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The Project has been axed – but someone forgot to change the passwords

Move over, NSW Police social media team – there’s a new sheriff in town, and they’re armed with memes, mischief and exactly zero supervision. Despite The Project being officially axed by Network Ten last Friday, the show’s Instagram account has come alive with the kind of unhinged humour usually reserved for group chats and late-night impulse tweets. And the results? Glorious chaos. “The bosses really should have changed the password from Password1,” read the first sign that something was afoot – or at least, afootloose. What followed was a gleeful digital coup. “Well, well, well, look who is in charge now… It’s me! The social media hero (that’s what I call myself),” the mystery admin announced. “So, one question: what should I do with these accounts?” So far, the self-appointed “social media hero” has shared six rogue posts that are funnier than half the comedy on TV right now – and that’s not just our opinion. Former co-host Lisa Wilkinson chimed in with, “I am SO HERE FOR THIS!!” while Rove McManus, part-owner of the show’s production company, added, “I just assumed the news stopped when we did.” Mood. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DLhO6vEzFDv/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DLhO6vEzFDv/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by The Project (@theprojecttv)</a> </div> </blockquote> Other ex-Project personalities Gorgi Coghlan and Georgia Love offered moral support in the form of popcorn and laughing emojis, which in 2025 might as well be legal tender. But the rogue admin isn’t just here for the nostalgia. They’ve been keeping up with current events – kind of. One post featured a video of a woman being taken out by wild winds during this week’s “bomb cyclone” in NSW. “We have been off air for less than a week, and a woman has been knocked over by a fridge box?” read the caption. “You just can’t make this stuff up.” Honestly? This person deserves their own spin-off show. Or at the very least, a raise – assuming they’re still employed. No word yet from Ten HQ, but we suspect someone in middle management is frantically Googling “how to revoke Instagram access”. Until then, we live, laugh and like. Images: Instagram

Deborah Knight leaving 2GB for major role with Nine

Veteran journalist Deborah Knight is making a full-time return to television, stepping down from her top-rating radio show Money News on 2GB to take on a major role at the Nine Network. Knight, 52, will anchor the national 9News Morning bulletin at 11.30am on weekdays and will also front the Sydney edition of 9News Afternoon, cementing her as a key face in Nine’s daytime news coverage. Currently hosting A Current Affair on Saturday nights, Knight will continue that role alongside her expanded responsibilities. “I’m incredibly excited to be stepping back into a full-time television role with 9News and Current Affairs,” she said. “It’s a fantastic opportunity to be part of the daily news cycle and connect with viewers during these important bulletins.” Knight also expressed gratitude to her Money News listeners, saying, “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time in radio… and I’m grateful for the wonderful listeners who tuned in.” Her final Money News broadcast will be on July 3, with her successor yet to be announced. Knight’s appointment brings stability to the morning and afternoon bulletins, which have recently featured a rotating roster of presenters including Kate Creedon, Sophie Walsh, Mark Burrows and Lizzie Pearl. Her broadcast career began at the ABC before moving to Network Ten, where she served as US correspondent. Knight joined the Nine Network in 2011 and has since held several prominent roles, including a controversial 2019 stint as Today co-host alongside Georgie Gardner, following Karl Stefanovic’s temporary departure. She replaced Steve Price on 2GB Afternoons in 2020 and went on to host Money News in early 2023, taking over from Brooke Corte. Knight’s full-time return to TV marks a new chapter in her versatile and enduring media career. Images: Instagram

