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"It's time": ABC legend announces retirement

ABC’s chief election analyst Antony Green has announced his plans to step down from the public broadcaster after 30 years in his distinguished role. Green announced that he would be retiring after the next federal election, which is rumoured to take place between March and May 2025. “By the time of the next election, I’ll be 68 and I know I’m not as sharp and quick as I was five years ago,” Green said, according to the ABC. “It gets harder and harder. It’s like a footballer, sometimes they play on a season too long, and I’m making sure I don’t do that.” Green, who has covered more than 90 Australian elections, said it was “time to retire” but he would “stay on” for a couple years “handing over work and doing other things”. “Essentially I’m deciding to retire and work less,” Green said. “I got this job as an election worker 36 years ago and I decided I enjoyed doing it – I’ve done a lot of development since. It’s been a long, fun journey.” Green’s final on-air appearances will be the West Australian state election on March 8th and the federal election, which is yet to be announced. Casey Briggs will step in as ABC’s chief election and data analyst after Green's departure, as she announced he would be missed. “For more than three decades Antony Green has set the bar for election analysis. He is sharp, fast and, even under the immense pressure of the night, manages to keep his sense of humour,” Briggs said. “For me, it has been such a privilege to have had a front-row seat to watch and learn from the master at work." “We will all miss him from our screens, but I’m thankful that at least we get a couple more chances to celebrate his monumental contribution to Australia and its democracy.” ABC journalist Annabel Crabb said covering four federal elections with him had been “one of the great pleasures of (her) professional life”. “What a gift it is to our democracy and to our national broadcaster that in 1989 this wee maths nerd saw the ad in the paper for a research position at the ABC and the late Ian Carroll recognised in him the sprouts of the Tree Of Wisdom he’d become!” Crabb wrote in a social media post. “A legendary figure. A migrant success story. A generous colleague.” Image credits: ABC

Retirement Life

Aus Post worker jailed after stealing from packages

An Australia Post contractor has been jailed after stealing $400,000 worth of luxury goods from packages. According to the Australian Federal Police, items such as jewellery, luxury watches, alcohol and gift cards were among the “significant number” of goods stolen from packages between November 2021 and May 2023. The 43-year-old man from Bexley in Sydney was sentenced to imprisonment for two years and three months when he faced the Downing Centre District Court on Tuesday. He is able to be released after serving 15 months on the condition he is then of good behaviour for two years. An investigation began into the thief in May 2023 after a report of “a man tampering with postal packages” was filed. A search warrant executed at the man’s Bexley home uncovered $398,000 worth of stolen items and $39,000 in cash which was the “proceeds of crime from the sale of tobacco the man had taken from mail packages,” AFP said. Police found an estimated $138,000 worth of alcohol, $124,000 of luxury watches, $52,000 of gift cards, and $43,000 of jewellery in the man's home. Police also seized 24g of methamphetamine, 17.8g of ketamine and small quantities of cocaine, MDMA and cannabis during their search of the property. The man pleaded guilty to three charges related to the postal theft, drug possession, and proceeds of crime. AFP acting Superintendent Stuart Millen said the man abused his trusted position with Australia Post for his own personal gain. “Criminals are motivated by profit and greed, and the AFP has zero tolerance for those who abuse employment access for their own illegal pursuits,” he said. “This was an opportunistic attempt to use a trusted position within Australia’s mail delivery system to profit, with no regard to its impact on the community." “People with trusted access are critical to the successful operation of Australia’s trade sectors, but the AFP will not hesitate to investigate and prosecute those who abuse this trust." “The AFP works closely with Australia Post to ensure trusted insiders abusing their position for criminal endeavours are dealt with swiftly to ensure public confidence in the Australian postal system.” Image credits: AFP

Legal

Former soap star jailed for 28 years

Former soap star Phil Hamer has been sentenced to 28 years in jail after being found guilty of raping and sexually abusing seven girls between 2010 and 2023. Hamer used social media to target and groom children, with one of his victims only being 11-years-old. He targeted his first victim, a 14-year-old girl, on Facebook in 2010. The 34-year-old, who appeared on UK dramas Hollyoaks and Coronation Street, received a 36-year sentence including an eight-year extended licence period after he was found guilty of 33 rape and assault charges. Hamer was convicted of a total of 41 charges, including eight counts of rape, six counts of sexual assault, six counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and one count of sexual activity with a child. “These were no relationships. You manipulated and groomed these young girls, inexperienced and impressionable as they were, in a way that was controlling and coercive,” Judge Sarah Johnston reportedly told Harmer, per the BBC. Other offences include taking indecent images of his victims, many of them teenagers at the time they were abused, according to Greater Manchester Police. “After one victim came forward, Hamer’s phone was seized which enabled police to trace further victims,” the police said. “In his police interview, Hamer showed a denial for any wrongdoing in his actions. He did not believe that he was a sexual predator and that his actions caused severe harm and distress to his victims,” Detective Constable Denise Garde said. “He incited his victims to send him hundreds of pictures and videos over a period of seven years. One victim was in fear that Hamer may disclose the pictures to others or come to their address. “After seizing his devices, we later found voyeuristic videos and pictures Hamer had taken of people in changing rooms who were not aware they were being filmed.” Hamer would also send unsolicited pictures to his victims and tracked their movements. During his trial, one of Hamer's victims read out a heartbreaking statement about the toll of the abuse in court. “Philip Hamer, the man who took away my innocence at such a young age,” the victim said. “The man who made me feel so ashamed of myself for so many years. The man that made me feel disgusted in myself. The man that made me feel so lonely as I was too afraid to open up to anyone, I couldn’t even speak to my mum, my friends, my family. “He made me feel fear, distress and trauma no young girl should have to go through. He took away my spark and gave me so much anxiety. “For years I was too ashamed to look at myself in the mirror, as all I saw was the girl that a man lusted over. “He will never earn my forgiveness for what he did to me. He doesn’t deserve it. But I am no longer going to let him have a hold on my life like he once did. “I can now continue to succeed in life, knowing I finally have the justice me and the other girls whose lives he impacted deserve. “This man changed the course of my life, what he did to me impacted on my schooling massively and it isolated me from my friendship group. “When I should have been enjoying school, growing up having new experiences with friends, I was controlled by that man, making me believe that he would disclose my worst secrets to my friends. “This impacted on my relationships, making me feel guilty for what he did to me.” Image: Manchester Phoenix

Legal

Returning home after a flood? Prioritise your health and take it one step at a time

