a stress-free festive season. </div> <div> Toby Perkins, a Certified Financial Planner® at industry superfund NGS Super, shares his helpful tips to ensure retirees manage their budgets during the holidays. </div> 1. Avoid personal debt <div> Credit cards and overdrafts may seem like quick solutions, but they often lead to high-interest debt. "If you need extra funds for the festive season, it might be worth considering options like your superannuation income stream instead," advises Toby. Avoiding extra debt may help you to maintain your financial stability in the long run and help set you up for a stress-free Christmas next year. </div> 2. Plan ahead: Budget for the entire year <div> Although it may be too late to adjust your budget for this holiday season, now is a good time to start planning for next Christmas. "Incorporating holiday spending into an annual budget can prevent financial strain in December," Toby suggests. By tracking your expenses throughout the year, you can identify potential savings and plan for any extra costs, such as gifts and travel. </div> 3. Review government entitlements <div> It’s important for you to ensure you are receiving the correct government entitlements. "If you’re receiving the Age Pension, make sure all your details are up to date," Toby advises. Even if you're not eligible for the Age Pension, you may qualify for the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card or state-based Seniors Cards, which can help reduce costs on health care, transport, and other services. For more information, visit <a title="https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/___https:/www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/most-useful-information-for-retirement-years___.YzJ1OndlY29tbXVuaWNhdGlvbnM6YzpvOmMyMDk4YTI2ZGE5OWUzY2FhZWQ2Nzc5ZTg1YWM0OGJiOjY6Y2YwMTo3YWJkZWYyYTY5NjAwZTQ5YjczNWQwMGY2ZjZmN2RhNzY5MzJjYWJkMmYyNWM5ZTkzODg4NTJlZDc3MmIwZGI1OnA6VDpG" href="https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/___https:/www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/most-useful-information-for-retirement-years___.YzJ1OndlY29tbXVuaWNhdGlvbnM6YzpvOmMyMDk4YTI2ZGE5OWUzY2FhZWQ2Nzc5ZTg1YWM0OGJiOjY6Y2YwMTo3YWJkZWYyYTY5NjAwZTQ5YjczNWQwMGY2ZjZmN2RhNzY5MzJjYWJkMmYyNWM5ZTkzODg4NTJlZDc3MmIwZGI1OnA6VDpG" data-auth="Verified" data-outlook-id="0b03c4dc-e32a-4f0f-adaf-6d20058cd703">the Services Australia website.</a> </div> 4. Stay vigilant about financial security <div> There are two reasons to closely track your spending throughout the holiday season: 1. To ensure you stay within budget, and 2. To ensure you don't fall victim to financial scams. The holiday season can be a prime time for financial scams, so be cautious when making purchases online. </div> 5. Prepare for post-holiday financial health <div> After the holidays, plan to set aside some money for future expenses or to replenish your savings. A bit of post-holiday planning will help you avoid financial stress in the months ahead - and even get you set up for next Christmas. </div> 6. Travel smart: Plan off-peak <div> Travel can be one of the biggest holiday expenses, especially if it coincides with peak Christmas and school holiday periods. Toby recommends traveling outside of these busy times to save money. "Off-peak travel can significantly reduce costs and make your holiday dollar stretch further," he says. Consider planning trips in advance to secure better deals. </div> <div> Planning ahead, managing debt, and reviewing entitlements can help you enjoy the festive season without financial stress. As Toby puts it, "Smart budgeting today helps ensure a more comfortable retirement tomorrow." </div> <div> For those seeking personalised advice, NGS Super’s team of financial planners is here to help guide you to a secure and joyful future. Read the <a title="https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/r01/___https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/___https:/www.ngssuper.com.au/files/documents/financial-services-guide.pdf___.YzJ1OndlY29tbXVuaWNhdGlvbnM6YzpvOmMyMDk4YTI2ZGE5OWUzY2FhZWQ2Nzc5ZTg1YWM0OGJiOjY6MDk5ZToxNWJlNDQ0ODUwMWZmYzczYmUzZDY5N2NkNWFmY2M4ZTM0M2I5ZDQyNTI5ZGIwNjdjMDUxZDViY2E1YWRmYWFhOnA6VDpGHYPERLINK___.YzJ1OndlY29tbXVuaWNhdGlvbnM6YzpvOmM0OTdjMzdkZjcxOGIxNDQxYjdiMzQxMzA0NTcyMzc4Ojc6ZDgzMDowMTA3N2IxNTZmN2JhZDAzOTM5MDc4ODZjM2Y4NTUzYTkwNWE4ZDAxYmJhMmIxMTc0OWZjNjhmNmM5ODNlNzYyOmg6VDpG" href="https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/r01/___https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/___https:/www.ngssuper.com.au/files/documents/financial-services-guide.pdf___.YzJ1OndlY29tbXVuaWNhdGlvbnM6YzpvOmMyMDk4YTI2ZGE5OWUzY2FhZWQ2Nzc5ZTg1YWM0OGJiOjY6MDk5ZToxNWJlNDQ0ODUwMWZmYzczYmUzZDY5N2NkNWFmY2M4ZTM0M2I5ZDQyNTI5ZGIwNjdjMDUxZDViY2E1YWRmYWFhOnA6VDpGHYPERLINK___.YzJ1OndlY29tbXVuaWNhdGlvbnM6YzpvOmM0OTdjMzdkZjcxOGIxNDQxYjdiMzQxMzA0NTcyMzc4Ojc6ZDgzMDowMTA3N2IxNTZmN2JhZDAzOTM5MDc4ODZjM2Y4NTUzYTkwNWE4ZDAxYmJhMmIxMTc0OWZjNjhmNmM5ODNlNzYyOmg6VDpG" data-auth="Verified" data-outlook-id="c4bb4623-ec0a-4e3a-a747-7bf0d2f5659b">NGS Financial Planning Financial Services Guide</a>. </div> <div> For further information, visit NGS Super’s <a title="https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/___https:/www.ngssuper.com.au/articles/news/whats-foro-what-can-you-do-about-it___.YzJ1OndlY29tbXVuaWNhdGlvbnM6YzpvOmMyMDk4YTI2ZGE5OWUzY2FhZWQ2Nzc5ZTg1YWM0OGJiOjY6YzlhNDphZGM4Y2Q1YTFlZmQyNjExMGQ4ZDJmYWM3Y2IyOWMxM2FiNjE2MDMwMDc3YjA5ODE5OTY0NjQyYmZkNWE2NGM1OnA6VDpG" href="https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/___https:/www.ngssuper.com.au/articles/news/whats-foro-what-can-you-do-about-it___.YzJ1OndlY29tbXVuaWNhdGlvbnM6YzpvOmMyMDk4YTI2ZGE5OWUzY2FhZWQ2Nzc5ZTg1YWM0OGJiOjY6YzlhNDphZGM4Y2Q1YTFlZmQyNjExMGQ4ZDJmYWM3Y2IyOWMxM2FiNjE2MDMwMDc3YjA5ODE5OTY0NjQyYmZkNWE2NGM1OnA6VDpG" data-auth="Verified" data-outlook-id="7c65864b-3f33-43bc-9037-cc1e7ca1acc0">website</a>. </div> <div> Toby Perkins is authorised to provide financial advice in Australia and is an Authorised Representative (Number 1002908) of Guideway Financial Services Pty Ltd, AFSL Number 420367. Any advice given in this article is general and does not consider your financial situation, needs or objectives so consider whether it is appropriate for you. Be sure to read the relevant PDS and TMD before deciding whether a financial product is right for you. Image credits: Shutterstock </div> <div> </div>

