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Most of us will leave behind a large ‘digital legacy’ when we die. Here’s how to plan what happens to it

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> Imagine you are planning the funeral music for a loved one who has died. You can’t remember their favourite song, so you try to login to their Spotify account. Then you realise the account login is inaccessible, and with it has gone their personal history of Spotify playlists, annual “wrapped” analytics, and liked songs curated to reflect their taste, memories, and identity. We tend to think about inheritance in physical terms: money, property, personal belongings. But the vast volume of digital stuff we accumulate in life and leave behind in death is now just as important – and this “<a href="https://digitallegacyassociation.org">digital legacy</a>” is probably more meaningful. Digital legacies are increasingly complex and evolving. They include now-familiar items such as social media and banking accounts, along with our stored photos, videos and messages. But they also encompass virtual currencies, behavioural tracking data, and even AI-generated avatars. This digital data is not only fundamental to our online identities in life, but to our inheritance in death. So how can we properly plan for what happens to it? <h2>A window into our lives</h2> Digital legacy is commonly classified into two categories: <a href="https://www.esafety.gov.au/key-topics/digital-wellbeing/what-happens-to-your-digital-accounts-after-you-die">digital assets and digital presence</a>. Digital assets include items with economic value. For example, domain names, financial accounts, monetised social media, online businesses, virtual currencies, digital goods, and personal digital IP. Access to these is spread across platforms, hidden behind passwords or restricted by privacy laws. Digital presence includes content with no monetary value. However, it may have great personal significance. For example, our photos and videos, social media profiles, email or chat threads, and other content archived in cloud or platform services. There is also data that might not seem like content. It may not even seem to belong to us. This includes analytics data such as health and wellness app tracking data. It also includes behavioural data such as location, search or viewing history collected from platforms such as Google, Netflix and Spotify. This data reveals patterns in our preferences, passions, and daily life that can hold intimate meaning. For example, knowing the music a loved one listened to on the day they died. Digital remains now also include scheduled <a href="https://go-paige.com/memories/">posthumous messages</a> or <a href="https://www.hereafter.ai">AI-generated avatars</a>. All of this raises both practical and ethical questions about identity, privacy, and corporate power over our digital afterlives. Who has the right to access, delete, or transform this data? <h2>Planning for your digital remains</h2> Just as we prepare wills for physical possessions, we need to plan for our digital remains. Without clear instructions, important digital data may be lost and inaccessible to our loved ones. In 2017, I helped develop key recommendations for <a href="https://accan.org.au/files/Grants/Death%20and%20the%20Internet_2017-web.pdf">planning your digital legacy</a>. These include: <ul> <li>creating an inventory of accounts and assets, recording usernames and login information, and if possible, downloading personal content for local storage</li> <li>specifying preferences in writing, noting wishes about what content should be preserved, deleted, or shared – and with whom</li> <li>using password managers to securely store and share access to information and legacy preferences</li> <li>designating a <a href="https://www.tonkinlaw.com/resources/digital-estate-planning-victoria-safeguarding-online-assets/">digital executor</a> who has legal authority to carry out your digital legacy wishes and preferences, ideally with legal advice</li> <li>using legacy features on available platforms, such as <a href="https://www.facebook.com/help/1070665206293088">Facebook’s Legacy Contact</a>, <a href="https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/3036546?hl=en">Google’s Inactive Account Manager</a>, or <a href="https://digital-legacy.apple.com">Apple’s Digital Legacy</a>.</li> </ul> <h2>What if your loved one left no plan?</h2> These steps may sound uncontroversial. But digital wills remain uncommon. And without them, managing someone’s digital legacy can be fraught with legal and technical barriers. Platform terms of service and privacy rules often prevent access by anyone other than the account holder. They can also require official documentation such as a death certificate before granting limited access to download or close an account. In such instances, gaining access will probably only be possible through imperfect workarounds, such as searching online for traces of someone’s digital life, attempting to use account recovery tools, or scouring personal documents for login information. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WmQH27MNLz8?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <h2>The need for better standards</h2> Current platform policies have clear limitations for handling digital legacies. For example, policies are inconsistent. They are also typically limited to memorialising or deleting accounts. With no unified framework, service providers often prioritise data privacy over family access. Current tools prioritise visible content such as profiles or posts. However, they exclude less visible yet equally valuable (and often more meaningful) behavioural data such as listening habits. Problems can also arise when data is removed from its original platform. For example, photos from Facebook can lose their social and relational meaning without their associated comment threads, reactions, or interactivity. Meanwhile, emerging uses of posthumous data, especially AI-generated avatars, raise urgent issues about digital personhood, ownership, and possible harms. These “digital remains” may be stored indefinitely on commercial servers without standard protocols for curation or user rights. The result is a growing tension between personal ownership and corporate control. This makes digital legacy not only a matter of individual concern but one of digital governance. <a href="https://www.archivists.org.au/community/representation/standards-australias-committee-it-21-records-management-and-archives">Standards Australia</a> and the <a href="https://dcj.nsw.gov.au/news-and-media/media-releases-archive/2022/reform-to-allow-data-access-after-death.html">New South Wales Law Reform Commission</a> have recognised this. Both organisations are seeking <a href="https://lawreform.nsw.gov.au/documents/Current-projects/Digital%20assets/Preliminary%20submissions/PDI10.pdf">consultation</a> to develop frameworks that address inconsistencies in platform standards and user access. Managing our digital legacies demands more than practical foresight. It compels critical reflection on the infrastructures and values that shape our online afterlives.<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/257121/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> By <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/bjorn-nansen-102356">Bjorn Nansen</a>, Associate Professor, School of Computing and Information Systems, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> 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/most-of-us-will-leave-behind-a-large-digital-legacy-when-we-die-heres-how-to-plan-what-happens-to-it-257121">original article</a>. Image: Pexels / Mart Production </div>