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kazi-mizanur-rahman-1057615">Kazi Mizanur Rahman</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> Parts of North Queensland have received almost <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgpvrgezp3o">two metres</a> of rain since the weekend, causing flash and riverine flooding that claimed the lives of <a href="https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/second-death-confirmed-in-flood-hit-north-queensland-as-threat-eases-20250204-p5l9l1.html">two women</a> around Ingham. While some North Queensland residents are <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-05/north-queensland-flooding-townsville-rainfall-flood-recovery/104894530">on alert</a> for more flooding, others are <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-05/north-queensland-flooding-townsville-rainfall-flood-recovery/104894530">returning home</a> to assess the damage. This can be very confronting. You may have left in a rush when the evacuation order <a href="https://www.fire.qld.gov.au/aws">was issued</a>, taking only a few valuables and <a href="https://www.getready.qld.gov.au/emergencykit">necessary items</a>, and maybe your <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2024.1423501/full">pet</a>. You may have been <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37791723/">scared</a> and unsure of what would happen. Coming back and seeing the damage to the place you lived in and loved can be painful. You might also be worried about the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35681967/">financial consequences</a>. <h2>First, focus on safety</h2> Make sure it’s <a href="https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/After-a-flood-returning-home-safely">safe to return home</a>. Check with your energy provider whether power has been restored in your area and, if so, whether it’s <a href="https://www.ewoq.com.au/news-and-publications/news/support-for-customers-affected-by-floods">safe to turn the main switch back on</a>. Do not use appliances that got wet, as electrical hazards can be <a href="https://floodlist.com/dealing-with-floods/electricity-safety">deadly</a>. Look for any <a href="https://asic.gov.au/about-asic/news-centre/news-items/what-to-do-if-you-are-affected-by-floods-in-queensland/">structural damages to your property</a> and any hazards such as <a href="https://www.asbestos.qld.gov.au/sites/default/files/asbestos-cleaning-removing-asbestos-containing-materials.pdf">asbestos exposure</a>. Watch out for sharp objects, broken glass, or slippery areas. The hardest part is cleaning up. You will need to be patient, and prioritise your health and safety. <h2>What risks are involved with flood clean ups?</h2> <a href="https://theconversation.com/dont-go-wading-in-flood-water-if-you-can-help-it-its-a-health-risk-for-humans-and-dogs-too-178027#:%7E:text=Health%20risks%20from%20flood%20water,thrive%20in%20mud%20and%20water">Floodwater</a> carries <a href="https://www.health.qld.gov.au/newsroom/doh-media-releases/health-risks-lurking-in-far-north-queensland-floodwaters#:%7E:text=Queensland%20Chief%20Health%20Officer%20Dr,risk%20of%20disease%20and%20infection.">mud</a> and <a href="https://www.publish.csiro.au/ma/Fulltext/MA23051">bugs</a>. It can also be contaminated with sewage. Contaminated flood water can cause <a href="https://theconversation.com/drinking-water-can-be-a-dangerous-cocktail-for-people-in-flood-areas-178028">gastroenteritis</a>, skin infections, conjunctivitis, or ear, nose and throat infections. Mud can <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0010486">make you sick</a> by transmitting germs through broken skin, causing nasty diseases such as the bacterial infection <a href="https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/clinical/melioidosis-a-deadly-infection-that-can-spread-aft">melioidosis</a>. Your house may also have <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-04/qld-pest-controllers-report-spike-in-rats-snakes-after-floods/100958648">rodents</a>, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-04/qld-pest-controllers-report-spike-in-rats-snakes-after-floods/100958648">snakes</a>, or <a href="https://theconversation.com/after-the-floods-stand-by-for-spiders-slugs-and-millipedes-but-think-twice-before-reaching-for-the-bug-spray-157600">insects</a> that can bite. Rats can also carry diseases that contaminate water and enter your body through <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9151845/#:%7E:text=It%20is%20presumed%20that%20infection,urine%20from%20animal%20reservoir%20hosts.">broken skin</a>. Be <a href="https://asthma.org.au/triggers/flooding-and-mould/">careful about mould</a>, as it can affect the air quality in your home and make asthma and allergies worse. Stagnant water in and around your home can become a place where <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/8/1393">mosquitoes breed and spread disease</a>. <h2>How can you reduce these risks?</h2> When you first enter your flood-damaged home, open windows to let fresh air in. If you have breathing problems, wear a face mask to protect yourself from any possible air pollution resulting from the damage, and any mould due to your home being closed up. Cleaning your home is a long, frustrating and exhausting process. In this hot and humid weather, drink plenty of water and take frequent breaks. Identify any covered part of your home with sufficient ventilation which is high and dry, and where flood water did not enter. Use that as your resting space. While assessing and cleaning, wear <a href="https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/emergency_preparedness/weather/Pages/household-cleanup.aspx">protective clothing</a>, boots and gloves. Covering your skin will reduce the chance of bites and infection. Wash your hands with soap and water <a href="https://www.redcross.org.au/emergencies/coping-after-a-crisis/cleaning-up-wind-water/">as often as possible</a>. And don’t forget to <a href="https://www.torres-cape.health.qld.gov.au/about-us/news/take-care-of-health-and-safety-during-flood-and-rain-20241213">apply</a> sunscreen and mosquito repellent. Throw away items that were soaked in floodwater. These could have germs that can make you ill. Empty your fridge and freezer because the food inside is <a href="https://www.foodsafety.asn.au/when-the-power-goes-off/#:%7E:text=Food%20stored%20in%20freezers&text=If%20the%20freezer%20door%20is,food%20chilled%20for%2024%20hours.">no longer safe</a>. If there is standing water, avoid touching it. When you can, empty outdoor containers with stagnant water to prevent mosquitoes breeding. <h2>Don’t overlook your mental health</h2> When cleaning up after a flood, you may feel sad, anxious, or stressed. It’s hard to see your home in this condition. But know you are not alone. Stay connected with others, talk to your friends and families, and accept support. If you feel too overwhelmed, seek help from mental health support services in your area or contact <a href="https://www.lifeline.org.au/">Lifeline</a> on 13 11 14. On top of everything, be mindful about those who are vulnerable, such as older people and those with disabilities, as they may be <a href="https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/8/e056210.abstract">more affected and find the clean up process harder</a>. Recovering from a flood takes time. Focus on what needs to be fixed first and take it step by step. <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kazi-mizanur-rahman-1057615">Kazi Mizanur Rahman</a>, Associate Professor of Healthcare Innovations, Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond 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/returning-home-after-a-flood-prioritise-your-health-and-take-it-one-step-at-a-time-248902">original article</a>. </div>

Domestic Travel

Readers response: Who's your favourite vocalist of all time?

We asked our readers who their favourite vocalist of all time is, and the response was overwhelming. Here's what they said. Regina Johnson - Barbra Streisand. Vicki Bell - Roy Orbison, hands down. Anne Denise Houghton - I think it’s a tie between Roy Orbison and Freddie Mercury. Christine Phillips - Elvis Presley. That was voice straight out of heaven. Barbara Moretti - Luciano Pavarotti and Barbra Streisand. Marilyn Sheldrick - Tom Jones. Sue McKinnon - Eric Clapton, plus his guitar ability! Kristeen Collison - John Farnham! Australian legend. Lyn Gardiner - Male: Elvis. Female: Karen Carpenter and Linda Ronstadt. Can't separate them. Mary Bartlett - Don Williams, the gentle giant. Deb Wagner - Leonard Cohen. Cheryl Barrett - Freddie Mercury hands down. Peter Brady - Aretha Franklin. Karen Turner - Rod Stewart, Robbie Williams and John Farnham. Image credits: Shutterstock

Music

Despite decades of beach safety ads, at least 55 people have drowned in Australia this summer. It’s time to change tack