Major bank announces huge home loan rate cut

The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) will reduce its fixed-rate home loans by up to 0.40 percentage points across all terms starting Friday, following a 0.25 percentage point cut to its variable rate in response to the Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA) recent cash rate reduction. The new rates will see CBA’s lowest fixed offering set at 5.49% for a three-year term. Despite the move, experts say the cuts are unlikely to spark a surge in homeowners locking in their mortgages. Sally Tindall, data insights director at Canstar.com.au, said the rate adjustments bring CBA closer to its major bank competitors but aren’t enough to significantly shift consumer behaviour. “CBA’s fixed rate cuts aren’t groundbreaking, but rather a bid to inch closer to its key competitors,” Tindall said. “Fixed rates have been falling fairly consistently this year, and we expect this activity will continue as banks price in the increasing likelihood of further cash rate cuts.” While CBA’s new rates mark progress, rivals remain more competitive. ANZ holds the lowest one- and two-year fixed rates among the big four banks, while National Australia Bank (NAB) continues to offer the most attractive three-, four-, and five-year fixed terms. Tindall also noted that with only a slim margin – just 0.10 percentage points – between current fixed and variable rates, many borrowers will likely hold off from locking in. “With the possibility of further RBA cuts ramping up, it’s hard to see many people jumping at the chance to lock up their mortgage for the next three years,” she said. “The majors might have to offer a fixed rate in the ‘4’s’ if they’re serious about getting people to lock in.” Canstar’s latest data shows a flurry of activity across the lending sector since the RBA’s decision. Twenty lenders have reduced at least one fixed rate this month, and five major lenders, excluding CBA, have already made cuts. Among them, BOQ, Community First Bank, Police Bank and Queensland Country Bank now offer at least one fixed rate below 5%, setting the benchmark at 4.99%. Tindall urged borrowers to carefully consider their financial situation and risk appetite when deciding between fixed and variable rates. “If you’re deciding between a fixed or variable rate, understand what might suit your finances and, to some extent, your personality. When you make a decision, take the time to look for a competitive rate,” she said. While the trend suggests fixed rates will continue to fall, CBA's latest move clearly shows the intense competition in the home loan market – one that still leaves many Australians hesitant to commit. Image: Supplied

Money & Banking

Major change to drivers licences across Australia

Thousands of permanent residents across Australia may soon be driving illegally unless they take urgent action to update their licences, as a major change to driving regulations comes into effect this week. From Wednesday April 30, most states and territories will scrap the Experienced Driver Recognition (EDR) program, a scheme that previously allowed permanent residents to convert their overseas licences to Australian ones without retaking a driving test. Under the new rules, many international drivers will now be required to pass a local driving exam to continue driving legally. This shift affects licence holders from a wide range of countries, including Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Hong Kong (SAR of China), Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Cyprus, South Korea, Serbia, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa and Taiwan. Permanent residents from these countries will now need to book and pass both the theory and practical components of the Australian driving test if they wish to maintain legal driving status. However, the rules are different for temporary residents, who will still be permitted to drive using their overseas licences. The changes will be implemented across all states and territories on April 30, with a few exceptions. Queensland will enforce the new requirements later in the year, while New South Wales and Western Australia will delay implementation until October 31. Officials say the change is intended to align road safety standards nationwide and ensure all drivers meet consistent local requirements. Images: Shutterstock

Legal

UK Supreme Court makes major ruling on definition of "woman"

In a landmark ruling that has stirred celebration and concern in equal measure, the UK Supreme Court has unanimously ruled that the legal definition of "woman" refers exclusively to someone born biologically female. The decision effectively excludes transgender women from being counted as women under the Equality Act, marking a decisive turn in a years-long legal battle over gender identity and women's rights in Scotland. The case, brought by the feminist campaign group For Women Scotland (FWS), challenged guidance issued by the Scottish government that included transgender women with gender recognition certificates in official gender quotas. The ruling has been hailed as a victory by women's rights advocates who argued that expanding the definition undermined protections for biologically female people. “Everyone knows what sex is and you can't change it,” said Susan Smith, co-director of FWS, celebrating the court’s decision outside the courthouse. “It’s basic common sense. People have tried to deny science and reality. Hopefully, this now brings us back to reality.” The Supreme Court’s five justices ruled unanimously that the Equality Act permits single-sex spaces – such as women-only changing rooms, shelters, and medical services – to exclude transgender women, even those who hold gender recognition certificates. In his written opinion, Justice Patrick Hodge said that the ruling does not strip transgender people of their broader protections under UK law but rather clarifies the scope of “sex” in certain legal contexts. “Interpreting ‘sex’ as certificated sex would cut across the definitions of ‘man’ and ‘woman’… and create heterogeneous groupings,” he wrote. The dispute originated from a 2018 Scottish law requiring that at least 50% of board members of public bodies be women. The inclusion of trans women in this target was central to the legal challenge, with FWS arguing that such a move effectively redefined the concept of womanhood without parliamentary authority. Aidan O’Neill, legal counsel for FWS, told the court that “sex” should be interpreted in the “ordinary, everyday” sense, based on biology from birth. “It is an expression of one’s bodily reality,” he said. “An immutable biological state.” The ruling has sparked celebration among gender-critical activists. Outside court, campaigners from several women’s groups opened champagne and chanted, “Women’s rights are human rights.” Maya Forstater, founder of the advocacy group Sex Matters, said: “The court has given us the right answer: the protected characteristic of sex refers to reality, not paperwork.” Author JK Rowling, a vocal supporter of FWS, praised the campaigners as “extraordinary” and “tenacious.” In a post on X, she said, “In winning, they've protected the rights of women and girls across the UK.” However, the judgment has drawn sharp criticism from trans rights organisations and human rights advocates. The campaign group Scottish Trans said it was “shocked and disappointed,” warning that the ruling risks eroding legal protections for trans people. Green Party Member of the Scottish Parliament Maggie Chapman called the decision “deeply concerning” and a “huge blow to some of the most marginalised people in our society.” “Trans people have been cynically targeted and demonised by politicians and large parts of the media for far too long,” Chapman said. “This has contributed to attacks on longstanding rights and attempts to erase their existence altogether.” Amnesty International also condemned the ruling, arguing that it clashes with broader human rights standards. “A blanket policy of barring trans women from single-sex services is not a proportionate means to achieve a legitimate aim,” the organisation stated. The UK government welcomed the Supreme Court's clarification, stating, “Single-sex spaces are protected in law and will always be protected by this government.” Scotland’s semi-autonomous government, which initially defended the inclusion of trans women in public board quotas, said it accepted the court's decision. “We will now engage on the implications of the ruling,” said First Minister John Swinney. “Protecting the rights of all will underpin our actions.” The ruling is expected to have wide-reaching implications for public policy, equalities law, and gender identity debates across the UK – a country increasingly at the centre of a global reckoning on the boundaries of sex, gender and rights. Images: For Women Scotland