Big changes are planned for aged care in 2025

<div class="theconversation-article-body">There has been little new in pre-election promises for Australia’s aged-care workers, providers or the <a href="https://www.gen-agedcaredata.gov.au/topics/people-using-aged-care#agedcareuseinaustralia">1.3 million people</a> who use aged care. In March, Labor announced <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-anika-wells-mp/media/extra-26-billion-to-deliver-another-pay-rise-for-aged-care-nurses">A$2.6 billion</a> for another pay rise for aged-care nurses in addition to previous <a href="https://theconversation.com/aged-care-workers-have-won-a-huge-pay-rise-what-about-the-cleaners-cooks-and-admin-staff-who-support-them-226236">pay increases</a>. There’s been <a href="https://stories.theconversation.com/policy-tracker/">nothing substantial on aged care</a> from Labor or the Opposition since. Major changes are scheduled for the sector later this year, four years after the damning <a href="https://www.royalcommission.gov.au/aged-care/final-report">Royal Commission report into aged care</a>. Yet no additional funding has been announced. Estimates suggest funding is short <a href="https://www.stewartbrown.com.au/images/documents/StewartBrown_-_Taskforce_Funding_Reforms_Analysis_September_2024.pdf">around $5 billion</a> to address losses by residential care providers or the shortfall in <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/hcp/about">Home Care Packages</a>. <h2>What can we expect this year?</h2> A <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/aged-care-act">new Aged Care Act</a> will come into force on July 1 with a much greater emphasis on the rights of older people to get the care that suits their needs. This will mean: <ul> <li> a new system to regulate aged care </li> <li> a new independent complaints commissioner </li> <li> a new <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/support-at-home">Support at Home</a> program for older people who want to live at home, and in the community </li> <li> changes to fees for residential aged care. </li> </ul> But a number of problems remain and it is not clear the reforms being introduced this year will fix them. <h2>Access is still an issue</h2> Access to aged care <a href="https://www.igac.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-08/2024-progress-report-on-the-implementation-of-the-recommendations-of-the-royal-commission-into-aged-care-quality-and-safety.pdf">continues to be a problem</a>, particularly in rural and remote areas. The system is difficult to navigate for often vulnerable and confused consumers and their families. The government relies heavily on the <a href="https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/">My Aged Care website</a> to inform older people and their families about aged care options. But this provides only basic information and it is difficult to get individualised support. There is also a “digital divide” for a significant group who are unfamiliar with, and lack confidence in, using online services. So we need a much greater emphasis on providing local “one stop shops” for personalised support and advice, particularly when people first enter the aged-care system. These services could be provided through Centrelink or new regional aged-care offices. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/660643/original/file-20250409-56-a7c9ej.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/660643/original/file-20250409-56-a7c9ej.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/660643/original/file-20250409-56-a7c9ej.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=288&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/660643/original/file-20250409-56-a7c9ej.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=288&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/660643/original/file-20250409-56-a7c9ej.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=288&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/660643/original/file-20250409-56-a7c9ej.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=361&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/660643/original/file-20250409-56-a7c9ej.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=361&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/660643/original/file-20250409-56-a7c9ej.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=361&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Screenshot of My Aged Care website" /></a><figcaption>Not everyone can navigate websites to get information about the care they need. <a class="source" href="https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/">Screenshot/My Aged Care</a></figcaption></figure> About <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/disability/disability-ageing-and-carers-australia-summary-findings/latest-release">one-third of older people</a> say they need help to live at home. But to get assistance you need an aged-care assessment and that process too needs improving. <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/ongoing/report-on-government-services/2024/data-downloads/rogs-2024-partf-overview-and-sections.pdf">Waiting times for assessment</a> have blown out, with reported delays of up to <a href="https://www.theweeklysource.com.au/home-care/older-australians-are-increasingly-dying-waiting-for-home-care-packages-to-be-assigned">five months</a>. <h2>Older people prefer to stay at home</h2> There are some concerns the number of new aged-care beds is <a href="https://www.theweeklysource.com.au/aged-care/the-repercussions-of-a-need-for-6600-new-aged-care-beds-in-fy24-colliers">not increasing fast enough</a>. For instance, there are shortages of residential aged care in particular areas such as <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-13/act-government-shuts-burrangiri-aged-care-respite-facility/104927780">Canberra</a>. But admission times to residential aged care generally <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/ongoing/report-on-government-services/2024/data-downloads/rogs-2024-partf-overview-and-sections.pdf">have not increased</a> and occupancy rates are <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/ongoing/report-on-government-services/2024/data-downloads/rogs-2024-partf-overview-and-sections.pdf">declining</a>. This suggests older people <a href="https://www.australianageingagenda.com.au/royal-commission/most-want-home-based-aged-care/#:%7E:text=A%20survey%20of%20more%20than,to%20live%20in%20a%20facility.">would prefer home</a> to residential care. Yet increased demand for home-care packages is <a href="https://www.gen-agedcaredata.gov.au/getmedia/c2339cbc-3e13-4893-9d03-9ca43ecdc55f/Home-Care-Packages-Program-Data-Report-2nd-Qtr-2024-2025">not being met</a>. For those who need more intensive services at home, <a href="https://www.gen-agedcaredata.gov.au/getmedia/c2339cbc-3e13-4893-9d03-9ca43ecdc55f/Home-Care-Packages-Program-Data-Report-2nd-Qtr-2024-2025">waiting times</a> remain stubbornly and unacceptably long because there aren’t enough home care packages. Despite years of complaints, there are still more than <a href="https://www.theweeklysource.com.au/government-policy/home-care-wait-list-climbs-to-over-81000-with-six-month-delays-at-all-levels">80,000 people</a> on the waiting list for care at home. The new <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/support-at-home/about">Support at Home program</a> will introduce an eight-level system of support. The highest level of home-care funding will <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/support-at-home/features#key-elements-of-the-new-program">increase to $78,000</a> to bridge the gap between funding for home and residential care. But many more intensive care packages for home care will be needed to reduce waiting times. The Support at Home program also introduces significantly higher out-of-pocket costs for older people. Such costs for everyday services – such as meals, cleaning and gardening – currently funded through the Commonwealth Home Support Program will <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2025-02/support-at-home-program-handbook.pdf">increase significantly</a>. Most controversially, there will also be <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2025-02/support-at-home-program-handbook.pdf">greater out-of-pocket costs</a> for “independence” services including personal care, social support, respite care and therapy. <h2>Staff shortages still a concern</h2> For aged-care providers, <a href="https://theconversation.com/we-have-too-few-aged-care-workers-to-care-for-older-australians-why-and-what-can-we-do-about-it-232707">chronic workforce shortages</a> are still the biggest problem. Recent <a href="https://theconversation.com/aged-care-workers-have-won-a-huge-pay-rise-what-about-the-cleaners-cooks-and-admin-staff-who-support-them-226236">increases in wages</a> for aged-care workers, including nurses, are a step in the right direction. But wages are still low. It remains hard to attract staff, staff turnover is high and staff are under-trained, risking the quality of care. Shortages are particularly acute in rural areas. The <a href="https://ageingaustralia.asn.au/media-releases/ageing-australia-calls-on-all-parties-to-make-aged-care-an-election-priority/">aged-care industry is calling for</a> streamlined migration, better training and incentives for regional workers to make up the shortfall. But so far no new election announcements have been made. <h2>No real reform</h2> Despite changes we’ll see from July, the organisation and financing of aged care remains fundamentally unchanged. Overall, Australia’s aged-care system is still heavily privatised and fragmented. In <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-08/financial-report-on-the-australian-aged-care-sector-2022-23.pdf">2022-23</a> there were 923 home-care providers, 764 residential-care providers and 1,334 home-support providers, nearly all in the private and not-for-profit sectors. The Commonwealth continues to manage the sector through a cumbersome combination of highly centralised regulation and prescriptive funding contracts. It has not put into place an effective, regional management structure to plan, organise and govern the sector to drive quality, innovation, equity, responsiveness and efficiency. Nor has the Commonwealth been willing to adequately finance the system either through a levy, a social insurance scheme or via increased taxation. Instead, it’s upping the reliance on user fees to meet the cost of providing services.<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/253727/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> By <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hal-swerissen-9722">Hal Swerissen</a>, Emeritus Professor of Public Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/la-trobe-university-842">La Trobe University</a> 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/big-changes-are-planned-for-aged-care-in-2025-but-youd-never-know-from-the-major-parties-253727">original article</a>. Image: Shutterstock </div>

Caring

‘Don’t panic, do prepare’: why it’s not too late to plan for Cyclone Alfred

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/yetta-gurtner-2337172">Yetta Gurtner</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/james-cook-university-1167">James Cook University</a> For millions of people in southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales, Cyclone Alfred will be their first experience living through a cyclone. Alfred is forecast to make landfall about 2am on Friday morning. I am a disaster expert based in northern Queensland, which regularly experiences cyclones. In my other role as an acting SES public information officer, I’m heading south to the Gold Coast to help residents prepare and respond. Here’s what I want you to know. First, don’t panic. Second, do prepare. Preparation has several steps. It’s important to clearly assess your specific threat. If you live near the sea, storm surges – where the sea spills inland – could be a significant threat, while flooding might pose a large risk if you live near a river – especially in the few days after Alfred passes. The highest rainfall is likely on Alfred’s southern flank from the Gold Coast down to northern New South Wales. Having enough food, water and medication is vital. Be ready to evacuate too, in case authorities deem it necessary. Check your local council’s disaster website, disaster apps and stay tuned to the ABC, which will run disaster alerts. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EN_yKcjlF20?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>The Bureau of Meteorology’s latest update on Cyclone Alfred’s path and likely impact, as of the morning of Wed 5th March.</figcaption></figure> <h2>What should I do right now?</h2> If you’re in the <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDQ65002.shtml">danger zone</a>, make preparations now, before the full intensity of the cyclone arrives. Tie down loose objects. Clean gutters to avoid overflow from torrential rain. And prepare your “go bag” – a bag of essentials you can throw in the car if authorities tell you to leave immediately. Don’t take too much – just the bare necessities. Buy an AM/FM radio and tune it to ABC National, as you cannot be sure mobile networks will function. Radio is a reliable way to get good information from the ABC, Australia’s designated <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/emergency">emergency channel</a>. Make sure the car is fuelled or charged. If you’ve got a generator, make sure you have fuel and the generator is positioned outside in a well-ventilated area. Water is often unreliable after disasters. Fill your bathtub or front-loader washing machine with water. Put containers of water in your freezer, to keep food cold if the power goes out and as another water source. Plan for days of power outages. Protect windows with plywood, heavy blankets or mattresses. Put a mattress between your car and garage roller door to stop it blowing in. Turn off gas, electricity and solar power. Authorities recommend using sandbags to reduce the chance of water getting in. You can get sacks from hardware stores or council-run emergency centres, if available, who also provide sand. You also need plastic sheeting. If there’s a shortage of sand, you can use garden soil or commercial bagged soil. If you can’t get sacks, large plastic shopping bags will do. Tape strong plastic sheeting around the door or low window where water might get in. This is the barrier that actually keeps water out – sandbags keep it in place. Fill sandbags and lay them <a href="https://www.ses.nsw.gov.au/during-emergency/sandbags">like bricks</a>. Lay one row, and lay the next row offset for strength. Sandbags are good, but they have limits. There’s little point in piling sandbags higher than about 30 centimetres. If floodwaters edge higher, water will get through. Many people have had the unpleasant experience of having effluent come back up through toilets during cyclones and subsequent flooding. To stop this, cover your toilet with plastic sheeting (directly on the porcelain) and put a sandbag on top for weight. Do the same for any drains where water might flow back up. To reduce water damage, put valuable or important items up high, atop tables or bunk beds or upstairs if you have a second storey. <h2>What will it be like when Alfred hits?</h2> When the cyclone first hits, it can be overwhelming. The sound is like a roaring jet engine. If you haven’t been advised to evacuate by authorities, you will be sheltering in place. This means finding the safest room in the house, to avoid damage from flying objects. Choose the smallest room with the fewest windows – a bathroom or a room under the stairs. Basements are very safe, but will be the first affected by water. As the cyclone picks up intensity, set up inside this safe room with your pets and children. Do not leave this room until you have been told it’s safe by authorities. At the centre of strong cyclones is the eye of the storm, which we experience as a period of sudden calm. People often make the mistake of thinking it’s over. But in fact, it’s just a brief reprieve before the intense winds pick up again. Don’t make the mistake of leaving the house – check with authoritative sources. Cyclone Alfred is a <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-05/cyclone-alfred-unusual-triplet-storm-climate-change-factors/105008704">slow-moving cyclone</a>, which means you might be stuck inside for a while. Be prepared to be inside your house for up to 24 hours, even after the worst has passed. This is because there may well be downed powerlines with live electricity, broken glass, falling trees and so on. For your children (and yourself), being in the cyclone is frightening. Young kids find the sound chilling. You can play music through headphones to help soothe them. Board games, books and puzzles can help pass the time. You will need distraction. Have a bucket in the corner for emergency toilet needs. Keep track of the storm and any emerging dangers through your radio and internet-enabled phone (if still functioning). <h2>What if I have to evacuate?</h2> Authorities are working to set up evacuation centres for people whose homes may not be safe. Authorities will go door-to-door to tell affected residents to leave, as well as broadcasting the information on radio and online. You’re more likely to have to evacuate if your house is on low-lying land near the sea, as a storm surge is likely. How much water is pushed ashore will depend on the tide, but it could be as high as 70cm above the high tide line if we’re unlucky. Evacuations can happen after the cyclone too. Alfred is packing a lot of rain – <a href="https://www.weatherzone.com.au/news/tropical-cyclone-alfred-could-disrupt-afl-and-nrl-matches/1890420">up to a metre</a> in some areas. That’s very likely to cause flooding, both flash floods and rivers breaking their banks. If you are asked to evacuate, you can go to the house of a friend or family member if it’s on higher ground and outside the flood risk zones. Or you can go to a local evacuation centre – check your council website to see where your closest one is. Take as little as possible with you. Many people who choose not to evacuate do so because they’re worried about their pets. This is risky. Some evacuation centres do take pets, so check now. If they don’t, look for other options with friends and family. Staying put after an evacuation order is dangerous. <h2>What will happen after the cyclone?</h2> Cyclone Alfred brings three threats: intense winds, high seas and heavy rain. After the intense winds die down, the seas will be dangerous for days after Alfred. There are coastal hazard warnings for about 1,000km of coastline. Cyclones also often decay into tropical low weather systems, which dump heavy rain for days. This is likely. As you move into recovery phase, don’t relax your guard. In far north Queensland, 16 people have <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-04/melioidosis-death-toll-rises-in-queensland/105009772">now died</a> after being infected with melioidosis, a bacterium found in mud. The bug is <a href="https://theconversation.com/theres-an-outbreak-of-melioidosis-in-north-queensland-heres-what-to-know-about-this-deadly-mud-bug-250392">more prevalent</a> after heavy rainfall. Wear protective gear such as gloves and face masks when dealing with water-damaged goods and mud, and pay close attention to the latest advice authorities are giving. But remember – don’t panic. We will get through this.<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/251463/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/yetta-gurtner-2337172">Yetta Gurtner</a>, Adjunct Senior Lecturer, Centre for Disaster Studies, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/james-cook-university-1167">James Cook University</a> Image credits: LUKAS COCH/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Editorial This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/dont-panic-do-prepare-why-its-not-too-late-to-plan-for-cyclone-alfred-251463">original article</a>. </div>