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/samuel-cornell-1418374">Samuel Cornell</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a> Australia is considered a nation of beach lovers. But with all this water surrounding us, drownings remain tragically common. At least <a href="https://www.royallifesaving.com.au/research-and-policy/drowning-research/summer-drowning-toll">55 people have drowned</a> in waterways in Australia so far this summer, most of whom drowned at the beach. And the season’s not over. Every drowning is a tragedy, and Australia is nowhere near the federal-government supported <a href="https://www.watersafety.com.au/australian-water-safety-strategy/">goal of zero drownings</a>. Public health agencies are <a href="https://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/australia-in-the-grip-of-a-disturbing-rise-in-summer-drownings/news-story/bf2b1595f36bb4b458b371b9fab4f7ed">concerned</a> about the drowning numbers. So how do we fix it? An important factor to consider is how beach safety messages are communicated. <h2>Another season, another campaign</h2> The peak water safety bodies in Australia, <a href="https://sls.com.au/">Surf Life Saving Australia</a> and <a href="https://www.royallifesaving.com.au/">Royal Life Saving Society – Australia</a>, work to reduce drownings in all Australian aquatic locations, from swimming pools to rivers to beaches. Their public safety campaigns aim to raise awareness of drowning and risks around the water. Australians are undoubtedly safer because of the work and advocacy of these organisations – but drowning numbers remain stubbornly high. Surf Life Saving Australia is running a new campaign this summer – <a href="https://sls.com.au/surf-life-saving-calls-in-hollywood-actor-angus-sampson-to-help-reach-men-at-high-risk-of-drowning/">Stop, Look, Stay Alive</a> – featuring Australian-born actor and filmmaker Angus Sampson. This campaign is one of many in recent years urging Australians to stay safe near the water. Others include: <ul> <li>the “swim between the flags” message</li> <li>the “<a href="https://sls.com.au/surf-life-saving-australia-launches-new-summer-safety-campaign-give-an-f-about-the-flags/">give an F about the flags</a>” campaign</li> <li>the <a href="https://sls.com.au/slsa-draws-the-line-on-rips/">“think line”</a> campaign, which urges people to “stop, look and have a plan”</li> <li>the <a href="https://www.floattosurvive.au/">“float to survive”</a> campaign, which urges people to <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5f7cf9fd8c3f251339c3dfa8/t/65ea851cbcbf287ede28cdc3/1709868332878/Float+to+Survive+Report.pdf">float if they’re in trouble in the water or stuck in a rip</a></li> <li>the <a href="https://www.royallifesaving.com.au/about/campaigns-and-programs/respect-the-river">“respect the river”</a> campaign.</li> </ul> But the tragic number of drownings, particularly during summer, suggests not everyone is heeding the message. In fact, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0278434322000760#:%7E:text=However%2C%20there%20is%20no%20evidence,and%20hazards%20to%20the%20public.">Australian researchers in 2022 found</a> no evidence to suggest beach drowning deaths in Australia have reduced over the long term. This, the researchers said: <blockquote> rais[es] questions regarding the effectiveness of existing strategies designed to communicate messages and information about beach safety and hazards to the public. </blockquote> <h2>Changing how we communicate</h2> <a href="https://sls.com.au/surf-life-saving-calls-in-hollywood-actor-angus-sampson-to-help-reach-men-at-high-risk-of-drowning/">According to Surf Life Saving Australia</a> the current Angus Sampson campaign aims to be: <blockquote> appealing to more Aussies, in particular men who continue to swim at unpatrolled locations and take unnecessary risks. </blockquote> As the <a href="https://sls.com.au/surf-life-saving-calls-in-hollywood-actor-angus-sampson-to-help-reach-men-at-high-risk-of-drowning/">organisation notes</a>, 86% of all drowning deaths on Australia’s coast last year were men. The campaign involves ads on television and online, as well as outdoor advertising. The decision to use a mix of platforms is wise. But the use of a TV and movie celebrity may not be effective. A <a href="https://archive.acrs.org.au/files/arsrpe/RS030057.pdf?utm">review looking at road safety campaigns</a>, for example, found limited evidence of celebrity effectiveness in improving safety outcomes. Could it be more effective to, for example, <a href="https://academic.oup.com/heapro/article/38/2/daad034/7143327">use a TikTok star</a> who is hugely popular among young males? Research suggests using the <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/28355245.2024.2350155">right platform</a> and “<a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7501494">voices that matter</a>” offer benefits when delivering safety messages. This is in part due to the <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17524032.2023.2237693">emotional connection</a> people form with these social media stars, which can result in behaviour change. When asked for evidence to show the current public messaging campaigns are working, Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA) told The Conversation: <blockquote> SLSA is committed to preventing drowning through holistic, evidence-based approaches, combining awareness programs like Stop Look Stay Alive with lifesaving services, in-person programs, and education. This summer alone, lifesavers have performed over <a href="https://sls.com.au/coastal-safety/sls-research/national-summer-coastal-drowning-data/">2,500 rescues and 700,000 preventative actions</a>. Despite population growth, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1326020023000961">coastal drowning has remained stable</a>. This summer, 32 coastal drownings have been reported, fewer than the <a href="https://sls.com.au/coastal-safety/sls-research/national-summer-coastal-drowning-data/">same period last year</a>. SLSA focuses on behaviour change through initiatives like beachpassport.org.au (with 21,000+ “passports” issued already!), and on-beach programs that have provided active community learning <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212420924007040">opportunities</a>. It’s too early to comment on the broader effectiveness of Stop Look Stay Alive, however preliminary campaign results show positive impact and an evaluation will be conducted by <a href="https://www.beachsafetyresearch.com/">UNSW Beach Safety Research Group</a> later this year. </blockquote> <h2>Rethinking ‘swim between the flags’</h2> Many current beach messaging approaches, <a href="https://sls.com.au/1281-reasons-swim-flags/">including “swim between the flags”</a>, compel people to fit into what the system wants. But many beaches <a href="https://theconversation.com/australian-beachgoers-are-told-to-always-swim-between-the-flags-but-what-if-there-arent-any-220043">don’t have flags</a>. And not everyone stops or looks for flags, signs, or even the conditions before they go into the water. And studies show while most domestic beachgoers know to swim between the flags, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0278434322000760#:%7E:text=However%2C%20there%20is%20no%20evidence,and%20hazards%20to%20the%20public">many choose not to</a> because, for example, people are located closer to beaches without flags or lifeguard patrols. What’s more, research suggests overseas visitors to Australia do not always understand <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0925753522003058">what “swim between the flags” means</a> or terms often used on common beach safety <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0925753523003089">signage</a> such as “shore dump” and “shore break”. One 2021 <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0925753523003089">study</a> found 21% of international students perceived “always swim between the flags” to mean that beachgoers who don’t or can’t swim need to stay outside the flags. This shows that current strategies aren’t resonating with all beach users, and there’s a need to reassess beach safety messaging. <h2>Changing tack</h2> Other forms of public safety messaging should also be considered when trying to reduce drowning numbers in Australia. For example, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/hpja.785">people who have been caught in rip</a> might be encouraged to tell their stories publicly. Research into other areas of <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/10732748241237328">public health communication</a>, such as vaccines, suggest this can form the basis of an effective campaign. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0278434322000760#:%7E:text=However%2C%20there%20is%20no%20evidence,and%20hazards%20to%20the%20public.">Research also suggests</a> teaching beachgoers about coastal science can improve beach safety behaviour. For example, people can be taught about how rip currents work, using images of dye released into the water. Crucially, consensus is needed on which <a href="https://www.jsams.org/article/S1440-2440(06)00231-3/abstract">key messages to prioritise</a>. Too much differing messaging <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8807320/?utm_source">may lead to message fatigue or confusion</a> about which message is most important to follow. Messaging on beach safety to date has surely prevented drowning. But the stubborn drowning toll highlights the need to evaluate what is not working. Clear and consistent messaging, using modern platforms and engaging influencers may help us to get to zero drownings sooner.<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/245747/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/samuel-cornell-1418374">Samuel Cornell</a>, PhD Candidate, UNSW Beach Safety Research Group + School of Population Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/despite-decades-of-beach-safety-ads-at-least-55-people-have-drowned-in-australia-this-summer-its-time-to-change-tack-245747">original article</a>. </div>

Domestic Travel

Home ownership is slipping out of reach. It’s time to rethink our fear of ‘forever renting’