Travel Tips

Readers response: What was the worst hotel experience you had?

We asked our readers to share their stories of the worst hotel experience that have endured while on holiday, and the response was overwhelming. Here's what they said. Deedee Cullum - At a 5 star in Beijing. Arrived from the airport after 1am. Let into the room to find it occupied with someone having a bath. Instead of changing our room we waited in the lobby for 1 and 1/2 hours while they changed to the correct room and cleaned ours. The wet towels were neatly folded on the towel rack and the used soap was on the basin. When I turned the bedside light on I got a shock. To be fair management were most apologetic and gave us free dining in their top restaurant for the 4 days we were there. It was a few years ago but never forgotten. Bruce Hopkins - I stopped at a Hotel in Hobart, arrived in the afternoon, checked out the next day, the whole time I stopped there, I never saw anyone on reception or any staff at all. Creepiest hotel I stayed in. Carol Henwood - When we went to have a shower, and the towels disintegrated! The shower had black mould in all the corners. The carpet was so sticky, we kept our shoes on. We slept on top of the bed as the sheets were crumpled and smelly. What a night. Sheila Kell - When my eldest son was about 2 years old we took a holiday to Shute Harbour in QLD and in middle of night we heard lots of scratching so turned on light and sat up in bed and there were hundreds of field mice crawling up walls and back of bed. They apparently were having a plague, but we dressed and left. Couldn't sleep in that motel. Christine Warner - A country pub only option one night. Our room has no lock on the door, and there were gaps in the floorboards so we could see straight down to the bar where it was very noisy. We had already been warned of people breaking in to hotel and motel rooms in that region, so we slept in the car and returned to the room in the morning for a shower. Helen Wilson - In Singapore, they gave us a “free” breakfast while someone rummaged through our belongings and took stuff. Image credits: Shutterstock

Travel Trouble

Bindi Irwin's glam hotel receives huge award

A Queensland hotel owned by Bindi Irwin has been named the World's Best Nature Hotel for 2024. The Crocodile Hunter Lodge, located in Beerwah on the Sunshine Coast, was given the honour at the Boutique Hotel Club Awards, which features the finest boutique hotels from across the world. Winners were announced across 18 categories, with 500-vetted nominees from 80 countries globally. The Crocodile Hunter Lodge is named after Bindi's father, the late Steve Irwin, who as known as the original Crocodile hunter capturing the attention of audiences worldwide. Judges commented that the property "really feels like you're entering into relaxation mode." Speaking of the huge win, Bindi said she and her team were "honoured" to receive the recognition for their commitment to an exceptional guest experience. "These awards showcase our dedication to providing extraordinary accommodation at The Crocodile Hunter Lodge, where guests can immerse themselves in the natural world, allowing them to reconnect with nature and one another," she said. The Boutique Hotel Club's panel of experts hand-picked a selection of destinations all around the world. They quality test over 400 gold standards of hospitality excellence to find exceptional stays. The title of the World's Best Boutique Hotel went to Akademie Street Boutique Hotel in Franschhoek, South Africa. Images: Nine/ Bindi Irwin

Domestic Travel

Hotel booking sites actually make it hard to get cheap deals, but there’s a way around it