Travel Trouble

Catriona Rowntree unleashes over controversial new plan

Catriona Rowntree has slammed the Victorian Labor government's plans to cover land at Mount Rothwell under solar panels The Getaway star shared her call to action in an <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DFlVylRTfYG/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram video</a> shared on Monday. “Welcome to beautiful Mount Rothwell in Little River,” Rowntree began in her video. "This is actually the number one film location in Victoria. This has been the scene of so many incredible movies and productions, bringing in a fortune for the local government. "This incredible area Vic Labor is now considering covering this whole area with a solar farm in its rush for renewables. "They are considering all these completely wrong locations." She previously opposed the state government's plans to build a huge lithium battery farm next to her family property near Little River, and mentioned it again in her most recent video. Rowntree branded the planned lithium battery farm as a fire hazard, saying: “So how can you help? Some of you may know that we have been battling as well, they want to put a lithium facility in a firezone in Little River. “What did Little River ever do to the Labor government? I don’t know why you keep picking on us," she continued. "No one will talk to us, it’s been nearly seven months, we’ve heard nothing.” In her caption for the video, Rowntree said she had no choice but to "get political" and vote for Liberal candidate Steve Murphy in the upcoming Werribee state by-election, saying: "He actually took the time to visit us and see how wrong this area is for their renewables”. "Has it come to this?" she wrote. "Do I have to get political to get someone to notice the region that VIC Labor wants to destroy?" She also issued a direct plea to the premier, tagging Jacinta Allen and asking: “Where are you? Why do you want to ruin what is the Number 1 film location in Victoria? Why won’t anyone from Victorian Labor stop this?” "You should be ashamed,” she told the state government. Images: Instagram

Legal

Melbourne teen poisoned in Laos farewelled

Melbourne teenager Holly Morton-Bowles has been farewelled in an emotional funeral service. Grieving friends and family gathered at Beaumaris Secondary College on Monday to honour the 19-year-old, who died alongside her friend after being poisoned in Laos. Holly and Bianca Jones were among six people who drank methanol-laced cocktails in the town of Vang Vieng in Laos in November while on a gap year holiday. Beaumaris Secondary College Acting Principal Peter Bartlett read a statement on behalf of Morton-Bowles' parents Shaun and Samantha, and brother James. "We would like to thank the people of Australia, Canada and the rest of the world for the outpouring of love, support, and compassion during this extremely difficult time," Bartlett said. "Your kindness has been a source of strength and comfort for our family." "Today is a profoundly significant day for our family as we come together to celebrate Holly's life and spirit. Holly was loved and adored by so many people, and today is a reflection on her life, however she will remain forever in our hearts." "We would like to thank all those that have helped in the preparation of today. We kindly ask that our family be given the space to grieve privately on this deeply emotional day." "This is the most difficult time of our lives, and we thank you for respecting our privacy." The families of both Morton-Bowles and Jones have asked people to donate to the girls' GoFundMe in lieu of flowers. Bianca Jones was farewelled on Friday at Mentone Girl's Grammar, in Mentone, the same school she had graduated from last year, with principal Natalie Charles reading out a statement from the Jones family, thanking the public for their "outpouring of love, support and compassion". Image credits: Nine