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/dorina-pojani-413644">Dorina Pojani</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a> A wide range of voices in the Australian media have been <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/dec/05/share-with-parents-or-rent-forever-i-have-put-life-on-hold-while-trying-to-buy-a-house">sounding the alarm</a> about the phenomenon of “forever-renting”. This describes a situation in which individuals or families are <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-10/young-people-priced-out-of-home-ownership/104202602">unable to transition</a> from renting to home ownership, due to rising property values and wages that can’t keep up. Forever-renting is often framed as a terrible condition that should be avoided at all costs – that renting is only acceptable in the short term, as an individual or family saves for a down-payment. The underlying implication is that the ultimate goal in life for just about every Australian should be to own a house – or at least a condominium unit. This only serves to stigmatise renters, who currently make up <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/housing/housing-occupancy-and-costs/2019-20">nearly a third</a> of Australian households. Demographic research indicates <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/24639395">about 15% of Australia’s population</a> changes address every year. Many of these moves require rental accommodation. And, yes, millions of Australians will <a href="https://www.ahuri.edu.au/analysis/news/rising-proportion-forever-renters-requires-tax-and-policy-re-think">rent for their whole life</a>. Clearly, we need to change our thinking around renting to bring it into step with reality. We must accept that the proportion of renters may never go down – or may even increase – and that that’s not necessarily a bad thing. <h2>Where did this attitude come from?</h2> The Australian tradition of home ownership was established in the early decades of European settlement. To make what we now call the “Australian dream” happen, the continent had to be treated as a tabula rasa, or blank slate. A mass of Indigenous people were <a href="https://theconversation.com/refugees-in-their-own-land-how-indigenous-people-are-still-homeless-in-modern-australia-55183">dispossessed</a>. Migration to Australia offered impoverished Britons an opportunity to own a house and plenty of land. In the old country, in contrast, real estate ownership had been a privilege of the gentry. Postwar waves of immigrants from southern Europe and East Asia were also intent on home ownership. In a low-density nation with smallish cities and cheap land, owning a home made sense. Now, urban land is no longer cheap and our <a href="https://www.apimagazine.com.au/news/article/scale-of-urban-sprawl-in-australia-hurting-more-than-just-the-environment">cities have sprawled</a> beyond what’s sustainable. <h2>Renting can have advantages</h2> The first step towards rethinking renting as a norm is acknowledging it can have some significant and often overlooked advantages. For some, renting is a <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/09604521011027598/full/html">lifestyle preference</a>. Ownership comes with burdens such as house and garden maintenance. This makes renting much more convenient and carefree for some demographics, including young people and older adults. Another key advantage of renting is the <a href="https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/Homeownership_and_the_Labour_Market_in_E/GwoUDAAAQBAJ">employment flexibility</a> it can provide. Renters can look for work outside their commute range and are less tied to particular employers. There’s some evidence that high levels of home ownership could even damage the overall labour market. Previous <a href="https://www.nber.org/papers/w19079">research</a> by the US National Bureau of Economic Research has shown that increasing home ownership leads to less labour mobility, longer commutes, and fewer new businesses because homeowners are less likely to move. <h2>Safe as houses?</h2> One common argument against renting is that investing in your own home is a “safe bet”. But we perhaps need to rethink this unquestioned reliance on housing as a store of wealth. Those who enter the housing market for investment purposes should be aware of several issues. Over the long term, housing prices have historically shown a <a href="https://www.dpn.com.au/articles/house-price-growth-australia-over-30-years">general upward trajectory</a>, driven by population growth and limited land supply in desirable areas. In the short term, however, housing prices can be <a href="https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/H/bo20832545.html">quite volatile</a>. They may move up, down, or stay the same. This depends on broader economic cycles, market conditions and interest rates. Think of the housing bubble in the United States, which led to a global recession in 2008, or the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01-07/china-property-crash-a-warning-for-australian-housing-market/104788660">current downturn in China</a>. The cycles in property prices are often worsened by <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/1914185">psychological biases</a> that can lead to overoptimism during booms or panic during busts. Investors may win or lose. <h2>Compounded by climate change</h2> In the contemporary era, we also need to factor in climate change. Areas that are currently desirable may become unappealing before too long – due to <a href="https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/resources/how-hot-will-your-neighbourhood-be-by-2050/">heatwaves</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/one-of-the-most-extreme-disasters-in-colonial-australian-history-climate-scientists-on-the-floods-and-our-future-risk-178153">floods</a> or <a href="https://theconversation.com/la-is-on-fire-how-will-australia-cope-when-bushfires-hit-sydney-melbourne-or-another-major-city-246967">fires</a>. Natural disasters, or even just growing disaster risks, can prompt large drops in property prices and massive population movements. To illustrate: during the pandemic, South East Queensland began to draw many domestic migrants as other states struggled to contain the virus. People from cooler southern states were also attracted by the region’s mild winter climate. In 2024, Brisbane became Australia’s <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/news/uneven-price-growth-reshuffles-rankings-of-australias-most-expensive-cities/">second-most expensive</a> city for property values. That might appear to bode well for property buyers who’ve invested millions of dollars. But one <a href="https://rmets.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/joc.5998">2019 study</a> has predicted that temperature rises could make Brisbane “<a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-06-22/temperature-increases-from-climate-change-brisbane-unliveable/11227404">unbearably hot</a>” by 2050. In this context, renters may be more adaptable than owners. <h2>A more renter-friendly Australia</h2> None of this is to argue that everyone should be a renter, or that renters should be left to the whims of the market. In Australia, current rent increases are <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/economy/price-indexes-and-inflation/consumer-price-index-australia/latest-release">outpacing</a> both wage growth and inflation (CPI). The rental affordability crisis has driven a <a href="https://homelessnessaustralia.org.au/rough-sleeping-surges-as-homelessness-crisis-worsens-new-report/">recent surge</a> in homelessness. There is a wide range of policy tools available to us, many of which have been shown to <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-16/build-to-rent-fix-housing-crisis-australia-us-uk-hong-kong/104458458">work relatively well in other countries</a> and could be adopted here. These include: <ul> <li> <a href="https://thefifthestate.com.au/housing-2/the-case-for-rent-control-and-historical-norms-in-rent-increases/">rent caps</a>, which tie allowable rent increases to the CPI (Australia already <a href="https://treasury.gov.au/sites/default/files/2019-03/round5-5.pdf">regulates the price of utilities</a> in this way) </li> <li> nationwide no-ground eviction bans (already in place in <a href="https://www.choice.com.au/money/property/renting/articles/no-grounds-evictions-update">some states</a>) </li> <li> normalisation of <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-06-28/how-to-find-a-long-term-rental-home/100217074">long-term leases</a> beyond 12 months and restrictions on <a href="https://cities-today.com/barcelona-set-to-ban-short-term-rentals/">short-term rentals such as Airbnb</a> </li> </ul> More vulnerable renters, including people with disabilities, single parents, victims of domestic abuse, those on low incomes, and older retirees, need extra protections. The supply of rental units should also be increased, through <a href="https://www.ahuri.edu.au/analysis/brief/what-build-rent">build-to-rent</a> and <a href="https://www.statedevelopment.qld.gov.au/news-and-events/granny-flats-provide-housing-choice-in-tight-rental-market">granny flat</a> construction, for example. Landlords should not be vilified either. In an unregulated market, they are often cast as “<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/news/robber-barons-great-landlord-myth-exposed/">robber barons</a>” and “<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/apr/16/landlords-social-parasites-last-people-should-be-honouring-buy-to-let">social parasites</a>”. If tenants were protected from excessive rent increases and evictions, landlordism could also be recast as an essential service that yields reasonable profits to providers.<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/245848/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/dorina-pojani-413644">Dorina Pojani</a>, Associate Professor in Urban Planning, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</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/home-ownership-is-slipping-out-of-reach-its-time-to-rethink-our-fear-of-forever-renting-245848">original article</a>. </div>

Money & Banking

John Farnham to become a grandfather for the first time

John Farnham is set to become a grandfather for the first time. On Thursday, the legendary singer's son James took to Instagram to announce that his partner Tessa is pregnant with a baby boy due later this year. The clip showed James setting alight a burn away cake with the words "coming 2025" inscribed on it. The inscription peeled away to reveal the word "Boy", confirming that the couple are having a son. He also shared a photo of an ultrasound of their unborn baby's hand, with the caption: "Coming 2025! Tessa, I love you so much!" James' celebrity friends were quick to congratulate the couple's joyous baby news. "Congratulations guys. Great news to kick off the year," wrote Sunrise weatherman Sam Mac's fiancée Rebecca James. "Ahhhhhhh this is the best ever! So happy for you guys," added Neighbours star Bonnie Anderson. "Yeah wooohooo, so happy for you both. Congratulations to the coolest parents," wrote one person. "Woohoo! Massive congratulations to you both! Baby Boy is very lucky to have you both as their mummy and daddy! Big love," added another. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DEj0BaHzmRM/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DEj0BaHzmRM/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by James Farnham (@jimbofarnham)</a> </div> </blockquote> James has been in a relationship with Tessa for several years, and even attended the premiere of the John Farnham: Finding the Voice documentary together in Melbourne in 2023. The joyful news comes after a challenging period for Farnham and his family following his battle with mouth cancer. In August 2022, Farnham underwent surgery and treatment for mouth cancer. The following year, he was declared cancer free following multiple surgeries and eight weeks of radiation therapy. However, the beloved singer later shared that the life-saving surgery has left him unable to sing. “My facial disfigurement from the surgery means I can’t open my mouth wide enough for a strip of spaghetti, let alone to sing,” Farnham said in an excerpt from his memoir published by the Sydney Morning Herald. “I can’t get the movement to make the sounds I want to make, that’s where the vibrations and my voice come from. It’s a very disconcerting thing. And trying hurts.” Despite the challenges, the legendary singer hopes that he will be able to perform again one day. “I was given a gift and to be able to get out there and affect people in some way was special, I would like to continue doing that,” he said. “Though I am not putting all my hopes into it, we’ll see.” Images: Instagram