Legal

Big changes are planned for aged care in 2025

<div class="theconversation-article-body">There has been little new in pre-election promises for Australia’s aged-care workers, providers or the <a href="https://www.gen-agedcaredata.gov.au/topics/people-using-aged-care#agedcareuseinaustralia">1.3 million people</a> who use aged care. In March, Labor announced <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-anika-wells-mp/media/extra-26-billion-to-deliver-another-pay-rise-for-aged-care-nurses">A$2.6 billion</a> for another pay rise for aged-care nurses in addition to previous <a href="https://theconversation.com/aged-care-workers-have-won-a-huge-pay-rise-what-about-the-cleaners-cooks-and-admin-staff-who-support-them-226236">pay increases</a>. There’s been <a href="https://stories.theconversation.com/policy-tracker/">nothing substantial on aged care</a> from Labor or the Opposition since. Major changes are scheduled for the sector later this year, four years after the damning <a href="https://www.royalcommission.gov.au/aged-care/final-report">Royal Commission report into aged care</a>. Yet no additional funding has been announced. Estimates suggest funding is short <a href="https://www.stewartbrown.com.au/images/documents/StewartBrown_-_Taskforce_Funding_Reforms_Analysis_September_2024.pdf">around $5 billion</a> to address losses by residential care providers or the shortfall in <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/hcp/about">Home Care Packages</a>. <h2>What can we expect this year?</h2> A <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/aged-care-act">new Aged Care Act</a> will come into force on July 1 with a much greater emphasis on the rights of older people to get the care that suits their needs. This will mean: <ul> <li> a new system to regulate aged care </li> <li> a new independent complaints commissioner </li> <li> a new <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/support-at-home">Support at Home</a> program for older people who want to live at home, and in the community </li> <li> changes to fees for residential aged care. </li> </ul> But a number of problems remain and it is not clear the reforms being introduced this year will fix them. <h2>Access is still an issue</h2> Access to aged care <a href="https://www.igac.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-08/2024-progress-report-on-the-implementation-of-the-recommendations-of-the-royal-commission-into-aged-care-quality-and-safety.pdf">continues to be a problem</a>, particularly in rural and remote areas. The system is difficult to navigate for often vulnerable and confused consumers and their families. The government relies heavily on the <a href="https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/">My Aged Care website</a> to inform older people and their families about aged care options. But this provides only basic information and it is difficult to get individualised support. There is also a “digital divide” for a significant group who are unfamiliar with, and lack confidence in, using online services. So we need a much greater emphasis on providing local “one stop shops” for personalised support and advice, particularly when people first enter the aged-care system. These services could be provided through Centrelink or new regional aged-care offices. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/660643/original/file-20250409-56-a7c9ej.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/660643/original/file-20250409-56-a7c9ej.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/660643/original/file-20250409-56-a7c9ej.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=288&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/660643/original/file-20250409-56-a7c9ej.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=288&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/660643/original/file-20250409-56-a7c9ej.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=288&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/660643/original/file-20250409-56-a7c9ej.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=361&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/660643/original/file-20250409-56-a7c9ej.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=361&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/660643/original/file-20250409-56-a7c9ej.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=361&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Screenshot of My Aged Care website" /></a><figcaption>Not everyone can navigate websites to get information about the care they need. <a class="source" href="https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/">Screenshot/My Aged Care</a></figcaption></figure> About <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/disability/disability-ageing-and-carers-australia-summary-findings/latest-release">one-third of older people</a> say they need help to live at home. But to get assistance you need an aged-care assessment and that process too needs improving. <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/ongoing/report-on-government-services/2024/data-downloads/rogs-2024-partf-overview-and-sections.pdf">Waiting times for assessment</a> have blown out, with reported delays of up to <a href="https://www.theweeklysource.com.au/home-care/older-australians-are-increasingly-dying-waiting-for-home-care-packages-to-be-assigned">five months</a>. <h2>Older people prefer to stay at home</h2> There are some concerns the number of new aged-care beds is <a