Caring

Planning for old age? Here’s what the aged care changes mean for you

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/anam-bilgrami-1179543">Anam Bilgrami</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/macquarie-university-1174">Macquarie University</a> Last week, Parliament passed sweeping reforms to Australia’s aged care system. These “<a href="https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-anika-wells-mp/media/once-in-a-generation-aged-care-reforms">once-in-a-generation</a>” changes, set to begin next year on July 1, aim to improve how care is provided to older Australians at home, in their communities and in nursing homes. The new Aged Care Act focuses on <a href="https://insideageing.com.au/new-aged-care-act-passes-parliament-ushering-in-historic-reforms/">improving quality and safety, protecting the rights</a> of older people and ensuring <a href="https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/news-and-updates/big-changes-aged-care-sector">the financial sustainability</a> of aged care providers. A key change is the introduction of a new payment system, requiring wealthier people to contribute more for non-clinical services. If you – or a loved one – are planning for aged care, here’s what the changes could mean for you. <h2>What to expect from the home care overhaul</h2> Over the past decade, there’s been a noticeable shift towards “ageing at home”. The number of Australians using home care has <a href="https://www.gen-agedcaredata.gov.au/getmedia/2fbaacd8-1fbf-4ef5-ab1c-72dfc4c727bf/People-using-aged-care-fact-sheet-2023.pdf?ext=.pdf">more than quadrupled</a>, surpassing those in nursing homes. To meet growing demand, the government is adding <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-anika-wells-mp/media/press-conference-parliament-house-25-november?language=en">107,000 home care places</a> over the next two years, with a goal to reduce wait times to just three months. Starting July 1 2025, <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/support-at-home/about">Support at Home</a> will replace the <a href="https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/help-at-home/home-care-packages">Home Care Packages</a> program. The table below shows some of the key differences between these two programs. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/636472/original/file-20241205-19-phkljj.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/636472/original/file-20241205-19-phkljj.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/636472/original/file-20241205-19-phkljj.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=546&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/636472/original/file-20241205-19-phkljj.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=546&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/636472/original/file-20241205-19-phkljj.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=546&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/636472/original/file-20241205-19-phkljj.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=686&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/636472/original/file-20241205-19-phkljj.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=686&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/636472/original/file-20241205-19-phkljj.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=686&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption>Department of Health 2024</figcaption></figure> Home Care Packages are currently delivered under <a href="https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/help-at-home/home-care-packages">four annual government subsidy levels</a>, covering care and provider management costs. Under Support at Home, <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/support-at-home/features">the number of home care budget levels will double to eight</a>, with the highest level increasing to A$78,000. This aims to provide more tailored support and accommodate those needing higher levels of care. Under the new system, recipients will receive quarterly budgets aligned to their funding level and work with their chosen provider to allocate funds across <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-11/support-at-home-service-list.pdf">three broad service categories</a>: <ul> <li> clinical care, such as nursing or physiotherapy </li> <li> independence support, including personal care, transport and social support </li> <li> everyday living assistance, such as cleaning, gardening and meal delivery. </li> </ul> Clinical care services will be fully government-funded, as these are crucial to supporting health and keeping people out of hospitals. But recipients will contribute to the costs of independence and everyday living services under a new payment model, reflecting the government’s stance that these are services people have traditionally funded themselves over their lifetimes. This will replace the basic daily fee and income-tested care fee that some people currently pay. Contributions will vary by income and assets (based on the <a href="https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/who-can-get-age-pension?context=22526">age pension means test</a>) and by service type. Support at Home also includes additional funding for specific needs: <ul> <li> older Australians with less than three months to live will receive priority access to $25,000 in funding over 12 weeks </li> <li> up to $15,000 will be available for assistive technologies and home modifications, <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-09/support-at-home-fact-sheet.pdf">eliminating the need</a> to reserve home care budgets for these. </li> </ul> <h2>What if I or my loved one is already receiving a Home Care Package?</h2> If you were receiving a package, on the <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/hcp/about/how-it-works">waiting list</a>, or assessed as eligible for one on September 12 2024, the government’s “<a href="https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-anika-wells-mp/media/once-in-a-generation-aged-care-reforms#:%7E:text=in%20aged%20care-,A%20no%20worse%20off%20principle%20will%20provide%20certainty%20to%20people,greater%20contribution%20to%20their%20care.&text=When%20Home%20Care%20participants%20transition,and%20retain%20any%20unspent%20funds.">no worse off</a>” principle guarantees you won’t pay more under the new system. Current recipients will have their Support at Home budget aligned with their existing package, and any unspent funds will roll over. <h2>How nursing home fees will change</h2> Australia’s nursing home sector is struggling financially, with <a href="https://www.australianageingagenda.com.au/executive/sectors-annual-financial-report-lands/">67% of providers</a> operating at a loss. To ensure sustainability and support upgrades to facilities, the government is introducing major funding changes. <h2>What stays the same?</h2> The Basic Daily Fee, that everyone in nursing homes pays, set at 85% of the basic age pension (currently <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-09/schedule-of-fees-and-charges-for-residential-and-home-care.pdf">$63.57 a day</a> or $23,200 annually), will not change. <h2>What’s changing?</h2> The government currently pays a Hotelling Supplement of $12.55 per day per resident to cover everyday living services like cleaning, catering and laundry ($4,581 annually). From July 1 2025, this supplement will become means-tested. Residents with annual incomes above $95,400 or assets exceeding $238,000 (or some combination of these) will <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-09/response-to-the-aged-care-taskforce-residential-care-contributions.pdf">contribute partially or fully</a> to this cost. Currently, residents with sufficient means also pay a means-tested care fee <a href="https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/aged-care-home-costs-and-fees">between $0–$403.24</a> per day. This will be replaced by a “<a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-09/response-to-the-aged-care-taskforce-residential-care-contributions.pdf">non-clinical care contribution</a>”, capped at $101.16 daily and payable for the first four years of care. Only those with assets above $502,981 or incomes above $131,279 (or some combination of these) will pay this contribution. Importantly, no one will pay more than $130,000 in combined contributions for Support at Home and non-clinical care in nursing homes over their lifetime. <h2>Changes to accommodation payments</h2> The way nursing home accommodation costs are paid is also changing from July 1 2025: <ul> <li> residents <a href="https://theconversation.com/lump-sum-daily-payments-or-a-combination-what-to-consider-when-paying-for-nursing-home-accommodation-207405">who pay</a> their room price via a refundable lump sum will have <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-09/response-to-the-aged-care-taskforce-accommodation-reform.pdf">2% of their payment retained annually</a> by the provider, up to a maximum of 10% over five years. For example, a $400,000 lump sum payment would result in $360,000 being refunded if a person stays five years or more, with the provider keeping $40,000 </li> <li> <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-09/response-to-the-aged-care-taskforce-accommodation-reform.pdf">daily accommodation payments</a> (a rent-style interest charge) will no longer remain fixed for the duration of a person’s nursing home stay. Instead, these payments will be indexed twice annually to the Consumer Price Index </li> <li> providers will be able to set room prices up to $750,000 without government approval, an increase from the current $550,000 limit. </li> </ul> People with lower means (those who are fully subsidised by the government for their accommodation costs) will not be affected by these changes. <h2>What if I own my home?</h2> The treatment of the family home in means testing for nursing home costs will <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-09/response-to-the-aged-care-taskforce-residential-care-contributions.pdf">remain unchanged</a>. Its value is only assessed if no “protected person” (such as a spouse) lives in it, and even then, it’s capped at $206,039 (as at September 20 2024). <h2>What happens to current nursing home residents?</h2> The new rules for contributions and accommodation will apply only to those entering nursing homes from July 1 2025. Existing residents will maintain their current arrangements and be <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-anika-wells-mp/media/once-in-a-generation-aged-care-reforms#:%7E:text=in%20aged%20care-,A%20no%20worse%20off%20principle%20will%20provide%20certainty%20to%20people,greater%20contribution%20to%20their%20care.&text=When%20Home%20Care%20participants%20transition,and%20retain%20any%20unspent%20funds.">no worse off</a>. <h2>Feeling overwhelmed?</h2> These reforms aim to improve care delivery, fairness and sustainability, with the government emphasising that many older Australians – particularly those with <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-anika-wells-mp/media/once-in-a-generation-aged-care-reforms#:%7E:text=in%20aged%20care-,A%20no%20worse%20off%20principle%20will%20provide%20certainty%20to%20people,greater%20contribution%20to%20their%20care.&text=When%20Home%20Care%20participants%20transition,and%20retain%20any%20unspent%20funds.">lower incomes and assets</a> – will not pay more. The government has provided case studies to illustrate how <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-09/case-studies-support-at-home_0.pdf">home care</a> and <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-09/case-studies-residential-care_0.pdf">nursing home</a> costs will differ under the new system for people at various income and asset levels. Still, planning for aged care can be daunting. For more <a href="https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/financial-support-and-advice">tailored advice and support</a>, consider reaching out to financial advisors, <a href="https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/aged-care-specialist-officer-my-aged-care-face-to-face-services?context=55715">services</a>, or online tools to help you navigate the changes and make informed decisions.<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/244816/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/anam-bilgrami-1179543">Anam Bilgrami</a>, Senior Research Fellow, Macquarie University Centre for the Health Economy, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/macquarie-university-1174">Macquarie 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/planning-for-old-age-heres-what-the-aged-care-changes-mean-for-you-244816">original article</a>. </div>

Money & Banking

Booking a summer holiday deal? Beware ‘drip pricing’ and other tactics to make you pay more than you planned

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jeannie-marie-paterson-6367">Jeannie Marie Paterson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> Have you ever spotted what looked like a great deal on a website, added it to your “basket” and proceeded to checkout – only to find extra fees added on at the last minute? It’s frustratingly common when making airline, hotel and many other kinds of bookings to see an advertised price get ratcheted up at checkout with additional fees – perhaps “shipping insurance”, “resort fees” or just “taxes”. The practice is known as “<a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/consumers/pricing/price-displays">drip pricing</a>” and it can <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/WH-Junk-Fees-Guide-for-States.pdf">distort</a> consumer decision-making and affect competition. Nonetheless, there is no specific ban on this conduct in Australia. Some companies have, however, effectively been prosecuted for it under the Australian Consumer Law, which contains some strict rules about misleading consumers through advertising. Many of us have already begun booking flights, hotels and more as we head into the summer holiday season. Here’s what the law says about companies changing prices in the lead-up to checkout, and how you can protect yourself as a consumer. <h2>What’s wrong with drip pricing?</h2> The tactic that underpins drip pricing is to draw a customer in with an attractive “headline” price but then add in other fees as the customer approaches the checkout. It’s reasonable to ask whether there’s anything wrong with this practice: after all, the customer still sees the final price at checkout. Why might that be seen as misleading conduct under Australian Consumer Law? The reasons lie in views about consumer buying behaviour and the nature of the statutory prohibition. Typically, the closer a consumer gets to a sale, the less likely they are to pull out or even fully notice any additional fees. They may then end up paying more than they intended and also have lost the opportunity to deal with other suppliers of the same product at a better price. In the relevant section of Australian Consumer Law, there’s no requirement of an intention to mislead. It’s also not necessarily relevant that the true pricing situation is eventually revealed to the consumer or that it’s in the “fine print”. Thus, in the eyes of the law, it can be enough that consumers were enticed by an attractive headline price. <h2>Price surprises</h2> This legal position is well illustrated by a <a href="https://www8.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/cases/cth/HCA/2013/54.html">case</a> settled by the High Court in 2013, after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) took on telecom provider TPG Internet in <a href="https://www.mondaq.com/australia/advertising-marketing-branding/282802/advertising-and-the-acl-fine-print-couldnt-save-tpg-internet-in-the-high-court">2010</a>, alleging misleading conduct. In this case, TPG had been advertising broadband internet services for $29.99 per month. But on reading the fine print, you’d have discovered this deal was only available with a landline service costing an additional $30 per month. The case moved up through Australia’s court system, but ultimately, the High Court majority held that the telco had engaged in misleading conduct. The High Court recognised that the very point of advertising is to draw consumers into “the marketing web”. It is therefore not enough to disclose the true (higher) price only at the point the transaction is concluded. TPG was fined $2 million in this case. Since then, the maximum penalties have increased, now the higher of: <ul> <li>$50 million</li> <li>three times the value obtained from the contravention, or (if the benefit can not be determined)</li> <li>30% of the business’s adjusted turnover during the breach period.</li> </ul> <h2>Dynamic pricing</h2> Other pricing complaints have been in the news recently, including concerns about point-of-sale dynamic pricing. Basically, this means using an algorithm that adjusts ticket prices in response to demand, as consumers wait in a virtual purchasing queue. Recent media reporting has centred on <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-14/ticketmaster-live-nation-dynamic-pricing-tickets-class-action/104469646">concerns</a> about the use of point-of-sale dynamic pricing in the events ticketing industry. A form of dynamic pricing is used by hotels and airlines. They increase prices seasonally and according to demand. But these “dynamic” prices are clearly visible to consumers as they start looking for a deal. Some bodies even publish helpful tables of likely prices at different times. The kind of dynamic pricing that happens at the very point consumers are waiting to buy is very different and arguably creates an “unfair surprise”. Whether these kinds of practices also fall within the category of misleading conduct remains to be seen. But it is arguable that consumers could reasonably expect the real-time movement of prices to be disclosed upfront. Earlier this year, the government announced <a href="https://theconversation.com/albanese-government-promises-to-ban-dodgy-trading-practices-234142">plans</a> to address both drip pricing and dynamic pricing as part of a broader ban on unfair trading practices. <h2>What can consumers do?</h2> While all this law reform and litigation is playing out, here are some things you can do to avoid pricing shock. 1. Slow down. One of the strategies that online markets often rely on is “<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/oct/12/accc-suing-coles-woolworths-pricing-strategies-allegations">scarcity signalling</a>” – those clocks or numbers you see counting down as you move through a website. The very purpose of these is to make a consumer rush – which can mean failing to notice those additional fees that may make the buy not a good deal. 2. Take screen shots as you progress. Remember what it is you thought you were getting. Doing this also provides a basis for lodging a complaint if the headline and actual price don’t match up. 3. Check. Take a close look at the final bill before pressing pay. 4. Report. Tell your local Fair Trading Office or the ACCC if the advertised deal and the final price don’t meet up. A recent action taken by the ACCC against <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/sep/23/accc-suing-coles-woolworths-discounts-misleading">Woolworths and Coles</a> alleging “illusory” discounts was launched because of consumer tip-offs.<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/244825/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jeannie-marie-paterson-6367">Jeannie Marie Paterson</a>, Professor of Law, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</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/booking-a-summer-holiday-deal-beware-drip-pricing-and-other-tactics-to-make-you-pay-more-than-you-planned-244825">original article</a>. </div>