Family & Pets

"About time": Coles bold parking move sparks debate

Frustrated staff at a Coles-owned bottle shop in Brisbane have taken matters into their own hands and retaliated against drivers flouting parking rules outside their store. Management at a First Choice Liquor Market store in Newstead have locked in cars taking advantage of the customer-only spaces. It is understood that some cars remain parked in the 15-minute spots for extended periods, sometimes overnight, despite signs saying that fines apply. A photo shared on Facebook showed a car with P-plates blocked in by a yellow bollard and note that read: "Due to you not adhering to the parking rules, your vehicle has been locked in by management and will be kept on record." "Please see First Choice management to discuss your options". A local woman who shared the photos said there "were at least two other cars locked in" when she was passing by this week. Locals were divided by the store's actions, but many supported their decision. "About time. Pub takes all the spaces," one said. "I’ve been there when the store opens and there have been no car spaces available". "Don’t park where you shouldn’t. It’s simple," another added. A third said it was "about bloody time" something was done about the parking. However, a few others had a more understanding approach, with one local saying that the limited parking in a large apartment complex across the road could be contributing to the limited parking. Another suggested the staff had gone too far, noting the importance of being able to "flee" in a hurry, particularly in violent situations. "The thought of their vehicle being blocked in by bollard, should an unthinkable situation arise, is horrific to think of," she said. "While I understand this would be frustrating for your shop, it could be putting someone’s life in danger — as another perspective to think of." Coles have responded to the management's actions explaining that their commitment to customers means providing "parking and clear access to our stores." "The Newstead store carpark is owned by Coles and has signage throughout the carpark informing locals about parking time restrictions which are also painted on the parking bays," a Coles spokesperson told Yahoo News. "To ensure we are making our stores more accessible for customers, our store team may use its discretion to remind the community of the parking rules.” Images: Facebook

Legal

Lindt Cafe siege hero revealed for the first time

The name of the hero police officer who killed terrorist Man Haron Monis ten years ago during the Lindt Cafe siege in Sydney has finally been revealed. For the last decade, Ben Besant was only known as Officer A, his name suppressed for his own protection. Now, he can finally tell his story publicly for the first time, following a court decision to lift his suppression order on Friday. “I’m never one to walk away from a fight, and I have been fighting for a long time to have my name returned to me,” he told told Seven’s Spotlight program. The former NSW Police Tactical Operations Unit Officer led the assault and fired the final shots that took Monis down. While the suppression order was for his own protection, Besant said that not being able to tell anyone about the moment aggravated his PTSD, that cost him his career, marriage and home. “It’s become such a big issue for me to be able to get my name back,” he said. The siege lasted 17-hours and Besant told Spotlight that it took 17 shots to bring down the terrorist. His mission now is to help other frontline responders deal with the effects of PTSD. Besant added that having his identity back will help him deal with what has become the most difficult day of the year for him. The decision comes two weeks before the 10-year anniversary of the siege. On the morning of December, 15, 2014, Monis took eight staff members and 10 customers hostage inside the popular cafe on Martin Place, Sydney. Police quickly evacuated the area and surrounded the building, as the terrorist claimed he was armed and had a bomb in his backpack. At 2.13am the next morning the cafe’s manager, Tori Johnson, 34, was shot dead by Monis, promoting police to storm the building. Barrister and Sydney mother-of-three, Katrina Dawson, 38, died when she was hit by fragments of police bullets. Images: Seven/Spotlight

Legal

Mother jailed after hiding her baby in a drawer for three years

A mother from Chester in northern England who concealed her baby daughter in a bed drawer for the first three years of her life has been sentenced to seven years and six months in prison for what authorities described as an extreme case of child neglect. The child, born in March 2020 in a bathtub, was kept secret from the outside world. She was unregistered, had never met another person besides her mother, and spent her formative years confined to a drawer under a bed. “The child had spent much of its life hidden in a bedroom at the address, even sleeping in a drawer under the bed,” police said in a statement. The neglect left the girl severely underdeveloped and malnourished, with untreated medical conditions, including a cleft palate. Authorities only discovered her plight in February 2023, when the mother’s partner heard unusual noises upstairs and found the malnourished child. Social workers and police arrived shortly after, uncovering a scene described as shocking and heartbreaking. A social worker testified in court about finding the child rocking back and forth in the drawer, adding that the mother showed no remorse and treated the situation with indifference. Investigations revealed the mother would occasionally feed the baby “milky Weetabix” with a syringe and change her nappy. “As time went on, the mother went to work and took her other children to school and left the child in the drawer, alone for hours on end,” the Crown Prosecution Service said. “The baby’s growth and physical and mental development was severely impacted by the lack of care, attention and food and the restrictions of a life spent in a drawer.” By the time she was rescued, the nearly three-year-old child could not crawl, walk or talk. Her physical and mental development was likened to that of a 10-month-old. She suffered from dehydration, swollen limbs and poor muscle tone, conditions attributed to the extreme neglect. The mother, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty in October to four charges of child cruelty spanning the girl’s life until her rescue. During sentencing at Chester Crown Court, prosecutors detailed the grim life the child endured, noting that she had never celebrated a birthday, Christmas or seen daylight. “This child has never known the joy of a family celebration or simple acts of love,” said Senior Crown Prosecutor Rachel Worthington. The court also heard that the mother claimed she was in an abusive relationship with the child’s father and hid the pregnancy out of fear. Since being placed in care, the child has shown remarkable improvement but faces a long road ahead. She has started interacting with others and undergoing surgeries to address her cleft palate. Detective Constable Rachel Di Nicola expressed hope for the child’s future while condemning the mother’s actions. “The shocking neglect was on an indescribable scale and the suffering the child experienced will impact them for the rest of their life,” she said. “All those involved in the case have been left deeply shocked by what we uncovered, and we have all been amazed by the way the child has recovered since they were discovered, and we hope that this recovery continues.” Images: Chester Crown Court

Legal

Aussie Vietnam vet reunited with lost war medals just in time

A Vietnam veteran has been reunited with his lost war medals that were missing for a year, just in time for Remembrance Day. When attending a Remembrance Day event in New Zealand last year, Townsville veteran Malcolm Edmiston lost his medals somewhere along the journey to Christchurch from Brisbane. The medals were left sitting unclaimed in Brisbane Airport's lost and found after being found in an airport terminal, before airport staff launched a social media campaign to find their owner. After seeing a post on Facebook, Edmiston was finally reunited with his precious medals just in time for this year's Remembrance Day events. "It's very good to have them back, great to have them back, I thought they were gone and gone for good," Malcolm told <a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/today/lost-war-medals-returned-to-vietnam-veteran-in-time-for-remembrance-day/b03bf4df-0d3c-440b-9783-1e6c7ac73a11" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Today</a>. "The zip was opened on my case and somehow they fell out, so it's a good reminder for us to take extra care when we pack." Malcolm was not the only one in his family to serve the country, sharing how his father served in the Royal Navy, he had uncles in the Royal Australian Air Force and and the Royal Air Force and a brother who served in Naval Reserve. His son also served in the Navy and with so many of his fellow Vietnam veteran soldiers no longer alive, having his medals back today is something special. "Remembrance Day is a very important day for me," he said. Brisbane Airport's media manager Peter Doherty added that he was thrilled to see the medals return to their rightful owner. He said, "For Malcolm's lifetime of service, the least we could do was the door-to-door service to get the medals back to him." Image credits: Today