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><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> Booking a place to stay on holidays has become a reflex action. The first thing many of us do is open a site such as <a href="https://www.wotif.com/">Wotif</a>, <a href="https://au.hotels.com/?locale=en_AU">Hotels.com</a> or <a href="https://www.trivago.com.au/">trivago</a> (all of which are these days owned by the US firm <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/accc-will-not-oppose-expedia%E2%80%99s-proposed-acquisition-of-wotif">Expedia</a>), or their only big competitor, <a href="https://www.booking.com/">Booking.com</a> from the Netherlands. Checking what rooms are available – anywhere – is wonderfully easy, as is booking, at what usually seems to be the lowest available price. But Australia’s Assistant Competition Minister Andrew Leigh is concerned there might be a reason the price seems to be the lowest available. It might be an <a href="https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/andrew-leigh-2022/media-releases/supporting-tourism-and-accommodation-providers-set-their">agreement not to compete</a>, or the fear of reprisals against hotel owners who offer better prices. <h2>Agreements to not compete</h2> Leigh has asked the treasury to investigate, and if that’s what it finds, it may be the booking sites have the perverse effect of keeping prices high, especially when the substantial fees they charge hotels are taken into account. For now, the treasury is seeking information. It has set a deadline of <a href="https://treasury.gov.au/consultation/c2022-338978">January 6</a> for hotel operators and booking sites to tell it: <ul> <li> the typical fees charged by online booking platforms </li> <li> the details of any agreements not to compete on price </li> <li> whether hotels that try to compete get ranked lower on booking sites. </li> </ul> What’s likely to come out of it is a ban on so-called price-parity clauses that prevent discounting, or a ban on “algorithmic punishment,” whereby hotels that do discount get pushed way down the rankings on the sites. But in the meantime, there are things we can do to get better prices, and they’ll help more broadly, as I’ll explain. <h2>Flight Centre precedent</h2> <figure class="align-right zoomable"></figure> Back in 2018, in a case that went all the way to the High Court, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) forced <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/flight-centre-ordered-to-pay-125-million-in-penalties">Flight Centre</a> to pay a penalty of A$12.5 million for attempting to induce airlines not to undercut it on ticket prices. That the ACCC eventually won the case might be an indication price-parity clauses are already illegal under Australian law. But it’s a difficult law to enforce. This is why the treasury is considering special legislation of the kind in force in France, Austria, Italy and Belgium. The ACCC has known for some time that Expedia and Booking.com have included clauses in their contracts preventing hotels offering the same room for any less than they do, even directly. Rather than take the big two to court, in 2016 the ACCC “reached agreement” with them to delete the clauses that prevented hotels offering better deals <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/expedia-and-bookingcom-agree-to-reinvigorate-price-competition-by-amending-contracts-with-australian-hotels">face-to-face</a>. <h2>The concession that conceded little</h2> From then on, hotels were able to offer better deals than the sites over the phone or in person, but not on their own websites. Given we are less and less likely to walk in off the street or even use the phone to book a hotel, it wasn’t much of a concession. Then, in 2019, with the Commission under renewed pressure from hotel owners for another investigation, Expedia (but not Booking.com) reportedly <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/business-advice/competition/expedia-allow-hotels-undercut-prices-online/">waived</a> the rest of the clauses, giving hotel owners the apparent freedom to advertise cheaper prices wherever they liked including on their own sites without fear of retribution. Except several appear to fear retribution, and very few seem to have jumped at the opportunity. <h2>Algorithmic punishment</h2> An Expedia spokesman gave an indication of what might be in store when he was quoted as saying a hotel that undercut Expedia might “find itself ranked <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/business-advice/competition/expedia-allow-hotels-undercut-prices-online/">below its competitors</a>, just as it would if it had worse reviews or fewer high-quality pictures of its property”. Being ranked at the bottom of a site is much the same as not being ranked at all, something Leigh refers to as “algorithmic punishment”. It’s not at all clear the present law prevents it, which is why Leigh is open to the idea of legislating against it. Although you and I may not often think about what hotels are paying to be booked through sites such as Wotif and Booking.com, and although what’s charged to the hotel isn’t publicised, it appeard to be a large chunk of the cost of providing the room. One figure quoted is <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/industries/tourism/online-travel-booking-fed-up-small-businesses-call-accc-action/">20%</a>. Leigh says hotel owners have told him the fees are in the “<a href="https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/andrew-leigh-2022/transcripts/interview-geraldine-doogue-abc-saturday-extra">double digits</a>”, something he says is quite a lot when you consider the sites don’t need to clean the toilets, change the sheets or help on the front desk. <h2>‘Chokepoint capitalism’</h2> What this seems to mean (the treasury will find out) is almost all bookings are more expensive than they need to be because firms that sit at the “<a href="https://theconversation.com/chokepoint-capitalism-why-well-all-lose-unless-we-stop-amazon-spotify-and-other-platforms-squeezing-cash-from-creators-194069">chokepoint</a>” between buyers and sellers are squeezing sellers. A hotel could always abandon the sites and offer much cheaper prices, but for a while – perhaps forever – it will be much harder to find. In their defence, the operators of the platforms might say they need to get the best offers from hotels in order to make it worthwhile for the operators to invest in their sites, an argument the treasury is inviting them to put. In the meantime, with some hotels reluctant to put their best rates on their websites, but with them perfectly able to offer better rates over the phone, there’s a fairly simple way we can all get a better deal – and help fix the broader problem by weight of numbers. If we look up the best deal wherever we want online, and then phone and ask for a better one (or a better room), we might well find we get it. We might be saving the owner a lot of money. Leigh reckons the more we do ring up, the more the sites might feel pressure to discount their own fees, helping bring prices down even before he starts to think about writing legislation.<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/196460/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <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> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/hotel-booking-sites-actually-make-it-hard-to-get-cheap-deals-but-theres-a-way-around-it-196460">original article</a>. </div>

Travel Trouble

Anthony Albanese under fire over free Qantas upgrades

A journalist's new book has claimed that Anthony Albanese has been scoring free flight upgrades with Qantas for over 15 years. According to AFR journalist Joe Aston's new book The Chairman’s Lounge, the PM and his family received upgrades from Qantas over his time as Transportation Minister and Opposition Leader between the years of 2007 and 2019. Aston's investigation allegedly found that Albanese had used his relationship with former Qantas CEO Alan Joyce to secure free upgrades to business and first-class flights on at least 22 occasions. “According to Qantas insiders, Albanese would liaise with Joyce directly about his personal travel,” Aston wrote. Albanese has defended these upgrades by stating they were all “declared as appropriate”, saying, “From time to time, members of parliament receive upgrades. What’s important is that they are declared. All of mine have been declared." “I note that a range of them go back a long, a long period of time and that they have all been declared as appropriate.” Despite claiming that the upgrades were all above board, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton called the perks “a bit strange.” “I think it is a bit strange that Mr Albanese is contacting the CEO of an airline when he is the shadow minister or minister for transport,” said Dutton. “I very strongly believe in the need for people to declare their interests, and sometimes there are oversight and human error involved, but when you’re talking about having a personal phone call to ask for an upgrade, as the transport minister or shadow transport minister, then I presume the prime minister will answer questions about that.” Image credits: Shutterstock/LUKAS COCH/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Editorial