Travel Trouble

Black Friday sales are on again. To score a genuine bargain, it helps to go in with a plan

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/park-thaichon-175182">Park Thaichon</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-southern-queensland-1069">University of Southern Queensland</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sara-quach-175976">Sara Quach</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a> November 29th was Black Friday, the official beginning of one of the biggest sales events of the year. With so many consumers still feeling the cost-of-living pinch, it’s expected to once again bring bargain hunters out in droves. While some sales have already started, market research company Roy Morgan <a href="https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/black-friday-sales-a-winner-this-christmas-as-cost-of-living-continues-to-bite">estimates</a> Australian shoppers will spend a record $6.7 billion over the four-day shopping window. That’s up more than 5% on last year. For Australians, it’s one of three big annual sales events. The others take place at the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-you-should-know-before-you-start-chasing-bargains-at-the-eofy-sales-232568">end of each financial year (EOFY)</a> and on <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-boxing-day-evolved-from-giving-christmas-leftovers-to-servants-to-a-retail-frenzy-219507">Boxing Day</a>. Despite being a recent entrant to Australia, Black Friday has quickly become one of the most important shopping days of the year. For consumers, navigating these sales and dodging the marketing tricks played by retailers is no mean feat. Here’s what you should know. <h2>What exactly is Black Friday?</h2> Black Friday as a major sales event originated in the United States. It falls on the day after Thanksgiving, which is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November each year. A four day sales window then typically runs over the weekend after Thanksgiving, including “Cyber Monday” – a similar event that was set up more recently to encourage online shopping. But as you might have noticed, this official start date doesn’t prevent retailers from discounting products earlier, something many do. Australians don’t officially celebrate Thanksgiving. Nonetheless, the sales event has gained significant traction here over the past decade or so. This was initially driven by big US companies operating here, such as Apple and Amazon. But it was soon adopted and ultimately embraced by Australia’s own big retailers. Some Australian retailers now say Black Friday has already <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/business/consumer-affairs/bigger-than-boxing-day-the-rise-and-rise-of-black-friday-sales-20231117-p5ekwo.html">overtaken Boxing Day</a> to become their most important sales event, a standing it could well cement further this year. It’s been a <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonbird1/2023/11/20/le-black-friday-how-an-american-tradition-spread-round-the-world/">similar story</a> across much of the world. Countries including Canada, Brazil, France and the UK all now mark the occasion with their own big sales events. <h2>How do big sales work?</h2> Black Friday and other big sales events are designed to create a sense of urgency. They lean heavily into the phenomenon known as <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/cb.1885">fear of missing out</a> – called FOMO for short. Retailers know that shoppers feel the pressure to buy when they think they might miss out. This is called <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/jfmm-03-2023-0082/full/html">scarcity marketing</a>. Retailers have ways of creating artificial scarcity, which can pressure us to make purchase decisions that aren’t in our best interests. You’ve probably seen phrases in stores and online such as “only two left!” or “today only”. These tactics are designed to make you act. The extent of savings can also depend on retailers’ dynamic pricing tactics. Many businesses use algorithms to adjust discounts in real time based on customer demand, inventory levels and competitor trends. Popular items may start with small discounts, while less popular products get larger price cuts to attract interest. <h2>How to be a savvy shopper</h2> With these factors in mind, there are a few strategies that can help you you keep a clear head. One tactic is to create a shopping list and understand the importance of sticking to predetermined purchase decisions and a predetermined budget. Prioritise needs over impulsive wants. For example, if you need to replace an old keyboard amid a big sale, set a budget before you start looking, and try to avoid buying an entirely new computer just because it’s discounted in-store. Shoppers should prepare for fluctuating prices, while being cautious of tactics such as artificially inflated “fake” discounts, where original prices are exaggerated to make savings seem more appealing. Our previous <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/apjml-07-2021-0475/full/html?casa_token=A3V3IU0s1GkAAAAA%3A84uQk1cv03fh5C6gJrIeOuLPrztKhU4gacoPupelIWtOBZCnqSbmFKz4OjBaL60790I-O011Itd9C63vCGJ_hDSJFuVeiwe3YaiSftT6nUzpzxDYHYkdGQ">research</a> has shown price promotion can trigger customer emotions such as surprise and lead to anticipated regret, influencing their purchase decisions. <h2>Go in with a plan</h2> Another tactic is to do some window shopping in the days or weeks beforehand. This allows you to check and research the products you’re interested in. Note down their non-sale prices for future reference. Create a list of where to buy, along with a few alternatives. For shoes and clothing, try things on if you can and note down your size. That can help you act quickly once the sales go live. And in the excitement of all the sales, don’t forget: if you don’t actually want or need anything, there’s always the option of not shopping at all.<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/244509/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/park-thaichon-175182">Park Thaichon</a>, Associate Professor of Marketing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-southern-queensland-1069">University of Southern Queensland</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sara-quach-175976">Sara Quach</a>, Senior Lecturer in Marketing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith 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/black-friday-sales-are-on-again-to-score-a-genuine-bargain-it-helps-to-go-in-with-a-plan-244509">original article</a>. </div>

Money & Banking

Hollywood icon reveals plans for retirement

Denzel Washington has revealed that he is going to retire after his next batch of films. The Hollywood icon appeared via videolink on Tuesday’s episode of the Today Show, alongside his co-stars to promote his new film Gladiator II. “I don’t know how many more films I’m going to make. Probably not that many,” the actor, who turns 70 next month, told Today host Richard Wilkins. “I want to do things I haven’t done. I’ve played Othello at 22, I’m about to play Othello at 70,” he said. Denzel will play the role in the Shakespeare play on Broadway alongside Jake Gyllenhaal from February next year. “After that I’m playing Hannibal. After that I’ve been talking with Steve McQueen about a film. After that Ryan Coogler’s writing a part for me in the next Black Panther.” He added, “After that I’m going to do the film Othello. After that I’m going to do King Lear. After that I’m going to retire.” Based on the interview, the actor has six upcoming projects across stage and film, so fans will still get to enjoy a few more of his roles before he retires, following a career that has spanned almost 50 years. Speaking to news.com.au, the actor offered some insight into why he is planning to retire, saying that there are “less and less challenges”, after previously revealing that at this point in his career, there are very few roles he is willing to take. Image: Masatoshi Okauchi/ Shutterstock Editorial

Readers response: Is there any item of memorabilia you’ve passed down to family or plan to in the future?