Retirement Life

"The time has come": Ray Hadley announces retirement

After 43 years on air, Ray Hadley has announced he will be stepping back from his hosting role at 2GB. Hadley shocked his loyal listeners on Thursday morning, saying his extensive career has been "one hell of a ride". “It’s been a hell of a ride from a young bloke who wanted to call the races," he said. "But the time has come for someone else to do the job. So December 13 will be my last day broadcasting." “Apparently the story has broken somewhere. There’s always a leak somewhere, so I may as well do it now, earlier than I anticipated,” he said. “Sometimes you can’t keep things secret, and I suppose in the media, that’s what happens." “I’ve achieved far more than I ever thought I would. My children, Dan, Laura, Emma and Sarah, have made sacrifices over the years for me to realise my ambitions." "Back in September I turned 70, I started to think, how long I've got left on this Earth, and do I want to keep getting up at half past three in the morning, meaning I go to bed early. At social events I'm always the first out the door. I don't want to be the first out the door anymore." Hadley assured listeners he would not be disappearing completely, clarifying, "I'm not retiring from work. I'm just retiring from full-time radio. I'll bob up somewhere in 2025 but not in a full-time capacity, and certainly not on radio." Shortly after making the on-air announcement, NSW premier Chris Minns called into the show to share a tribute. “Ray, you shocked us all. What a massive day in New South Wales radio, and a huge loss for Sydney in particular," Mr Minns said. “We’re genuinely going to miss you. I’m in shock at the moment. It’s a distinguished career. It’s an incredible legacy. But if I was someone up in one word, I would just say fearless, a broadcasting career that’s been completely fearless, and you’ve never, ever pulled your punches in something that you believe in." Image credits: Instagram

Retirement Life

Aussie mum jailed after faking her own death for major insurance payout

A Perth woman who faked her own death to secure a $700,000 insurance payout has been sentenced to three years behind bars. Karen Salkilld, 43, an F45 gym franchise owner, claimed she died in a car accident in Broome in December 2023. The mother-of-two, also provided a falsified death certificate, a coroner report and funeral documents, when she made the claim in January. A month later, she received more than $718,000 from Insuranceline, which she accessed by posing as her former partner who was the beneficiary of the sum and opening a bank account in her name. The "relatively sophisticated" scheme was initially successful, until police became suspicious and froze her account after she moved large amounts of the money around, according to Nine News. Salkilld had to visit Palmyra Police Station in person to certify her fake documents, but after three visits, officers realised something was up and arrested her in March. There is no evidence that her former partner knew of the crime. The fitness instructor admitted that she got the idea from a movie after she fell into debt, although she didn't specify which one. "Your offending could not be described as opportunistic," Judge Vicki Stewart told Perth District Court said in sentencing the fitness instructor. "It was calculated and required both effort and persistence." "You were living beyond your means and over-committed yourself," Stewart added. Salkilld pleaded guilty to gaining benefit by fraud and knowingly using a false record to defraud, and was sentenced to three years in prison on Monday. She was ordered to pay a $101,771 compensation to the insurance company. A restitution order for funds in the bank account was also issued - one for $549,195 and another for $67,995 - with the latter being held in the bank's fraud recoveries account. Speaking to Nine News outside court after the sentencing, Salkilld's estranged sister Ann said "it doesn't surprise me that she is capable of doing things like that." She will be eligible for parole in February 2026. Image: Nine News

Legal

Commissioner speaks out after son's killer avoids jail

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens has shared an emotional statement outside of court after the young man accused of killing his son had his sentence suspended. Dhirren Randhawa, 19, was sentenced at Adelaide District Court to 13 months in prison for driving without due care and leaving the scene of an accident after crashing into 18-year-old Charlie Stevens in 2023. Charlie was celebrating schoolies with his friends, before being struck and suffering irreversible brain damage, as he died in hospital just days later. Judge Joanne Tracey suspended the sentence with a two-year good behaviour bond and a 10-year suspension of his license, citing many reasons why he should not be placed behind bars. Justice Tracey said Randhawa’s youth, lack of prior offending, the circumstances of the offending, his genuine remorse and his guilty pleas were all factors in her decision. “You have accepted there was more you could have done to avoid this tragic outcome,” she said on Tuesday. “It is, of course, the case you had no intention to harm anyone that night." “It is an offence any one of us as road users may commit if we do not take proper care or drive without proper attention.” Speaking after the sentence, Commissioner Stevens he and his family were “grateful” the court process had finished. “The judge said in summing up today … no matter what happens in the courtroom today, it’s not going to change anything for our family, and I think that’s a very true statement,” he said alongside his wife Emma. “We’re grateful this part of the entire process is over. Each court date that has come up has been difficult, stressful and emotional for our family." “We’re grateful Dhirren chose to plead guilty to his offence because that brought this part of it to a conclusion much more quickly." “It is one of those things, we are continuing to learn how to live with every single day without Charlie. It’s not getting any easier, as I’m sure people who have lost a child would appreciate." “We’re very grateful for the support and the sympathy we’ve received from the South Australian community … there’s no way we can acknowledge or repay that in any other format other than thanking people for their support.” Image credits: SA Police / Facebook

Caring

1 in 5 Australians admit they don’t wash their hands every time they use the toilet

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christine-carson-109004">Christine Carson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067">The University of Western Australia</a> Do you wash your hands every time you use the toilet? How about before you handle food? Be honest. Australia’s Food Safety Information Council has released its <a href="https://www.foodsafety.asn.au/topic/latest-report-card-on-aussie-handwashing-blokes-still-need-to-do-better-global-handwashing-day-15-october-2024/">latest report card</a> on the country’s hand washing habits. It found 19% of Australians don’t wash their hands every time they use the toilet. Close to half (42%) admit they don’t always wash hands before handling food. So who’s doing well when it comes to hand hygiene, who’s not – and why does it matter? <h2>What did the report find?</h2> The new report surveyed hand washing practices of 1,229 people. Results were consistent with what we’ve learned from <a href="https://www.foodsafety.asn.au/topic/latest-research-shows-improvement-in-aussie-handwashing-but-blokes-still-need-to-do-better-global-handwashing-day-15-october-2023/">similar surveys</a>. Once again, women do better than men at washing their hands after using the toilet, although only slightly (80% of men say they do every time, versus 83% of women). Just 55% of men wash their hands before touching food, compared to 62% of women. Age also seemed to make a difference. Under 34 years old, 69% of people washed their hands every time they used the toilet. Over age 65, that jumped to 86%. Although some of these differences aren’t completely unexpected – such as <a href="https://slate.com/technology/2020/02/women-hand-washing-more-than-men-why-coronavirus.html">the gap</a> between men’s and women’s hand washing habits – the reasons remain unclear. <h2>Why don’t people wash their hands?</h2> Public health messaging often focuses on how to wash hands well. But there’s less research that follows up on how widely people actually adopt these practices. And to understand why – if they are skipping the soap and water – those messages might not be getting through effectively. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33998334/">One study</a> that looked at this question in India asked school children about barriers to hand washing. The vast majority (91%) had low “illness threat perception”. In other words, they simply didn’t perceive a risk of getting sick form not washing their hands after going to the toilet. Interestingly, the inability to see germs with their own eyes was one of the biggest barriers, cited by 46% of the children. But 72% said they would wash their hands if their friends did. It’s tempting to speculate these reasons may also apply to other age groups, but we simply haven’t done enough research to know. People’s reasons for hand washing, or not, likely vary across their lifetime and with their circumstances. <h2>What are the risks?</h2> Urine and faeces contain millions of germs, especially faeces, which has more than <a href="https://theconversation.com/your-poo-is-mostly-alive-heres-whats-in-it-102848">100 billion</a> germs per gram. When you use the toilet and touch surfaces in the bathroom, you will pick up germs. People who skip the hand washing step on the way out take those germs with them when they leave, depositing them on each surface they touch afterwards. You may not get sick yourself, but you’re increasing the spread of bacteria. This can increase the risk of infection and illness for other people, including those with compromised immune systems such as older people and those undergoing common forms of treatment for cancer. Hand washing before cooking and eating is also important. The risk here goes both ways. If you have disease-causing germs on your hands (maybe because you didn’t wash them after the toilet) you may transfer them to the food where they can multiply and even produce toxins. People who eat the food may then get sick, often involving vomiting and diarrhoea. In the other direction, some foods naturally carry germs before cooking – such as <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7697675/">salmonella and campylobacter bacteria in raw poultry</a>. If you don’t wash your hands after handling these foods you may transfer them to other surfaces and risk spreading infection. <h2>How should I wash my hands?</h2> Follow these three simple tips for hand washing correctly: <ol> <li> wet your hands and rub them together well to build up a good lather with soap for at least 20 seconds and don’t forget to wash between your fingers and under your nails. You might have to use a nail brush </li> <li> rinse well under running water to remove the bugs from your hands </li> <li> dry your hands thoroughly on a clean towel for at least 20 seconds. Touching surfaces with moist hands encourages bugs to spread from the surface to your hands. </li> </ol> <h2>What about hand sanitiser?</h2> If no running water is available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser. These rapidly inactivate a wide range of germs, rendering them non-infectious. Hand sanitisers are effective against a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK513254/#_article-17334_s3_">wide range of bacteria and viruses</a> that can cause many common gastrointesintal and respiratory infections. However if your hands are soiled with organic matter – such as blood, faeces, meat, sand or soil – they won’t be effective. In that case you should clean your hands with soap and water. <h2>The bottom line</h2> Hand washing is a bit like wearing a seat belt — you do that every time you get in a car, not just on the days you “plan” to be involved in an accident. The bottom line is hand washing is a simple, quick intervention that benefits you and those around you — but only if you do it.<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/241481/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christine-carson-109004">Christine Carson</a>, Senior Research Fellow, School of Medicine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067">The University of Western Australia</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/1-in-5-australians-admit-they-dont-wash-their-hands-every-time-they-use-the-toilet-241481">original article</a>. </div>