href="https://www.theweeklysource.com.au/aged-care/the-repercussions-of-a-need-for-6600-new-aged-care-beds-in-fy24-colliers">not increasing fast enough</a>. For instance, there are shortages of residential aged care in particular areas such as <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-13/act-government-shuts-burrangiri-aged-care-respite-facility/104927780">Canberra</a>. But admission times to residential aged care generally <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/ongoing/report-on-government-services/2024/data-downloads/rogs-2024-partf-overview-and-sections.pdf">have not increased</a> and occupancy rates are <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/ongoing/report-on-government-services/2024/data-downloads/rogs-2024-partf-overview-and-sections.pdf">declining</a>. This suggests older people <a href="https://www.australianageingagenda.com.au/royal-commission/most-want-home-based-aged-care/#:%7E:text=A%20survey%20of%20more%20than,to%20live%20in%20a%20facility.">would prefer home</a> to residential care. Yet increased demand for home-care packages is <a href="https://www.gen-agedcaredata.gov.au/getmedia/c2339cbc-3e13-4893-9d03-9ca43ecdc55f/Home-Care-Packages-Program-Data-Report-2nd-Qtr-2024-2025">not being met</a>. For those who need more intensive services at home, <a href="https://www.gen-agedcaredata.gov.au/getmedia/c2339cbc-3e13-4893-9d03-9ca43ecdc55f/Home-Care-Packages-Program-Data-Report-2nd-Qtr-2024-2025">waiting times</a> remain stubbornly and unacceptably long because there aren’t enough home care packages. Despite years of complaints, there are still more than <a href="https://www.theweeklysource.com.au/government-policy/home-care-wait-list-climbs-to-over-81000-with-six-month-delays-at-all-levels">80,000 people</a> on the waiting list for care at home. The new <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/support-at-home/about">Support at Home program</a> will introduce an eight-level system of support. The highest level of home-care funding will <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/support-at-home/features#key-elements-of-the-new-program">increase to $78,000</a> to bridge the gap between funding for home and residential care. But many more intensive care packages for home care will be needed to reduce waiting times. The Support at Home program also introduces significantly higher out-of-pocket costs for older people. Such costs for everyday services – such as meals, cleaning and gardening – currently funded through the Commonwealth Home Support Program will <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2025-02/support-at-home-program-handbook.pdf">increase significantly</a>. Most controversially, there will also be <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2025-02/support-at-home-program-handbook.pdf">greater out-of-pocket costs</a> for “independence” services including personal care, social support, respite care and therapy. <h2>Staff shortages still a concern</h2> For aged-care providers, <a href="https://theconversation.com/we-have-too-few-aged-care-workers-to-care-for-older-australians-why-and-what-can-we-do-about-it-232707">chronic workforce shortages</a> are still the biggest problem. Recent <a href="https://theconversation.com/aged-care-workers-have-won-a-huge-pay-rise-what-about-the-cleaners-cooks-and-admin-staff-who-support-them-226236">increases in wages</a> for aged-care workers, including nurses, are a step in the right direction. But wages are still low. It remains hard to attract staff, staff turnover is high and staff are under-trained, risking the quality of care. Shortages are particularly acute in rural areas. The <a href="https://ageingaustralia.asn.au/media-releases/ageing-australia-calls-on-all-parties-to-make-aged-care-an-election-priority/">aged-care industry is calling for</a> streamlined migration, better training and incentives for regional workers to make up the shortfall. But so far no new election announcements have been made. <h2>No real reform</h2> Despite changes we’ll see from July, the organisation and financing of aged care remains fundamentally unchanged. Overall, Australia’s aged-care system is still heavily privatised and fragmented. In <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-08/financial-report-on-the-australian-aged-care-sector-2022-23.pdf">2022-23</a> there were 923 home-care providers, 764 residential-care providers and 1,334 home-support providers, nearly all in the private and not-for-profit sectors. The Commonwealth continues to manage the sector through a cumbersome combination of highly centralised regulation and prescriptive funding contracts. It has not put into place an effective, regional management structure to plan, organise and govern the sector to drive quality, innovation, equity, responsiveness and efficiency. Nor has the Commonwealth been willing to adequately finance the system either through a levy, a social insurance scheme or via increased taxation. Instead, it’s upping the reliance on user fees to meet the cost of providing services.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/253727/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> By <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hal-swerissen-9722">Hal Swerissen</a>, Emeritus Professor of Public Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/la-trobe-university-842">La Trobe University</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/big-changes-are-planned-for-aged-care-in-2025-but-youd-never-know-from-the-major-parties-253727">original article</a>. Image: Shutterstock </div>