As in many families, there are often sentimental items and memorabilia that are passed down from several generations. We asked our readers if there are any heirlooms that they have passed down to their younger family members, or if they plan to, and the response was overwhelming. Here's what they said. Marjorie Gale - The christening gown made by my Aunt in the UK in 1955 for my eldest daughter, worn by my two other daughters. Now been worn by my 9 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren, and another due soon. So far 24 babies have worn it. Dawn Douglas - Yes, I have my Mums jewellery box and my eldest daughter will get it when I’m gone. I also have a brooch that belonged to my Nana. Sue Crawley - I have a 1925 gold embossed book by AA Milne “When We Were Very Young”. My most cherished memory was sitting on my great grandfathers knee whilst he read it to me. Not sure yet which grandchild will receive it. Greg Browning - A Winchester rifle my great grandfather bought in the 1800s. Have already passed it on. Marion Ingram - Family bassinets. Now on its 4th generation! Margie Buckingham - My grandmother’s costume jewellery was stunning. She was a racehorse breeder always in the Flemington Racecourse members, even had many Group One winners, so her jewellery had to look special. Paul Uttley - A silver pocket knife that belonged to my great grandfather now belongs to my oldest grandson (six generations apart)! Image credits: Shutterstock

Family & Pets

Maggie Smith farewelled in emotional funeral

Dame Maggie Smith has been farewelled in a "poignant but not sad" funeral service. The intimate service was attended by Smith's closest friends, family and colleagues, as mourners gathered at the Mortlake Crematorium in London to celebrate her life. According to one attendee, guests paid tribute to the late actress with "brilliant eulogies" and by "belting out hymns", with the service described as "beautiful, warm, and full of laughter". "Such a beautiful goodbye to Maggie Smith today," the guest said. "It was warm and funny and full of love and brilliant eulogies, with the best hymns bringing belted out by all. It was poignant but not sad because hers was a life so richly lived." "I knew her because of [the guest's husband's] decades of working with her but I adored her." "[The guest's daughter] was traumatised when she first met her as she knew her as the terrifying housekeeper Mrs Medlock in The Secret Garden! Maggie was as funny and sharp as it gets. One of the greats." The news of Dame Maggie Smith's <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/harry-potter-stars-pay-tribute-to-dame-maggie-smith" target="_blank" rel="noopener">death</a> was confirmed by her family, who announced she has died on September 27th at the age of 89. Smith's sons Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens wrote in a statement, “She passed away peacefully in hospital early this morning, Friday 27 September." “An intensely private person, she was with friends and family at the end. She leaves two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother.” Image credits: Daily Mail

Caring

"Disgraceful": Government red tape causes funeral to be cancelled

A local council has cancelled a funeral just 24 hours before it was set to take place due to government red tape. Ever since Shellharbour local Judy passed away, her brother Ron had been working hard to give her a decent send off. However, less than one day before her planned funeral, the Shellharbour Council cancelled the service over an unpaid burial fee. Ron had been liaising with two government agencies to get payment to council for the burial, which <a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/sydney-council-cancels-funeral-after-government-fails-to-pay-burial-fee-on-time/60cfa883-6a45-4ff7-badd-1a2e4c52b6aa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A Current Affair</a> said was a matter of one government organisation waiting for a simple sign off from another government agency. Confirmation of the payment came through just one day after the funeral should have gone ahead. Ron was left heartbroken over the cancellation and said the council was "very disrespectful" in their dealings, and said he is owed an apology. "Disgraceful in fact. Low-life mongrels to do that to any family in this sort of situation," Ron told ACA. He says the most devastating part was calling family one by one, including Judy's intellectually disabled son, to deliver the news, as he recalled, "He was in tears. I had to get his support worker over just to calm him down." Shellharbour City Council told A Current Affair via email it was "unable to grant interment rights which are legally required before a burial because the fee hadn't been paid". They went on to say in a statement, "Shellharbour City Council acknowledges the complexity of the burial process and apologises for the hurt the family has experienced." Image credits: A Current Affair

Legal

Nicole Kidman bids farewell to her mother at intimate funeral

Nicole Kidman has said a tearful goodbye to her beloved mother, Janelle Ann Kidman, during an intimate funeral service held at St Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Lavender Bay, Sydney. The 57-year-old Oscar winner was supported by her husband, country music star Keith Urban, and their two daughters, Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret, as family and close friends gathered to honour Janelle’s life. 84Janelle Kidman, 84, <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/nicole-kidman-confirms-heartbreaking-family-news" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passed away in early September</a> after a long illness. The family, including Nicole's sister, journalist Antonia Kidman, and Janelle’s eight grandchildren, shared moving tributes at the service. Among them was TV host Lucia Hawley, the eldest of the grandchildren, who gave a heartfelt speech. The service was also attended by a number of notable figures from Australia’s entertainment industry, including actor Russell Crowe, broadcaster Peter Overton, and his wife, television personality Jessica Rowe. The news of her mother's passing reached Nicole while she was in Venice, Italy, for the Venice Film Festival on September 8, where she was being honoured with the Best Actress award for her role in the upcoming thriller Babygirl. Unable to attend the ceremony, director Halina Reijn accepted the award on her behalf and read a touching message from Kidman, in which the actress expressed her grief. “Today, I arrived in Venice to find out shortly after my brave and beautiful mother, Janelle Ann Kidman, had just passed,” Kidman’s statement began. “I’m in shock and I have to go to my family, but this award is for her. She shaped me, she guided me, and she made me. I am beyond grateful that I get to say her name to all of you through Halina. The collision of life and art is heartbreaking. My heart is broken.” Janelle Kidman’s cause of death has not been publicly disclosed, but she had reportedly been battling health issues since 2016 when she suffered a suspected heart scare. Her passing comes nearly a decade after the death of her husband, Dr Antony Kidman, who died of a heart attack in Singapore in 2014. Kidman, who divides her time between Nashville, Manhattan, and Australia, remains close to her family despite her international career, often speaking about the pivotal role her mother played in her life and career. Images: 9News / Instagram

Family & Pets

How to keep doing good once you’re gone

Most of us like to think that once we are no longer walking the Earth, we can still leave a legacy to mark our time here and contribute positively to those left behind. Doing so is not only possible but, as you’ll see below, fairly straightforward – providing you do some basic preparation beforehand. Seek the help of professional advice to ensure your plans can be enacted in full and deliver the best possible outcomes for everyone involved. Have your affairs in order Make things simpler for your grieving loved ones by having your wishes clearly outlined in writing, with specific instructions that leave no room for misinterpretation. Doing so makes your wishes easier to implement, faster to enact and reduces fights among your beneficiaries. Keep your will and other affairs updated as circumstances change too, so that everyone you want is included (such as kids and grandkids) and those you don’t, aren’t given an unexpected windfall (such as your ex or an adult child’s ex). Provide for everyone Providing for everyone is not necessarily straight forward, especially if you have a blended family. For instance, leaving your share of your home to your children from a previous relationship could lead to disagreements if your partner doesn’t want to leave. Instead, think about how your assets can be divided fairly without disadvantaging anyone. Children could be nominated beneficiaries of your superannuation and/or life insurance, leaving your home for your partner. Keep wealth flowing Certain structures can allow you to keep giving to your descendants long after you’re gone – offsetting their income and providing far greater wealth over time than any lump sum could achieve. A family or testamentary trust allows ongoing wealth creation through shared assets, with regular dividends paid out, creating a family legacy that can last for generations. Or a family company can allow a commercial entity to continue trading and growing as an asset. Manage tax impacts Implement tax-effective strategies that maximise how much your beneficiaries actually receive and minimise what the tax man pockets. While there isn’t an inheritance tax per se, beneficiaries can be hit with Capital Gains Tax (CGT) on asset sales plus transfer costs to put an asset into their own name – not to mention the ongoing maintenance and compliance costs of asset ownership. In some instances, your loved ones may benefit more if you sell assets now and leave them the proceeds, rather than leave them the asset – and its associated tax bill – once you’re gone. Ensure loved ones are home and housed Property is perhaps the biggest of all sources of wealth, yet it is increasingly difficult for younger people and singles to get (and stay) on the property ladder. Ensure everyone can reap the benefits of property ownership over their own lifetime, either by transferring ownership of properties in your name or contributing chunks of cash towards a deposit. However, it’s important to do so sustainably – gifting grandkids a large property they can’t afford to maintain isn’t going to work. Charitable donations Many people like to support charities and social causes once they are gone. Consider the end user here and what they stand to benefit from your donation – whether it be people, planet or both. It could be leaving a lump sum on your death, or regular ongoing donations from your estate. You may wish to do so anonymously, or include a message with your donation outlining your reasons why that particular charity/cause is important to you and what you hope the money will go towards. Donations may not necessarily be financial either – perhaps you have a valuable historic artefact that others could enjoy if donated to a museum? Organ donation The greatest gift of all is not money but life itself. So, consider whether organ donation is something you wish to do. While not suitable for everyone, and dependent on a range of factors including your age, health and religious beliefs, a single organ donor can save up to seven lives, as well as improve the quality of life of numerous others through eye and tissue donation. That is a lot of life you can give to others – and all without costing your own loved ones a cent! Helen Baker is a licensed Australian financial adviser and author of On Your Own Two Feet: The Essential Guide to Financial Independence for all Women. Helen is among the 1% of financial planners who hold a master’s degree in the field. Proceeds from book sales are donated to charities supporting disadvantaged women and children. Find out more at <a href="http://www.onyourowntwofeet.com.au/">www.onyourowntwofeet.com.au</a> Disclaimer: The information in this article is of a general nature only and does not constitute personal financial or product advice. Any opinions or views expressed are those of the authors and do not represent those of people, institutions or organisations the owner may be associated with in a professional or personal capacity unless explicitly stated. Helen Baker is an authorised representative of BPW Partners Pty Ltd AFSL 548754. Image credits: Shutterstock