Body

No time for a holiday? A ‘workation’ could be the answer

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mariachiara-barzotto-1449459">Mariachiara Barzotto</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-bath-1325">University of Bath</a> Imagine this: you’re lounging on the beach, waves crashing in the background. A laptop sits on the table next to your iced coffee. In between meetings, you dip into the ocean or explore a hiking trail. This is the ideal vision of “workations” – a blend of work and vacation that is <a href="https://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/article/1882649/rise-workation-hr-encourage-blurring-lines-home-away#:%7E:text=Since%20many%20people%20shifted%20to,having%20to%20take%20annual%20leave.">gaining popularity</a> worldwide. A workation allows employees to work remotely from a holiday spot, and is part of a larger shift towards more flexible working arrangements, accelerated by the COVID pandemic and the rise of digital technology. <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/16078055.2022.2134199#d1e474">Workations</a> can last from a few days to several weeks. The concept can be appealing to both employees and companies, but there are challenges too. So, understanding its benefits and limitations is important for workers and employers alike. The most obvious benefit for employees is enjoying a new environment while staying productive. The typical work environment can become monotonous, potentially leading to burnout, decreased creativity and dissatisfaction. A workation offers an escape from this day-to-day grind, providing a refreshing change of scenery. It combines the mental break of a vacation with the flexibility of working remotely, allowing workers to balance their professional and personal lives and <a href="https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/abas/20/1/20_0210112a/_pdf">enhance their creativity</a>. This flexibility may be particularly beneficial for those with high workloads or tight schedules, as they no longer need to sacrifice time away from work to relax. And companies can also reap rewards from approving workations among their staff. One of the most significant advantages is employee retention. Flexible work arrangements are among <a href="https://buffer.com/state-of-remote-work/2023">the top priorities</a> for employees in today’s job market, helping to reduce staff turnover. Offering the option of a workation could also make a company more attractive to prospective employees. And workers who are free to work from inspiring locations may return to their tasks less stressed, and more motivated and engaged. Studies show that remote workers often demonstrate <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1529100615593273">increased organisational commitment</a>. Another advantage is the potential for cost savings. With more employees working remotely, companies may reduce their need for large office spaces or the expensive perks offered in corporate environments such as gyms, canteens and the staffing that goes with them. But there can be challenges too. The boundary between work and leisure can become blurred, and some employees may find it <a href="https://tuprints.ulb.tu-darmstadt.de/7578/1/Dissertation_Reinke_Always%20Online%20-%20Boundary%20Management%20and%20Well-being.pdf%20">hard to disconnect from work</a> – defeating the object of travelling to a different workplace. The allure of finishing “just one more task” can prevent employees from truly enjoying their surroundings, potentially leading to exhaustion instead of rejuvenation. Time zone differences can also be a challenge. Juggling meetings and collaborating with colleagues in different time zones can lead to irregular work hours that make it hard to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Distractions are another concern. Beaches, tourist attractions or even the simple novelty of being in a new place can make it difficult to focus on work tasks. Employees need to have a strong sense of discipline to remain productive. For companies, one of the primary challenges is ensuring that employees remain productive. Monitoring performance without feeling intrusive can be a tricky balance for managers to strike. Security is another major concern. Remote work often involves accessing company networks and handling sensitive information. When employees work from unfamiliar locations – particularly in public spaces such as cafes – there may be increased risks related to cybersecurity. Ensuring that employees follow security protocols, use secure wifi and protect sensitive data is crucial. Lastly, workations might not be feasible for all roles. This can lead to disparities in who can take advantage of the opportunity, potentially leading to bad feeling among other staff. For the concept of workations to succeed, both employees and employers should set clear expectations, establish boundaries, and focus on maintaining productivity while allowing time for relaxation. But, if managed properly, they could become a staple of modern work culture. In a world where flexibility and wellbeing are increasingly valued, workations offer a unique opportunity to blend productivity with personal fulfilment, reshaping how we think about work and leisure. <h2>Nine tips for having a successful workation</h2> 1. Choose the right destination Opt for a location with reliable internet access and where the time difference between colleagues and clients is manageable. 2. Set clear boundaries Establish dividing lines between your work and vacation time, and communicate these boundaries with your employer and colleagues. 3. Ensure you have the right tech set-up Bring all the necessary equipment, including noise-cancelling headphones. Double-check that you have remote access to all necessary material before leaving. 4. Plan for cybersecurity Use a secure virtual private network (VPN) to protect company data, and follow your company’s cybersecurity policies to the letter. 5. Understand your company’s remote work policy Read up on things like flexibility in terms of location, time zones, working hours and refunds for co-working spaces or tech tools. 6. Set realistic expectations Don’t expect your workation to feel like a full vacation. Plan your leisure activities around your work schedule. Be prepared to work longer or odd hours if your company operates in a different time zone. 7. Consider the local infrastructure Research amenities such as medical services, food delivery and transport. These might be important if you stay in a more remote or unfamiliar area. Have a contingency plan for health emergencies and check visa requirements. 8. Prepare for flexibility Be ready for unexpected issues like slow internet or disruptions due to local events. Back-up plans, such as access to a co-working space or alternative accommodation, can save you from unnecessary stress. 9. Stay organised Keep a work schedule and a checklist of tasks to ensure that you remain as productive as you are in your regular work environment.<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/240485/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mariachiara-barzotto-1449459">Mariachiara Barzotto</a>, Senior Lecturer in Management Strategy and Organisation, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-bath-1325">University of Bath</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/no-time-for-a-holiday-a-workation-could-be-the-answer-240485">original article</a>. </div>

Travel Tips

John Farnham's voice heard for the first time since throat surgery

John Farnham's voice has been heard for the first time since undergoing extensive surgery on his throat and jaw to treat his cancer in August 2022. The Aussie music legend is lending his voice to narrate the audio version of his new <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/finally-felt-like-the-right-time-john-farnham-s-huge-announcement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">memoir</a> titled The Voice Inside, which is to be released on October 30th. The Morning Show's entertainment reporter Peter Ford broke the news that Farnham's voice would be heard for the first time in over two years, while playing an exclusive clip from the audio book. Ford said Farnham co-wrote the book with Poppy Stockwell, who directed his recent Logie-winning documentary The Voice Inside, saying the documentary was “brilliantly done,” and “obviously John feels safe and a great connection with her”. “So they’ve written it together now," Ford said. “We got the news that John was going to do the audio version of the book, and also his wife Jill will actually be writing two chapters.” <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DA17RsMNCTK/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DA17RsMNCTK/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by The Morning Show On 7 (@morningshowon7)</a> </div> </blockquote> Ford expressed his excitement over the clip, saying, “This is for the first time now in many years.” “We haven’t heard John. We haven’t seen John. We know what he’s been going through. So this is great for that reason." “He’s older and there has been some impact on his voice because of the surgery. But, you know, the delivery, the tone, the cheekiness, it’s all there. It’s instantly John Farnham.” “I‘m just thrilled to hear his voice and to think he’s doing something, and what a rollercoaster that would have been for him,” Ford says. “It’s one thing to sit down with Poppy and tell her the stories and share the memories, but to actually get behind a microphone and deliver it." “John, as we know, is a performer who always gives 120 per cent. He would have really been challenged, I think, in delivering some of those sadder stories of recent times.” Image credits: Getty Images / Facebook