Travel Trouble

Millions of Aussies eligible for free holidays

Millions of Australians are set to be eligible for free holidays under a new initiative by the Victorian government in an attempt to ease cost-of-living pressures. From December, any Aussies wishing to embark on a camping trip in Victoria will have all their booking fees waived. Camping will be free at all 131 of Parks Victoria’s paid campgrounds from December 1st 2024, until June 30th 2025, saving families an estimated $7.3 million in booking fees, according to the state government. Those who have already booked a camping trip before the promotion's commencement date will still have the offer honoured, with full refunds available online. Premier Jacinta Allan said in the lead up to the festive season, every family deserves a holiday that won't break the bank. "Busy families deserve a great holiday in our great outdoors – and this summer, they can stay for free," she said. "I grew up camping with my family and those special memories have stayed with me forever." Each year, approximately 50 million people visit Victoria’s iconic state forests and national parks every year for activities including camping, hiking, fishing and hunting and four-wheel driving All bookings and refunds under the scheme can be made at <a href="https://www.parks.vic.gov.au" target="_blank" rel="noopener">parks.vic.gov.au</a>. Image credits: Parks Victoria

Domestic Travel

The Princess of Wales wants to stay cancer-free. What does this mean?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/amali-cooray-1482458">Amali Cooray</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/wehi-walter-and-eliza-hall-institute-of-medical-research-822">WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research) </a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/john-eddie-la-marca-1503690">John (Eddie) La Marca</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/wehi-walter-and-eliza-hall-institute-of-medical-research-822">WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research) </a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sarah-diepstraten-1495268">Sarah Diepstraten</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/wehi-walter-and-eliza-hall-institute-of-medical-research-822">WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research) </a> Catherine, Princess of Wales, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/article/2024/sep/09/princess-of-wales-cancer-free-after-completing-chemotherapy">has announced</a> she has now completed a course of preventive chemotherapy. The news comes nine months after the princess first <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-68641441">revealed</a> she was being treated for an unspecified form of cancer. In the new <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSrDEq8QFkc">video message</a> released by Kensington Palace, Princess Catherine says she’s focused on doing what she can to stay “cancer-free”. She acknowledges her cancer journey is not over and the “path to recovery and healing is long”. While we don’t know the details of the princess’s cancer or treatment, it raises some questions about how we declare someone fully clear of the disease. So what does being – and staying – “cancer-free” mean? <h2>What’s the difference between being cancer-free and in remission?</h2> Medically, “cancer-free” <a href="https://www.mdanderson.org/cancerwise/remission--cancer-free--no-evidence-of-disease--what-is-the-difference-when-talking-about-cancer-treatment-effectiveness-and-results.h00-159460845.html">means</a> two things. First, it means no cancer cells are able to be detected in a patient’s body using the available testing methods. Second, there is no cancer left in the patient. These might sound basically the same. But this second aspect of “cancer-free” can be complicated, as it’s essentially impossible to be sure no cancer cells have survived a treatment. It only takes a few surviving cells for the cancer to <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-does-cancer-spread-to-other-parts-of-the-body-219616">grow back</a>. But these cells may not be detectable via testing, and can lie dormant for some time. The possibility of some cells still surviving means it is more accurate to say a patient is “in remission”, rather than “cancer-free”. Remission means there is no detectable cancer left. Once a patient has been in remission for a certain period of time, they are often considered to be fully “cancer-free”. Princess Catherine was not necessarily speaking in the strict medical sense. Nonetheless, she is clearly signalling a promising step in her recovery. <h2>What happens during remission?