Retirement Income

High-speed rail plans may finally end Australia’s 40-year wait to get on board

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/philip-laird-3503">Philip Laird</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a> Australia has debated and studied high-speed rail for four decades. The High Speed Rail Authority has begun <a href="https://www.hsra.gov.au/project">work on a project</a> that could finally deliver some high-speed rail in the 2030s. The Albanese government set up the authority in 2022. It also committed A$500 million to plan and protect a high-speed rail corridor between Sydney and Newcastle. This corridor was prioritised due to significant capacity constraints on the existing line, among other reasons. The ultimate plan is for a high-speed rail network to connect Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and regional communities across the east coast. The network would help Australia in its urgent task to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transport. These <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/infrastructure-transport-vehicles/towards-net-zero-transport-and-infrastructure">continue to increase</a> even as emissions from other sectors fall. The authority has now publicly outlined plans for the first stage of this east coast network. After a history of failed proposals dating back to 1984, the new plans provide some cause for optimism that Australia could have some high-speed rail by 2037. <h2>What is high-speed rail and why do we need it?</h2> The International Rail Union of Railways <a href="https://uic.org/passenger/highspeed">defines high-speed rail</a> as new lines designed for speeds of 250km/h or more and upgraded lines for speeds of at least 200km/h. High-speed rail could greatly reduce transport emissions by replacing <a href="https://theconversation.com/wondering-how-to-get-from-brisbane-to-melbourne-without-wrecking-the-climate-our-transport-choices-make-a-huge-difference-237396">air travel in particular</a>. For example, the <a href="https://www.bitre.gov.au/publications/ongoing/domestic_airline_activity-monthly_publications">7.92 million passengers</a> flying between Melbourne and Sydney in 2023-24 produced about 1.5 million tonnes of emissions. Including <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-air-travellers-can-cut-their-door-to-door-emissions-right-now-by-as-much-as-13-on-the-sydney-melbourne-route-211099">travel to and from airports</a> and other flight routes along the corridor (Sydney or Melbourne to Canberra, Albury etc), this adds up to about 2% of <a href="https://www.dcceew.gov.au/climate-change/strategies/annual-climate-change-statement-2023">annual domestic transport emissions</a>. A Sydney–Melbourne high-speed rail link could cut emissions to a fraction of those from <a href="https://theconversation.com/wondering-how-to-get-from-brisbane-to-melbourne-without-wrecking-the-climate-our-transport-choices-make-a-huge-difference-237396">air</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/we-compared-land-transport-options-for-getting-to-net-zero-hands-down-electric-rail-is-the-best-234092">road</a> transport. If Australia is to achieve <a href="https://www.dcceew.gov.au/climate-change/emissions-reduction/net-zero">net zero by 2050</a>, a <a href="https://theconversation.com/we-compared-land-transport-options-for-getting-to-net-zero-hands-down-electric-rail-is-the-best-234092">shift to rail will be essential</a>. High-speed city-to-city rail services will be needed to become an attractive alternative to air travel. <h2>What is the authority working on?</h2> Early this year the High Speed Rail Authority gained a new CEO, Tim Parker, with extensive experience in delivering mega-projects. In late August, the authority outlined its plans at an industry briefing in Newcastle. The authority has commissioned eight studies, including a business case for a Sydney–Newcastle line. Significantly, it will include the cost of future highway upgrades if high-speed rail does not proceed. This study, along with a report on how high-speed rail will proceed along Australia’s east coast, is due by the end of this year. Also under way is a <a href="https://minister.infrastructure.gov.au/c-king/media-release/all-aboard-high-speed-rail-accelerates-first-investigation-works">geotechnical study</a> that includes drilling 27 boreholes. It will help determine the proposed depths of two long rail tunnels and guide decisions on crossing the Hawkesbury River and the route to the Central Coast and on to Newcastle. All going well, including land acquisition and agreements with the New South Wales government (which could include funding), work could <a href="https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/8743698/newcastle-high-speed-rail-possible-by-2037-as-tunnel-plan-emerges">start in 2027 and be completed by 2037</a>. <h2>Many questions remain</h2> Given the time and money required to deliver a Sydney–Newcastle line, bipartisan support will be needed. However, the federal opposition is yet to make a clear commitment to high-speed rail. There are other uncertainties too. Will the trains be operated by the public or private sector? The latter was the intention for projects that were scrapped decades ago, such as the CSIRO-proposed Very Fast Train (<a href="http://www.repositoryofideas.com/VFT_information.html">VFT</a>) linking Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne, and the Sydney–Canberra <a href="https://trid.trb.org/View/1203853">Speedrail</a>. And how will the engineering projects be delivered? The new authority must learn from the project management <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/department/media/news/independent-review-inland-rail-released">problems in delivering the Inland Rail</a> freight line. The project is running late and costs have blown out. Some major federally funded government projects have worked well. These include upgrades of the national highway system (by state road authorities and contractors) and the new <a href="https://www.westernsydneyairport.gov.au/">Western Sydney International Airport</a>, which is nearing completion. <h2>And what about a full Sydney–Melbourne line?</h2> The big question is when work will start on a Sydney–Melbourne high-speed rail service. In 2019, International High-Speed Rail Association chairman <a href="https://ara.net.au/media-release/ausrailplus-2019-conference-exhibition-3-5-december-2019-in-sydney/">Masafumi Shukuri estimated</a> building this line could take 20 years. The present line is 60km longer than it should be as the route dates back to the steam age. It also has far too many tight curves. This means train travel on this line is slower than cars and trucks. As former NSW State Rail chief Len Harper <a href="https://theconversation.com/more-than-ever-its-time-to-upgrade-the-sydney-melbourne-railway-187169">said</a> in 1995, this railway was already “inadequate for current and future needs” even back then. When the VFT was proposed in 1984, questions were raised as to whether our population was big enough for such a project. Now, more than 15.5 million people live in NSW, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory. Melbourne–Sydney is the <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/traveller/travel-news/the-world-s-busiest-flight-routes-and-airports-revealed-20231222-p5et7n.html">world’s fifth-busiest flight route</a>. Advocacy group Fastrack Australia <a href="https://www.fastrackaustralia.net/hsr-implementation-plan">has called</a> for a Sydney–Melbourne track built to high-speed standards and able to carry freight. The estimated travel time is four hours. This group and the <a href="https://www.railfutures.org.au/category/submissions/%20July%202024%20reducing%20emissions%20in%20freight">Rail Futures Institute</a> propose the line be built in stages, with priority given to the section from near Macarthur to Mittagong in NSW. This would reduce the current line’s length by about 18km and allow for better Sydney–Canberra train services. Urgent action is needed to protect the rail corridor from encroaching urban development. <h2>Australia needs to catch up</h2> In June 2023, when the new authority started work, I <a href="https://theconversation.com/can-the-new-high-speed-rail-authority-deliver-after-4-decades-of-costly-studies-206287">observed</a> that Australia must surely hold the world record for studies into high-speed rail with no construction. In stark contrast, this October marks the 60th anniversary of the world’s first dedicated high-speed rail line, the Tokaido Shinkansen in Japan linking Tokyo to Shin-Osaka. The network has since grown in stages to about 3,000km of lines. Today, high-speed rail <a href="https://uic.org/passenger/highspeed/article/high-speed-data-and-atlas">operates in 21 countries</a> over about 60,000km of lines – China has about 40,000km. Indonesia’s high-speed rail service between Jakarta and Bandung started running last year. India and Thailand are in the advanced stages of delivering high-speed rail. It’s also under construction in another 11 countries. Australia could finally join them in the next few years if it starts building the Sydney–Newcastle line.<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/238232/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/philip-laird-3503">Philip Laird</a>, Honorary Principal Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</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/high-speed-rail-plans-may-finally-end-australias-40-year-wait-to-get-on-board-238232">original article</a>. </div>

Domestic Travel

Mother's heartbreaking farewell at bullied daughter's funeral

<em style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;">Warning: This article contains discussions about suicide that some readers may find distressing. The mother of 12-year-old Charlotte Frances O’Brien, a victim of relentless bullying, broke down at her daughter's funeral in a heartbreaking farewell, expressing her anguish and grief. Charlotte, a Year 7 student at Santa Sabina College in Strathfield, Sydney, tragically took her own life on September 9, leaving her family, friends and community devastated. Hundreds of mourners gathered at Mary Immaculate Catholic Church in Bossley Park on Friday for the solemn service. Many wore pink ribbons in their hair, a tribute to Charlotte’s favourite colour. The student body of her primary school was given the day off to attend the funeral. As the service began, Charlotte’s parents, Mat and Kelly, struggled to hold back tears as they carried their daughter’s casket, adorned with lavender and butterflies, through the church. During an emotional eulogy, Kelly expressed her profound love for her daughter, saying, "I will grieve the life you never had." Kelly described Charlotte as her soulmate and best friend, recalling moments of joy and love they shared. “The first moment I held her in my arms will always be the best day of my life," she said tearfully. "I knew within a moment of being her mother that I had met my soulmate." Charlotte's stepfather, Mat, also spoke lovingly of her, recalling her kindness, bravery and the special bond they shared. He read from her final Father’s Day card, where she affectionately described him as “more than a captain”, expressing the deep love she held for him. A poignant slideshow of Charlotte’s life played during the service, accompanied by the song "You Are Not Alone". The photos showed Charlotte smiling and laughing with friends, celebrating birthdays and cuddling her newborn brother, offering glimpses of her joy-filled yet short-lived childhood. The service concluded with Kelly clutching a stuffed penguin, a symbolic farewell to her beloved daughter. Outside the church, mourners gathered around, throwing petals onto the hearse before it departed for the cemetery. While Charlotte’s parents did not directly address the bullying their daughter endured, the presiding priest highlighted the alarming statistic that one in three children worldwide are bullied, urging the community to reflect on their role in combating this issue. “There is a responsibility in the world, starting at home and in our communities. We must grow our hearts and minds in God’s work and continue to move forward,” he said. Charlotte’s death has left a lasting impact on her family, friends, and school community, sparking renewed conversations about the urgent need to address bullying in schools and beyond. <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;">Need to talk to someone? Don't go it alone. <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;">Call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit lifeline.org.au <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;">Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636 <em style="font-weight: bolder; background-color: #ffffff; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box;">SANE: 1800 187 263; saneforums.org Images: 7News