Caring

Major breakthrough over mother of three missing for two months

Authorities have located a ute believed to belong to Tayla Spies, a Queensland mother of three who vanished more than two months ago. Spies, 29, was last seen on CCTV footage at a service station in Condamine on Sunday, February 2. She had spent the weekend with her partner in Dalby but failed to return home to Roma. Since her disappearance, she has not contacted any family or friends, heightening concerns for her safety. Police confirmed on Frida morning that they discovered Spies’ white Toyota Hilux in Noorindoo, approximately 40km north-east of Surat. Officers were alerted to the vehicle’s presence on a property along Yuleba-Sarat Road at about 3pm. A search of the vehicle revealed some of Spies’ belongings inside, though authorities have not disclosed specific details about the items found. Before its recovery, the ute was last seen on CCTV traveling down Surat’s main street at 11:10am on the day she went missing. This sighting remains a crucial piece of evidence in the ongoing investigation. Authorities have since resumed extensive searches in the area in hopes of finding further clues about her whereabouts. Spies is described as Caucasian, approximately 170cm tall, with a slim build, brown shoulder-length hair, and blue eyes. She has the word "KARMA" tattooed across her chest. Her family and friends continue to plead for any information that might help locate her. Police and local search teams have been scouring the surrounding area, using drones, tracking dogs, and ground search crews to cover as much terrain as possible. Despite these efforts, there have been no confirmed sightings of Spies since she was last seen on CCTV in Condamine. Authorities urge anyone with information regarding her disappearance to come forward. Whether it be a small detail or a major lead, investigators are keen to speak with anyone who may have seen Spies or her vehicle. Those with information are encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers or their nearest police station immediately. Images: Queensland Police

Legal

Pete Evans announces major new high-profile venture

Former My Kitchen Rules celebrity chef Pete Evans has landed a high-profile speaking engagement at the world’s largest Bitcoin convention, set to take place in Las Vegas this May. Evans, who was dropped from his hosting role on the popular Seven reality cooking show in 2020 due to his controversial views on Covid vaccines and masks, has since shifted his focus to cryptocurrency. On Monday, he took to Instagram to announce his upcoming appearance at Bitcoin Vegas, where he will discuss the intersection of long-term health and financial wealth. “I am honoured and excited to be speaking at Bitcoin Vegas in May on the marriage of long-term regenerative health and wealth for ALL,” Evans wrote in his post. Tickets for the event range from $500 to $3,000 USD, with attendees gaining access to speeches from influential figures, including US senators, tech billionaires and Evans himself. Evans’ latest venture follows a turbulent period in his career. In November 2020, he was engulfed in controversy after sharing a cartoon on Instagram that featured the Nazi-associated “black sun” symbol. Although Evans swiftly deleted the post and claimed he was unaware of its racist connotations, the backlash was equally swift. Major Australian retailers such as Target and Kmart severed ties with him, and brands like Baccarat followed suit. Speaking on the "Secrets of the Underworld" podcast in February, Evans described the fallout as a “coordinated attack”. “Within the space of 24 hours, the 15 business partners I was involved with all pretty much publicly denounced me,” he said. “For that to happen, it has to be a coordinated effort from some party. I don’t know who or what, but it wasn’t like, ‘Pete fked up,’ it was like, ‘Pete fked up, let’s put the attack dogs onto this.’” Evans has since said that the backlash was meant to deter others from questioning mainstream narratives surrounding vaccines and other issues. “This is what we can do to somebody, so be good boys and girls, just go along with the agenda, don’t stick your head up because we will financially destroy you,” he said. Image: Instagram