</h2> During remission, patients will usually undergo surveillance testing to make sure their cancer hasn’t returned. Detection tests can vary greatly depending on both the patient and their cancer type. Many <a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/screening/screening-tests">tests</a> involve simply looking at different organs to see if there are cancer cells present, but at varying levels of complexity. Some cancers can be detected with the naked eye, such as skin cancers. In other cases, technology is needed: colonoscopies for colorectal cancers, X-ray mammograms for breast cancers, or CT scans for lung cancers. There are also molecular tests, which test for the presence of cancer cells using protein or DNA from blood or tissue samples. For most patients, testing will continue for years at regular intervals. Surveillance testing ensures any returning cancer is caught early, giving patients the best chance of successful treatment. Remaining in remission for five years can be a huge milestone in a patient’s cancer journey. For most types of cancer, the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31231898/">chances of cancer returning</a> drop significantly after five years of remission. After this point, surveillance testing may be performed less frequently, as the patients might be deemed to be at a lower risk of their cancer returning. <h2>Measuring survival rates</h2> Because it is very difficult to tell when a cancer is “cured”, clinicians may instead refer to a “five-year survival rate”. This measures how likely a cancer patient is to be alive five years after their diagnosis. For example, data shows the <a href="https://ncci.canceraustralia.gov.au/outcomes/relative-survival-rate/5-year-relative-survival-diagnosis">five-year survival rate</a> for <a href="https://cancer.org.au/cancer-information/types-of-cancer/bowel-cancer">bowel cancer</a> among Australian women (of all ages) is around 70%. That means if you had 100 patients with bowel cancer, after five years you would expect 70 to still be alive and 30 to have succumbed to the disease. These statistics can’t tell us much about individual cases. But comparing five-year survival rates between large groups of patients after different cancer treatments can help clinicians make the often complex decisions about how best to treat their patients. The likelihood of cancer coming back, or recurring, is influenced by many factors which can vary over time. For instance, approximately 30% of people with lung cancer <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7061059/">develop a recurrent disease</a>, even after treatment. On the other hand, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4933127/">breast cancer recurrence</a> within two years of the initial diagnosis is approximately 15%. Within five years it drops to 10%. After ten, it falls below 2%. These are generalisations though – recurrence rates can vary greatly depending on things such as what kind of cancer the patient has, how advanced it is, and whether it has spread. <h2>Staying cancer-free</h2> Princess Catherine <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/article/2024/sep/09/princess-of-wales-cancer-free-after-completing-chemotherapy">says</a> her focus now is to “stay cancer-free”. What might this involve? How a cancer develops and whether it recurs can be <a href="https://nature.com/articles/s41467-018-05467-z">influenced</a> by things we can’t control, such as age, ethnicity, gender, genetics and hormones. However, there are sometimes <a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/substances">environmental factors</a> we can control. That includes things like exposure to UV radiation from the sun, or inhaling carcinogens like tobacco. Lifestyle factors also play a role. Poor diet and nutrition, a lack of exercise and excessive alcohol consumption can all <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10925935">contribute to cancer development</a>. Research estimates more than half of all cancers could <a href="https://www.canceraustralia.gov.au/resources/position-statements/lifestyle-risk-factors-and-primary-prevention-cancer/recommendations">potentially be prevented</a> through <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/topics/cancer/screening-for-cancer">regular screening</a> and maintaining a healthy lifestyle (not to mention preventing other chronic conditions such as heart disease and diabetes). Recommendations to reduce cancer risk are the same for everyone, not just those who’ve had treatment like Princess Catherine. They include not smoking, eating a nutritious and balanced diet, exercising regularly, cutting down on alcohol and staying sun smart.<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/238681/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/amali-cooray-1482458">Amali Cooray</a>, PhD Candidate in Genetic Engineering and Cancer, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/wehi-walter-and-eliza-hall-institute-of-medical-research-822">WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research) </a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/john-eddie-la-marca-1503690">John (Eddie) La Marca</a>, Senior Research Officer, Blood Cells and Blood Cancer, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/wehi-walter-and-eliza-hall-institute-of-medical-research-822">WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research) </a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sarah-diepstraten-1495268">Sarah Diepstraten</a>, Senior Research Officer, Blood Cells and Blood Cancer Division, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/wehi-walter-and-eliza-hall-institute-of-medical-research-822">WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research)</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-princess-of-wales-wants-to-stay-cancer-free-what-does-this-mean-238681">original article</a>. </div>