Caring

"Time for a rest": John Laws retires from radio

Radio veteran John Laws has announced his plans to retire from radio in the coming weeks. The radio host, 89, shocked his loyal listeners on his 2SM show on Tuesday morning, after reading out a letter from a fan who wrote how much they enjoy listening to the show each day. “You’re not going to be hearing it for long, mate,” Laws said in response to the email. “I think it’s time for a rest. “I’ve done it for a very, very, very, very long time,” Laws said about his broadcasting career. “And I think that I’ll just call it a day, and call it a day pretty soon.” Laws said that he will “probably” hang up his headphones at the beginning of November when he celebrates 71 years on air. “I don’t want to be greedy,” he said. “I’ve had 71 fantastic years … and loved almost every minute of it.” He also made clear that after his final show, he will not be returning to radio. “I’m not going to go away and then come back again and say, ‘oh, it was all a mistake,’” he said on 2SM. “It may well be a mistake, but there’ll be no return. That’s it.” Laws then outlined his plans for his long-awaited retirement, saying, “I’ll travel, I’ll sit about, I’ll read more… and I’ll catch up with things that I should have caught up with a long time ago”. The retirement announcement came as a shock to many loyal viewers, as Laws said in an interview in 2023 that he can't picture himself ever stepping back from the coveted radio role. Just last year he told <a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/sydney-confidential/john-laws-reveals-he-doesnt-think-about-retirement-as-he-notches-up-70-years-in-radio/news-story/9ed6d8dad7af5523e6c70bca45f8516d" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-tgev="event119" data-tgev-container="bodylink" data-tgev-order="9ed6d8dad7af5523e6c70bca45f8516d" data-tgev-label="entertainment" data-tgev-metric="ev">The Daily Telegraph</a>, “I don’t think about retirement. I suppose I will have to one day but no, I don’t want to stop, I’d like to be doing it when I am 100.” Image credits: 9News / 2SM

Retirement Life

How do I know when it’s time to replace my running shoes?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/john-arnold-178470">John Arnold</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joel-fuller-2210202">Joel Fuller</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/macquarie-university-1174">Macquarie University</a> Any runner will tell you there’s nothing better than slipping on a brand new pair of shoes. But how regularly should runners fork out hundreds of dollars on their next pair? Conventional wisdom tells us the average lifespan of a running shoe is around 500 to 800 kilometres. But where did this advice come from, and is it based on science? Some evidence comes from <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0363546585013004">impact testing</a> with machines designed to simulate the shoe repeatedly contacting the ground during running. Other evidence comes from <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/19424280.2010.519348">monitoring runners who have used shoes in the real world</a> for long periods. This research is often focused on shoe materials and structure. But we think more compelling markers for the runner are shoe comfort, performance benefit and injury risk. Rather than seeking a “one-size-fits-all” answer to how many kilometres your shoes should be limited to, it’s also better to consider individual signs based on your shoe type and its purpose. <h2>The three signs to watch for</h2> Runners tend to replace their shoes for three main reasons: <ol> <li>they believe their performance is being negatively impacted</li> <li>their shoes are leading to some bodily discomfort which may cause (or has already caused) an injury</li> <li>the shoes are no longer comfortable or “feel” as good as they used to.</li> </ol> So what does the evidence say about these factors? <h2>Performance</h2> Some shoe material properties do contribute to enhanced running efficiency. Degrading these materials by racking up the kilometres may hinder peak performance on race day. This is most clearly seen in carbon fibre plate shoes used by modern elite runners to achieve <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-020-01420-7">rapid road race times</a>. The design features <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-018-1024-z">thought to drive this</a> are the combination of highly compliant and resilient midsole foam and a stiff embedded carbon fibre plate, which support energy storage and return. Runners will typically “save” these shoes for race day and replace them after fewer kilometres, compared to conventional running shoes. The available research does support the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-017-0811-2">performance benefits of these shoes</a>. However, it’s not known how long the benefits last relative to kilometres of wear. To our best knowledge, there’s only one study on running performance and shoe wear, but unfortunately it did not involve carbon fibre plate shoes. A University of Connecticut 2020 <a href="http://hdl.handle.net/11134/20002:860659513">master’s thesis</a> investigated eight college-level runners over 400 miles (643km) of Nike Pegasus shoe use. Large reductions in running economy were reported at 240km, and this was statistically significant at 320km. No reduction was observed at 160km. So, if you’re chasing personal best times, the evidence above suggests that for peak performance, shoes should be replaced somewhere between 160 and 240km (although this is not directly based on carbon fibre plate shoe research). It appears that minimising training kilometres for your favourite racing shoes – keeping them “fresh” – could contribute to peak performance on race day, compared to racing in a pair of old shoes. <h2>Injury or discomfort</h2> The link between shoe wear and injury is unclear, and based on <a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/37/3/239">minimal and often conflicting evidence</a>. One study did find that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.12154">runners who alternate their running shoes</a> have a lower risk of injury than runners who run only in the same pair of shoes over a 22-week period. Runners who alternated shoes throughout the study period would have accumulated less wear in each shoe. This provides some support for the notion that accumulating too many kilometres in your shoes may increase risk of injury. Unfortunately, the exact age of running shoes was not reported in this study. However, based on the running characteristics reported, the single-shoe pair users completed an average of 320km in their shoes (after adjusting for a small fraction who had to replace shoes during the study). This was compared to the multi-shoe pair users who used an average of 3.6 pairs of shoes, ran more total kilometres, but accumulated an average of only 200km per shoe pair. <h2>Comfort</h2> Comfort and fit are the <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19424280.2024.2353597#abstract">two most important factors</a> to runners when selecting running shoes. Evidence linking improved shoe comfort to <a href="https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/fulltext/2001/11000/relationship_between_footwear_comfort_of_shoe.21.aspx">reduced injury rates</a> or <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17461391.2019.1640288">improved running economy</a> is mixed, but reducing harms from poorly fitting and uncomfortable shoes is clearly a priority for runners. Most <a href="https://commons.nmu.edu/isbs/vol35/iss1/293/">runners land on their heel</a>. The repeated compression of the midsole causes the material to harden, possibly after as <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5534152/pdf/ijspt-12-616.pdf">little as 160km</a>, according to one study from 2017. However, there was virtually no change in the amount of cushioning runners perceived under their heel after 160km. Even after using the shoes for 640km, they felt little difference – about 3%. While at first this might seem like runners are not very good at judging when shoes lose their cushioning, it also tells us changes in perceived shoe cushioning are very gradual and may not be important for runners until they reach a certain threshold. This amount will differ from person to person, and from shoe to shoe, but research suggests it’s not until perceived cushioning reaches about a <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02640414.2020.1773613?casa_token=P87vatZhOlgAAAAA%3ACu11TZmGjKc1xYsaUlEVfWvZDvcSnx3qgKL1E2DsRYwf6hMvBiyVAm-M_-4Iauq4lwHna0QMu1IRmw">10% change</a> that runners consider it meaningful. We must be careful when applying these findings to the latest running shoes which use newer materials. But you can use it as a rule of thumb – once you notice a drop in comfort, it’s time to get a new pair. <h2>When to choose new shoes</h2> Ultimately, there’s no one simple answer for when you should get new running shoes. You may also not keep close track of how many kilometres your favourite pair has racked up. Overall, we believe the most practical advice is to keep your racing shoes “fresh” (under 240km), alternate a couple of other pairs during regular training, and replace them when you detect a notable drop in comfort.<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/238997/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/john-arnold-178470">John Arnold</a>, Senior lecturer, Sport & Exercise Biomechanics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joel-fuller-2210202">Joel Fuller</a>, Senior Lecturer, Department of Health Sciences, <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/how-do-i-know-when-its-time-to-replace-my-running-shoes-238997">original article</a>. </div>

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