Drivers warned of new fines ahead of major change to speeding cameras

Transport officials in New South Wales are set to expand the use of average speed cameras beyond heavy vehicles to include all motorists. This initiative, which will take effect on May 1, is aimed at curbing the rising number of road fatalities across the state. Currently, average speed cameras, also known as point-to-point cameras, are used to only monitor heavy vehicles. However, cameras along two major highways – a 15km stretch of the Pacific Highway between Kew and Lake Innes, and the Hume Highway between Coolac and Gundagai – will soon track the speeds of all vehicles, according to Transport for NSW. These locations have been identified as high-risk crash zones. The implementation follows a steady rise in road fatalities across Australia in recent years, prompting authorities to take stronger measures against speeding. Unlike traditional speed cameras that capture speed at a single point, average speed cameras measure a vehicle's speed over a set distance. By recording the time a vehicle passes through two fixed points, authorities can determine whether the vehicle exceeded the legal speed limit along that stretch. This method discourages drivers from merely slowing down for fixed cameras before speeding up again. NSW imposes significant penalties for speeding, with fines varying based on the severity of the offence. Light vehicle drivers caught exceeding the speed limit by more than 45 km/h face a maximum fine of $3,300, while heavy vehicle drivers can be fined up to $5,500. Additionally, offenders risk a minimum six-month licence disqualification. To ease the transition, the new enforcement system will undergo a two-month trial period. From May 1 to June 30, motorists caught exceeding speed limits in the designated areas will receive warning letters rather than fines. However, starting July 1, full penalties, including fines and demerit points, will apply. Dr Ingrid Johnston, CEO of the Australasian College of Road Safety (ACRS) spoke recently about the need for more urgent measures to minimise road trauma. She has advocated for broader road safety initiatives, including speed cameras and reduced speed limits in areas with high pedestrian and cyclist activity. NSW Minister for Roads, John Graham, also reinforced the importance of the initiative, citing global studies that show average speed cameras significantly reduce road injuries and fatalities. "We know that speed remains our biggest killer on the road, contributing to 41 per cent of all fatalities over the past decade," he stated. The government aims to ensure motorists are well-informed about the changes. All affected locations will feature warning signs, and a community awareness campaign will support the transition. Image: Shutterstock

Money & Banking

Farewell, Your Majesty: Major change coming to Aussie fiver

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has announced a new theme for the Aussie fiver, designed to honour the “enduring emotional, spiritual and physical connection of First Nations peoples to Country”. “This inspiring theme will guide the creation of an artwork that will feature on the redesigned banknote,” said Michelle McPhee, RBA’s Assistant Governor of Business Services. The selection of this theme followed an extensive national campaign, receiving over 2,100 theme nominations from the public. For the first time since 1992, the $5 note will not feature the late Queen Elizabeth II, who had appeared on the denomination for more than 30 years. Breaking with tradition, the RBA confirmed that the redesigned note would not bear a portrait of any monarch, meaning King Charles will also be absent from the new design. However, the reverse side of the note will continue to depict the Australian Parliament building. Since the 1960s, the $5 banknote has undergone four major redesigns, with the most recent update in 2016. When Queen Elizabeth II’s portrait was first introduced in 1992, it replaced humanitarian Caroline Chisholm, a decision that was met with criticism at the time. The RBA defended its choice, citing Australia’s status as a constitutional monarchy and the tradition of including the reigning monarch on at least one banknote. The new banknote is expected to take several years to be designed, printed and circulated. The process of selecting an artist for the design is currently underway, with more details to be revealed in the coming months. The development of the note will also involve incorporating advanced security features to prevent counterfeiting. While the new design is in progress, the existing $5 note will continue to be issued. Meanwhile, Australian coins, which are produced by the Royal Australian Mint, will maintain the tradition of featuring the monarch. Images: RBA

Money & Banking

An artificial heart may save your life. But it can also change you in surprising ways