Caring

Why is it so hard to cancel subscriptions or end ‘free’ trials? Report shows how companies trap you into paying

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/katharine-kemp-402096">Katharine Kemp</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a> Many businesses are trapping Australian consumers in paid subscriptions by making them hard to cancel, hiding important details and offering “free” trials that auto-renew with hefty charges. We need law reform to tackle this continuing problem. <a href="https://cprc.org.au/report/let-me-out">A new report</a> shows 75% of Australian consumers have had negative experiences when trying to cancel a subscription, according to the Consumer Policy Research Centre (CPRC). It shows businesses use “<a href="https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-spot-avoid-dark-patterns/">dark patterns</a>”, which are designs that hinder consumers who try to act in their own best interests. Subscription traps are often called “<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/blog/2022/11/checking-out-ftcs-100-million-settlement-vonage">Hotel California</a>” techniques, referring to The Eagles’ famous lyric: “you can check out any time you want, but you can never leave”. In some of these cases, consumers may have remedies under our existing consumer law, including for misleading conduct. But we need law reform to capture other <a href="https://treasury.gov.au/consultation/c2023-430458">unfair practices</a>. In the meantime, the CPRC’s research also gives examples of businesses with fair, consumer-friendly subscription practices. These also benefit the business. <h2>Examples of unfair subscription traps</h2> <a href="https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbesbusinessdevelopmentcouncil/2022/09/12/the-evolution-of-the-subscription-model-and-whats-on-the-horizon/">Subscription business models</a> have become common – many products are now provided in the form of software, an app or access to a website. Some of these would once have been a physical book, newspaper, CD or exercise class. Most people who use online services have experienced the frustration of finding a credit card charge for an unwanted, unused subscription or spending excessive time trying to cancel a subscription. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/615486/original/file-20240826-16-fp57es.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/615486/original/file-20240826-16-fp57es.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/615486/original/file-20240826-16-fp57es.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=643&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/615486/original/file-20240826-16-fp57es.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=643&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/615486/original/file-20240826-16-fp57es.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=643&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/615486/original/file-20240826-16-fp57es.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=808&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/615486/original/file-20240826-16-fp57es.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=808&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/615486/original/file-20240826-16-fp57es.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=808&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Infographic with a few statistics from the report." /></a><figcaption><a class="source" href="https://cprc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/CPRC_LetMeOut_SubsTraps_Report_FINAL.pdf">CPRC, Let me out – Subscription trap practices in Australia, August 2024</a></figcaption></figure> Businesses can make it difficult for consumers to stop paying for unwanted subscriptions. Some do this by allowing consumers to start a subscription with a single click, but creating multiple obstacles if you want to end the subscription. This can include obscuring cancellation options in the app, requiring consumers to phone during business hours or making them navigate through multiple steps and offers before terminating. The report points out many of the last-ditch discounts offered in this process are only short term. One survey respondent said: <blockquote> I wasn’t able to cancel without having to call up and speak to someone. Their business hours meant I had to call up during my work day and it took some time to action. </blockquote> Other businesses badger consumers with frequent emails or messages after they cancel. One respondent said a business made “the cancellation process impossible by making you call and then judging your reason for cancellation”. <h2>What does consumer law say?</h2> Some subscription traps already fall foul of the Australian Consumer Law and warrant investigation by the <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/accc-warns-consumers-to-beware-of-subscription-traps">Australian Competition & Consumer Commission</a> (ACCC). Consumers may have remedies where the business has engaged in misleading conduct or imposes an unfair contract term. For example, the ACCC is <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/accc-court-action-against-eharmony-for-alleged-misleading-online-dating-membership-statements#:%7E:text=The%20ACCC%20has%20today%20commenced%20proceedings%20in%20the,the%20pricing%2C%20renewal%20and%20duration%20of%20its%20memberships.">suing dating site eHarmony</a> for its allegedly misleading subscription practices. In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/06/ftc-takes-action-against-adobe-executives-hiding-fees-preventing-consumers-easily-cancelling">has filed a complaint against software company Adobe</a> for allegedly using dark patterns in its subscription practices. The Federal Trade Commission has alleged that “Adobe pushed consumers toward the ‘annual paid monthly’ subscription without adequately disclosing that cancelling the plan in the first year could cost hundreds of dollars”. Adobe <a href="https://news.adobe.com/news/news-details/2024/Adobes-Recent-Statement-Regarding-Updated-Federal-Trade-Commission-Complaint-/default.aspx">issued a statement</a> arguing the commission’s complaint “mischaracterises” its business. The litigation is ongoing. <h2>We need an unfair practices prohibition</h2> Some subscription traps would fall outside the existing consumer law. This is because they don’t meet the test for misleading conduct or unfair contract terms, but make it practically very difficult to cancel. The <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/accc-welcomes-consultation-on-possible-unfair-trading-practices-regulatory-reforms">ACCC has advocated</a> for Australia to follow other countries such as the United Kingdom and the United States to enact an unfair practices prohibition to capture conduct like this. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/615487/original/file-20240826-16-2j23h7.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/615487/original/file-20240826-16-2j23h7.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/615487/original/file-20240826-16-2j23h7.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=769&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/615487/original/file-20240826-16-2j23h7.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=769&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/615487/original/file-20240826-16-2j23h7.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=769&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/615487/original/file-20240826-16-2j23h7.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=966&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/615487/original/file-20240826-16-2j23h7.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=966&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/615487/original/file-20240826-16-2j23h7.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=966&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption>The shift businesses can make today. <a class="source" href="https://cprc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/CPRC_LetMeOut_SubsTraps_Report_FINAL.pdf">CPRC, Let me out – Subscription trap practices in Australia, August 2024</a></figcaption></figure> <h2>Better practices benefit businesses too</h2> The CPRC report also revealed that 90% of Australians would likely purchase from the same organisation if cancelling a subscription process was quick and simple. Businesses focused on a short-sighted cash grab fail to realise that consumers might cancel but later return if treated well. The CPRC highlights businesses that are doing a good job. For instance, the habit change app Atoms (based on James Clear’s book Atomic Habits) has a genuinely free trial. It doesn’t require credit card details, doesn’t auto-renew, and lets consumers know how many trial days remain. The CPRC says the charity World Vision doesn’t auto-renew annual sponsorships, but reminds supporters about when the sponsorship will lapse. Importantly, some businesses – such as Netflix – use their data for good in this context. They notice when users are paying for the service without using it and help them unsubscribe. These practices should be applauded. But we need an unfair practices prohibition for businesses who don’t follow suit and recognise the long-term benefits of treating customers fairly.<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/237236/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/katharine-kemp-402096">Katharine Kemp</a>, Associate Professor, Faculty of Law & Justice; Lead, UNSW Public Interest Law & Tech Initiative, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-is-it-so-hard-to-cancel-subscriptions-or-end-free-trials-report-shows-how-companies-trap-you-into-paying-237236">original article</a>. </div>