Family & Pets

"You will be so missed": Slain brothers farewelled in emotional funeral

Ben and Russell Smith, who were <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/grief-stricken-father-breaks-silence-after-sons-found-dead" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fatally stabbed in their Blue Mountains home</a>, have been farewelled in an emotional funeral. More than 750 people gathered to pay tribute to the young boys, aged 9 and 11, as the boy's father delivered a heartbreaking eulogy. Mourners embraced outside the church, with father Nick Smith saying his children were “the biggest pleasures and joys of our lives”. “Boys, it’s been an absolute, absolute privilege to be your father. I hold you so deeply in my heart,” Mr Smith said. “You are loved by your family, through your friends, through the community, through the school, through your soccer club, through the Panthers, throughout society." “You will be so missed. You had such beautiful little lives, such beautiful, beautiful adventures, and we had so much more adventure to come." He said Russell was "outgoing, kind, determined, caring and thoughtful, adventurous and just a heart of gold, who no matter what wanted to help". Mr Smith described his other son Ben as a "sweet boy", adding, "The one name you gave yourself was Ben Jelly, and it stuck." Mr Smith said he would make sure his sons are “never forgotten”. “You were such wonderful, cheeky, funny, charismatic boys,” he said. “You made the world a better place." “You’re my world. You’re my little Ben, my Russ, you’re my best crew. I’m gonna miss you two so much. Your memories are your legacy. I love you so much. I will never stop loving you. No one else will either.” The boys’ 42-year-old mother, Trish Smith, has been charged with their murder. Image credits: NSW Police

Family & Pets

"We won't recover": Grieving parents speak out ahead of daughter's funeral

Warning: This article contains discussions about suicide that some readers may find distressing. The grieving stepfather of 12-year-old Charlotte who died by suicide has spoken about the young girl's struggles with bullying as he prepares for her funeral. On Monday, Matthew remembered his stepdaughter as the “kindest, most caring little girl” whose death had followed “toxic” issues at school. “To lose a little girl at the age of 12 is something we won’t recover from,” he told 2GB’s Ben Fordham. Charlotte was a student at Santa Sabina College in Sydney’s inner west, with the Catholic school being forced to defend their handling of bullying in the wake of the 12-year-old's death. Matthew said he believed some of the responses from the school had been “unnecessary”, and claimed he had no direct communication from officials despite their public statements. “I think outside of the response from the broader community of the school I have to say I’ve been disappointed to say the least, with the response that’s come from the school,” he said. “Some of the responses that have gone into the media, I think the first response was around that there’s inconsistencies in their records and I thought that comment to go out at that time when we were grieving was unnecessary." “And since then, comments like the school’s been overwhelmed with support from other parents coming forward and saying how well they deal with these types of issues. And I’m sure they’ve had some communication and some support, Ben." “But those mothers that have given that school support, no doubt they will be planning on picking their daughter up from school today, and we are not.” Matthew went on to confirm that Charlotte's mother had repeatedly asked her daughter's school to do something about the bullying, and break up the friendship that put Charlotte through a "roller coaster". “I would not allow this behaviour to happen in my home,” he said. “I am not after any retribution for these girls … but I’m looking for the schools to step in … to act when these things are raised for the first time, not the second or third time.” Matthew said it was time school “friendship issues” were called out for what they really were, saying, “It’s not called a friendship issue in the workplace.” The year 7 student took her own life on September 9th, leaving a note to her parents that included names of those she wanted at her funeral and others who had made “life too hard”. It also instructed her mother, Kelly, to “tell the school please”, with the note reading, “Mama, please share my story to raise awareness.” The family are preparing to farewell her at a funeral on Friday, and have asked those who wish to send flowers to instead make a donation to the <a href="https://inmemoryofcharlotte.raiselysite.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kids Helpline</a>. Need to talk to someone? Don't go it alone. Call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit lifeline.org.au Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636 SANE: 1800 187 263; saneforums.org Image credits: 2GB / Kids Helpline <p style="box-sizing: inherit; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">

Caring

Family and friends farewell Sam Landsberger

Sam Landsberger's family and friends have said their final goodbyes to the beloved sports journalist. The Herald Sun AFL and cricket reporter was talking on the phone with his mum while on the way to meet a friend when he was <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/he-was-at-peace-sam-landsberger-s-parents-break-silence-after-sudden-death" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hit by a truck</a> at the intersection of Bridge Rd and Church St in Richmond, Melbourne on August 20. The 35-year-old later died at The Alfred hospital from his injuries. Hundreds gathered to farewell him at a funeral service at the Temple Beth Israel synagogue in St Kilda. His parents, Jake and Anne, have remembered their youngest child and only son as a "caring and wonderful" person. “Approximately 22 years ago our family stood in this same spot in this wonderful big hall celebrating Sam’s bar mitzvah, now we find ourselves in this exact hall in utter and complete devastation,” Jake said. “I heard so many stories that parents should never ever have to bury their children, yet this is what we are doing. “He was a dedicated, hardworking journalist who loved his job. “He brought so much joy to our lives. He lit up every room he entered, yet he lit up our entire lives.” His father also said that Sam's second grade teacher called him a "diamond" and it was the perfect word to describe him. Jake also recalled his favourite story about his son when he was 10 years old. “Sam had vomited all over his front, his chest was bright yellow,” he said. “I picked him up over the fence and we walked into the rooms to check him over … (only to learn) the reason he was sick was he’d just consumed a jumbo box of Cheezels. “From that time on, every member of the club would call him Cheezels. “At this moment it’s indescribable devastation we feel but also underlining gratitude for what he gave, a beautiful, gorgeous, caring young man who will never be forgotten and always be in our hearts.” Sam’s mother, thanked Herald Sun cartoonist Mark Knight for the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C-9BuSHTic-/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==" target="_blank" rel="noopener">"wonderful tribute"</a> that captured his spirit and likeness to his maternal grandfather. “I delivered Sam, I nurtured Sam and I am so grateful that I was with him at the end,” she said. “There will always be a massive hole in my heart. I love you and will forever. “Rest in peace my darling boy, I love you.” <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C-9BuSHTic-/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C-9BuSHTic-/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Mark Knight (@knightcartoons)</a> </div> </blockquote> His older sister also talked about their heartbreak at losing their little brother, with a message from his niece being read out. “Dear Sam, I’m really going to miss you. I loved how you would push me on the swings...Thank you for teaching me about the Bulldogs. I’m sad I won’t get to see you again. Love Zara.” Another friend, Will Kim, revealed Sam was due to be best man at his wedding later this year. “I thought he’d be the one making a speech and saying nice things about me, not the other way around,” he said. “How cruel and unpredictable life can be.” Since news broke of Sam's death the footy community have shared their fond memories of him. “The entire AFL footy community is shocked and saddened to hear of the sudden death of Sam in a tragic road accident,” his online funeral notice stated. “His enthusiasm for the game and passion for his work was always evident and his positive approach and friendly nature will be fondly recalled by all who knew and worked with him. “Sincere sympathies to Jake, Anne, Jess, Sarah and all of his extended family, friends and colleagues.” The truck driver that struck Landsberger is due to appear before Melbourne Magistrates Court on September 19. While he underwent the standard roadside alcohol and drug tests, which were both negative, he was charged for refusing to provide a blood sample to police. He has also been given a notice banning him from driving until his first court appearance. Images: Herald Sun

Caring

Quirky grandfather shocks Today hosts with unusual funeral plans

Michael 'Skip' Field has decided he doesn't want his family crying for him at an ordinary funeral when he dies. Instead, the quirky Queensland grandfather wants a celebration for his final send off and wants his family to remember him in a very unique way. Skip shared his funeral plans with Today hosts Sarah and Alex, who were perplexed by Skip's plans for his final send-off. "I've been to a lot of funerals over the years, I'm an old fart and I never enjoyed any of them," Skip said. "So come the time I turn toes up, they're going to cart me off to the crematorium for a big barbecue, where I'll be the guest of honour, then when the heat dies down, they're going to put me in a little shoe box and give my young son a ring," he said. "He'll come and pick me up and I'm an avid cowboy shooter, we load our own ammunition and one of the things that happens to cowboys when they pass on is they have a cowboy salute where you get a big, long line and everybody fires a shotgun, bang, bang, bang, bang, and have a salute." "Well, I'm going to get my ashes mixed into the shotgun shells and donate the shotgun shells to the range and they can shoot me off down the range." "Plus all the smoke that comes out at the end of the barrel is a bit blue, but being a Queenslander, I've got a bit of maroon chalk that's going to go in with the ashes, so when they come out at the end of the barrel it's going to be a maroon tinge on it," he said. Today hosts Sarah and Alex were gob-smacked by the idea of Skip donating his ash-filled bullets to the local firing range, but that's not all he has planned. "The other thing is a friend of mine's got a cannon and we're going to shoot part of the ashes out of the cannon at Pleasant Range near Dalby," he said. "Then the kids don't need a big, morbid ceremony, so they're going to have a party here at my house and I bought this thing called the 'loved one launcher' that is like a giant party popper, you put your ashes in and it'll shoot you 75 yards into the air with confetti and streamers and all that - Yeehaw! It's going to be great." Skip said the whole process cost less than getting a casket for the ground and it would be the last big thing he gets a say in. Image credits: Today

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