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> This week, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/mar/12/australian-man-survives-100-days-with-artificial-heart-in-world-first-success">doctors announced</a> that an Australian man with severe heart failure had left hospital with an artificial heart that had kept him alive until he could receive a donor heart. The patient, a man from New South Wales in his 40s, was not the world’s first person to receive this type of artificial heart. However, he is <a href="https://www.svhs.org.au/newsroom/news/australia-first-total-artificial-heart-implant">said to be</a> the <a href="https://www.monash.edu/news/articles/australias-first-durable-total-artificial-heart-implant-announced-as-a-success">first with one to be discharged from hospital</a> to wait for a heart transplant, which he’s since had. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT This machine has enabled an Australian man with severe heart failure to be the first person in the world to leave hospital with an artificial heart transplant <a href="https://t.co/6S12mINwBm">pic.twitter.com/6S12mINwBm</a> — Reuters (@Reuters) <a href="https://twitter.com/Reuters/status/1899862954155126824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2025</a></blockquote> I am a philosopher and bioethicist. I <a href="https://bridges.monash.edu/articles/thesis/Phenomenology_and_Artificial_Hearts/22312204">completed my PhD</a> on artificial hearts – particularly how these implants can change people’s lives in profound ways. Here’s what patients and their families need to consider. <h2>What is an artificial heart?</h2> Artificial hearts began to be developed in the 1960s, sponsored by the United States government and funded in a similar way to space and military programs. In 1982, a man named <a href="https://www.historynewsnetwork.org/article/hero-or-victim-the-25th-anniversary-of-barney-clar">Barney Clark</a> received the Jarvik-7 total artificial heart. Doctors removed his failing biological heart and replaced it with a plastic and metal device to circulate blood to his lungs and around his body. He lived for 112 days before dying from multi-organ failure. He never left hospital. In the 1980s and 1990s, medical device companies began to develop alternatives to total artificial hearts. These partial artificial hearts, known as ventricular assist devices, help out a biological heart by supplementing or replacing one of its two pumping chambers. These are more straightforward and versatile than total artificial hearts, and can be used for earlier stages of heart failure. Not all artificial hearts generate a pulse. Artificial hearts with a pulse generally mimic the biological heart. They pump blood in the same way the heart beats, by filling with blood and squeezing to circulate blood in waves or pulses. But some devices continuously push blood around the body instead of pulsing. So with these continuous-flow devices neither the patient nor their health team can <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11906-017-0782-6">detect a pulse</a>. <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0003497524008749">In the US between 2014 and 2024</a>, almost 30,000 patients received continuous-flow ventricular assist devices. In the same period, more than 310 total artificial hearts were implanted. The total artificial hearts <a href="https://www.syncardia.com/syncardia-total-artificial-heart-stah.html">commercially</a> <a href="https://www.carmatsa.com/en/our_product/">available</a> today are licensed exclusively as bridging therapies – to keep people alive until a donor heart becomes available – rather than permanent implants. <h2>How about the device making news this week?</h2> The device in the news – the <a href="https://www.monash.edu/news/articles/australias-first-durable-total-artificial-heart-implant-announced-as-a-success">BiVACOR Total Artificial Heart</a> – was developed by a US-Australian collaboration. This device is innovative, mainly because it is the first continuous-flow device designed to replace the whole heart. Designers are also aiming for it to be the first total artificial heart suitable as a permanent transplant (known as destination therapy). A reliable, durable and responsive total artificial heart is, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-12/sydney-hospital-artificial-heart-implant-operation-success/105036154">in the words</a> of Paul Jansz, the surgeon who implanted the device, “the Holy Grail”. The BiVACOR’s clinical success so far gives us reason to be optimistic about an alternative to scarce donor hearts for responding to severe heart failure. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/655013/original/file-20250313-56-4w24qy.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&rect=12%2C12%2C8231%2C5475&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/655013/original/file-20250313-56-4w24qy.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&rect=12%2C12%2C8231%2C5475&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/655013/original/file-20250313-56-4w24qy.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/655013/original/file-20250313-56-4w24qy.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/655013/original/file-20250313-56-4w24qy.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/655013/original/file-20250313-56-4w24qy.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/655013/original/file-20250313-56-4w24qy.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/655013/original/file-20250313-56-4w24qy.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Hand holding the BiVACOR artificial heart" /></a><figcaption>This device is designed to replace the whole heart, and for now, is licensed as a temporary implant, ahead of a heart transplant. BiVACOR TIQ</figcaption></figure> <h2>Transplants can change lives</h2> However, patients do not just resume their old lives when they leave hospital with an artificial heart. While the pumping component is inside their chest, there are also <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BHW0ATvgFDu/?hl=en">external components</a> to manage and monitor. A thick tube perforates their abdomen and connects to an external controller unit and power supply, which the patient carries around in a bag. Controllers must be closely monitored, and batteries must be regularly recharged. My research showed that even a perfectly safe and reliable total artificial heart could transform patients’ lives in at least three major areas. 1. Is it part of me? Do I trust it? Patients must <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/09638288.2020.1717648">trust, tolerate and receive sensory feedback about how the device is working</a> for it to feel like part of them. In the case of an artificial heart, this might mean the device feels responsive to exercise and the body’s needs. But it may be difficult for artificial hearts to meet these criteria, especially for devices that do not generate a pulse. Patients may also question whether their heart is located in their body, or in the controller unit. They may wonder if they even have a heart, particularly if they can’t feel a pulse. 2. Beeps and alarms An artificial heart also changes how patients live their lives and <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11097-024-10050-7">navigate the world</a>. Interruptions from <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1049732317700853">loud device alarms</a> distract patients from their normal activities. And patients must switch between mains power and batteries when they <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0147956311002718">wake in the night and need to visit the toilet</a>. 3. Marking time Our hearts may be our <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurorobotics/articles/10.3389/fnbot.2014.00015/full">natural</a> <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0301051111000032">metronomes</a>, marking time. So removing someone’s heart rhythm can confuse their sense of time. The need for batteries to be recharged periodically can also reshape patients’ days. Waiting around for a transplant heart, or the latest software update, may change patients’ perspectives on what months and years feel like. <h2>We need to give patients the whole picture</h2> Artificial hearts are remarkable devices with great promise. But patients and families also deserve to know how these extraordinary treatments might change how they feel about themselves and the world. They need to know this before they sign up for them. Artificial hearts don’t just save lives – they also change them.<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/252165/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> By <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/pat-mcconville-2344684">Pat McConville</a>, Lecturer in Ethics, Law, and Professionalism, School of Medicine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/an-artificial-heart-may-save-your-life-but-it-can-also-change-you-in-surprising-ways-252165">original article</a>. Image: Shutterstock </div>