Money & Banking

Does free-to-air TV really need gambling ads to survive?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/andrew-hughes-2728">Andrew Hughes</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/australian-national-university-877">Australian National University</a> If anything is a sure bet right now, it’s corporate Australia’s willingness to use some variation of the “for society’s good” argument. The most recent example of this is the claim being made, including by federal minister <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/aug/13/gambling-ad-ban-labor-bill-shorten-tv-media-advertising-revenue">Bill Shorten</a>, that an outright ban on gambling advertising would be disastrous for free-to-air TV. To be clear, Labor still supports new restrictions on gambling advertisements, including hourly caps and bans during kids’ TV and during and around sports broadcasts. But it has rejected the idea of a total ban, prompting a <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/labor-mps-say-total-ban-is-the-only-way-on-gambling-ads-20240812-p5k1q0.html">backlash</a> extending as far as some of its own backbench MPs. Speaking on ABC’s Q&A on Monday night, Shorten said Australia’s free-to-air TV broadcasters were in “diabolical trouble”, with many needing gambling ad revenue “in order just to stay afloat”. “I’m not convinced that complete prohibition works,” he said. So would our commercial TV networks really fall over tomorrow without gambling ad revenue? Or is something else at play? <h2>Who is buying ads in Australia?</h2> Let’s start by building a bigger picture of where advertising spend more broadly comes from in Australia. Global analytics firm Nielsen regularly compiles <a href="https://www.nielsen.com/news-center/2024/top-20-categories-by-ad-spend-for-2023-revealed-in-latest-nielsen-ad-intel-report/#:%7E:text=Retail%20topped%20the%20list%20with,significant%20investment%20of%20%24596m.">top 20</a> lists of both the categories and individual companies spending the most on ads here. In 2023 the top category, retail, accounted for A$2.56 billion in advertising spend. Gambling and gaming, in contrast, represented just $239 million, less than a tenth of this figure. Harvey Norman topped the list of <a href="https://www.nielsen.com/news-center/2024/australias-top-20-highest-spending-advertisers-of-2023-revealed-in-latest-nielsen-ad-intel-report/">individual companies</a> in 2023. The first we see of any gambling brand is Sportsbet, which came in at 16th. For gambling companies, it’s fair to assume the lion’s share of this goes to TV. <a href="https://www.acma.gov.au/publications/2023-10/report/gambling-advertising-australia-placement-and-spending">Research</a> by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) found 68% of gambling companies’ ad spend went to free-to-air TV markets. As for the remainder, 9% went to radio, 15% to social media and 8% to other online platforms. <h2>How much is actually getting spent?</h2> But how do we estimate the gambling industry’s total annual advertising spend? There are certainly a lot of numbers getting thrown around. One <a href="https://www.afr.com/companies/media-and-marketing/tv-networks-to-demand-fee-relief-as-40m-wagering-hole-opens-up-20240804-p5jzav">source</a> put it at $300.5 million for 2022. More recently, ACMA published detailed figures for the period between May 2022 and April 2023 which put it at just over <a href="https://www.acma.gov.au/publications/2023-10/report/gambling-advertising-australia-placement-and-spending">$238 million</a>, with $162 million of this going to free-to-air TV networks. But the way advertising is classified – what defines an advertisement – can sometimes differ between agencies. Then there is the <a href="https://www.acma.gov.au/check-if-gambling-operator-legal#register-licensed-gambling">number of brands operating</a>, which is constantly changing. In a market with so many competitors, any new entrant needs to spend big on advertising just to capture enough market share to be viable. This is why I argue that the actual figure for financial year 2023 may be slightly higher than ACMA’s widely quoted figure, accounting for the big ad spend of new entrants that may have fallen outside the time window assessed. Based on average company ad spend as a percentage of revenue and the size of the gambling industry, I estimate it could be higher, in the ballpark of $275 million. <h2>How much is that to the networks?</h2> This exercise is all about putting these figures in context. Channel Seven, for example, brought in <a href="https://www.sevenwestmedia.com.au/assets/Uploads/Final-2023-Annual-Report.pdf">$1.5 billion in revenue in 2023</a>. Even if it had received the gambling industry’s entire ad spend at my higher estimate of $275 million, this would still only account for less than 20% of its annual turnover. If that money all went to TV ads, Channel Seven’s stated 38.5% share of television advertising revenue would put its revenue from the estimated sports betting advertising at about $106 million in this example, around 7% of its total annual revenue. Losing most of that would hurt, but wouldn’t mortally threaten the business. A total ban would most likely be <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-13/peta-murphy-left-online-gambling-legacy-why-isn-t-labor-adopting/104217328">phased in</a> over a number of years, not enacted overnight. Australia’s free-to-air networks would adapt, restrategise, and find and develop new markets to replace that revenue. Their management teams are far too smart to just shrug their shoulders and take a revenue hit on the corporate chin. <h2>Networks have had plenty of time to adapt</h2> Just a refresher. LinkedIn is now more than 20 years old. Facebook is 20. YouTube is 19. X (formerly known as Twitter) is 18. TikTok is seven. If free-to-air TV’s business model is so glacial it can’t function in the digital age, it probably doesn’t deserve to be operating in the big leagues. Digital is here and has been for a while now. The media industry has borne the brunt of this change, but has also had the most time to adapt to the disruptors, who are now more established oligopolies and duopolies than “cool start-ups” out of Silicon Valley. The argument that we need to protect sports gambling ads to protect the big media brands – has little to no basis. It’s a worn out argument we’ve seen time and time again – <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-the-push-to-end-tobacco-advertising-in-the-1970s-could-be-used-to-curb-gambling-ads-today-200915">big tobacco</a>, I’m looking at you. Protecting the interests of corporate Australia at the cost of society itself is a gamble none of us should be prepared to take.<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/236686/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/andrew-hughes-2728">Andrew Hughes</a>, Lecturer, Research School of Management, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/australian-national-university-877">Australian National University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/does-free-to-air-tv-really-need-gambling-ads-to-survive-236686">original article</a>. </div>

Money & Banking

Expert reveals why you shouldn’t use hotel hair dryers

An expert has shared why you should avoid using hair dryers that are provided in hotels. Many travellers rely on these handy devices that are often found in bathroom drawers in hotels, instead of packing your own hair dryer that can often take up valuable luggage space. However, trichologist Jacqui McIntosh, who focuses on diseases related to the scalp and hair, said travellers should avoid these appliances at all costs. According to the expert, there's a high chance there are bacteria and germs lurking inside the hair dryer that have been passed between hotel guests. "Using a hairdryer riddled with bacteria and germs does pose health risks and can be detrimental to your hair health," she told The Mirror. McIntosh says when the microorganisms inside a hairdryer make their way onto your hair and scalp, "they can spark infections and irritations, disrupting your hair follicles and slowing down healthy growth." Even without the worry of bacteria and germs, there's a chance of dust and mould lurking inside the appliance, which she says are "troublemakers for your scalp". "Neglected hair dryers are time bombs waiting to go off. Debris buildup inside the device spells overheating, increasing the risk of singeing your hair or scalp," she explained. McIntosh also clarified that, as pointed out in a 2009 study, hairdryers are one of the handful of items that are missed by hotel cleaning staff, so next time you’re staying in a hotel, probably best to bring your own hair dryer. Image credits: Shutterstock

Travel Trouble

Why Greg Lynn could walk free from prison

Greg Lynn has applied to be freed from jail until his sentencing hearing over the murder of Carol Clay. The former Jetstar pilot, who was found guilty of murdering the 73-year-old while she was camping with her secret partner Russell Hill in March 2020, is appealing the guilty verdict which the jury came to after a weeks-long trial in June. The 57-year old appeared in the Supreme Court of Victoria on Friday where Justice Michael Croucher heard the convicted killer had been the victim of prison attacks during his six-week trial. The court heard Lynn's barrister Dermot Dann KC is in the process of compiling submissions calling on Justice Croucher to hold of on sentencing his client until an appeal over his conviction can be heard by the Court of Appeal. If granted, the "stay" of sentence could allow Lynn to apply for bail while his appeal goes through the court. The court also heard that Lynn had been placed in isolation within the Metropolitan Remand Prison for his own safety since the guilty verdict was read, but now fears he will be targeted by inmates at whatever prison he ultimately ends up in. Mr Dann said a successful appeal could result in Lynn being set free altogether without the possibility of a re-trial, due to doubts over whether he could obtain a fair trial because of the significant publicity surrounding the case and the murder conviction. "The chances of a fair re-trial are non-existent," Mr Dann said. The experienced barrister said any potential jurors would have been "polluted or poisoned" by the "inadmissible evidence" that has "flooded" news sites since the guilty verdict was delivered. The court heard Mr Dann believed his client had multiple reasons to push for an appeal over his verdict, including the "unfair" way in which he claimed the Office of Public Prosecutions carried out the trial. Mr Dann reiterated to the court that his client has always maintained his innocence, saying, "He maintains that he's never killed any person at any time, at any place, anywhere, ever." <div data-component="EmphasisedText"> "The long-term future of that guilty verdict must be seen as being in grave doubt." The case was adjourned until a pre-sentence hearing on September 12th. Image credits: Facebook </div>

Legal

Optus giving away 20,000 free phones to vulnerable customers

Optus will be giving away 20,000 mobile phones to vulnerable customers ahead of the 3G network shut down. Following the footsteps of Telstra, who gave out <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/money-banking/telstra-giving-free-phones-to-elderly-and-remote" target="_blank" rel="noopener">12,000 mobile phones</a> to their most vulnerable remote and elderly customers last month, Optus will offer thousands of free mobile phones to customers enduring financial hardship and vulnerable customers finding it difficult to replace their current phones. “We know that many impacted customers are actually using a 4G handset that reverts to 3G for calls, so it’s vital these customers understand the importance of upgrading their handsets when notified,” Optus’ head of new products Harvey Wright said. Messages have been sent to eligible customers, and the telco giant has also rolled out special deals encouraging Australian's to upgrade. The move to switch off 3G means that soon certain mobile devices will no longer be able to send texts, make calls, or contact triple-0 in an emergency. A few older 4G handsets will also be affected. Telstra will turn off their 3G network on August 31, while Optus will turn it off on September 1. TPG Telecom and Vodafone have already turned it off. Australia's mobile network operators say that the move will help boost the capacity, speed and reliability of the newer 4G and 5G networks. The Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association (AMTA) have also urged customers to take action to ensure that they stay connected. “Whether it’s your day-to-day mobile or one you keep in the drawer for an emergency, we encourage you to check all of your devices to ensure they will be supported once Australia’s 3G networks are switched off,” AMTA chief executive Louise Hyland said. The AMTA suggests that concerned customers should visit their <a href="https://amta.org.au/3g-closure/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a> to find out if their devices will be supported. “It is important to note that while 3G networks are still in operation, those affected mobile devices will continue to connect to any available 3G network while in coverage, to make emergency calls to triple-0,” Hyland said. “However, once the 3G networks are fully closed, these phones will not be able to make emergency calls. “It is crucial to act now if you know you have an older mobile device and you haven’t already upgraded.” Image: Shutterstock

Money & Banking

Motive and cause of death revealed after six found dead in luxury hotel

Six people found dead in a luxury hotel room in central Bangkok are believed to have died due to poisoning, according to Thai police. Authorities shared photo of the teacups found in the room on the fifth floor of the hotel, revealing they found traces of cyanide in the cups. The bodies of two American and four Vietnamese nationals were found by hotel staff on Tuesday evening, after staff entered the room to inform them it was past check out time. The group, made up of three men and three women aged between 37 and 56, likely drank from tea and coffee cups laced with cyanide following a dispute linked to bad investments, Thai police said on Wednesday. Photos of the crime scene released by authorities show a lack of struggle and violence, instead showing bodies scattered around the room among plates of untouched food, and two thermos flasks and cups. Initial examinations revealed the presence of cyanide in six cups, according to police. “The mouths and nails on all the bodies turned purple, showing a lack of air could be a joint reason of the cause of the death,” forensic doctor Kornkiat Vongpaisarnsin, told a press conference at the Chulalongkorn University. “We presume they all died from cyanide which causes a lack of air in some organs,” he added. Authorities initially said they were searching for a seventh person who was part of the hotel booking, but on Wednesday they dismissed this line of inquiry, saying they believe one of the dead people poisoned the others with the deadly fast-acting chemical cyanide. “We are convinced that one of the six people found dead committed this crime,” said Noppasil Poonsawas, a deputy commander of Bangkok police. That person, police said, had ordered the food and tea to the room and “looked under stress” when staff arrived. After conducting interviews with hotel staff, Noppasin said one of the members of the group was alone in the room when the food arrived and was later joined by the other guests. He added that the incident was likely linked to a “personal matter” and not related to organised crime as interviews carried out with relatives of the dead indicated a dispute over debt. “One of the relatives said one of the deceased was an investment agent and all (the deceased) invested, but the business was not going as expected. They made an appointment to discuss the matter in Thailand,” Noppasin said. Police believe that the woman who poisoned the group did so after she accrued huge debts related to an investment in a hospital in Japan, according to police sources cited by Vietnamese media. She had allegedly convinced a married couple and two other victims among the dead to pour funds into the project, but they had reportedly lost roughly $280,000 AUD as a result. Tran Dinh Dung, the father of one of the victims, said his 37-year-old son was due to return to Vietnam last Sunday. “I kept calling him but couldn’t get through so I was very worried, but I didn’t expect him to die in Thailand,” Dung said in an interview with Vietnam’s Thanh Nien newspaper. “Phu’s mother has fainted countless times, she could not bear this shock,” he said. Image credits: AFP/Anusak Laowilas/NurPhoto/Shutterstock Editorial

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Expert reveals why you shouldn’t use hotel hair dryers

Why Greg Lynn could walk free from prison

Optus giving away 20,000 free phones to vulnerable customers

Motive and cause of death revealed after six found dead in luxury hotel

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