Body

Major inquiry launched into Northern Beaches Hospital following child's death

A parliamentary inquiry into the Northern Beaches Hospital’s services will be launched following the tragic death of two-year-old Joe Massa. NSW Health Minister Ryan Park announced on Friday that he has asked parliament’s Public Accounts Committee to investigate the safety and quality of care provided by the hospital. The inquiry will examine services dating back to the hospital’s opening in October 2018 on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. Joe Massa suffered a cardiac arrest at the hospital and died in September last year. His parents, Elouise and Danny Massa, claim Joe was incorrectly triaged and left waiting for hours, leading to brain damage. The grieving parents have urged the state government to review the hospital’s systems and protocols and take immediate action to upgrade its facilities. “We want change at that hospital so no other parent, no one of our family or friends, has to go through what we’ve gone through,” they said. The couple met with Minister Park, Premier Chris Minns, and NSW Health Secretary Susan Pearce in February, when the parliamentary inquiry was discussed. On Friday, Park confirmed the inquiry would investigate accessibility issues that contributed to Joe’s death. “We made a commitment to Elouise and Danny to undertake the necessary reviews to understand how they and their son have been let down, as well as to learn what changes need to be made to prevent such a tragedy from occurring again,” Park stated. The inquiry will scrutinise past incidents at the hospital, including those subject to serious adverse event reviews (SAERs), assess the hospital’s responses, and determine whether necessary improvements were implemented. Additionally, it will examine patient and carer escalation systems, particularly the REACH (Recognise, Engage, Act, Call, Help) protocol, which was found to be insufficiently accessible in Joe Massa’s case. The inquiry will also evaluate the hospital’s measures to prevent adverse events, as well as staff standards and capabilities. Park noted that a previous parliamentary inquiry in 2019 examined the hospital’s operations and management. The upcoming inquiry will specifically focus on patient safety and care quality while considering whether past recommendations have been acted upon. Public Accounts Committee chair Jason Yat-Sen Li expressed his commitment to ensuring a thorough investigation. “I understand the strong community interest in this matter, and I am confident the committee is well placed to undertake this important inquiry,” he said. “I am determined to get this inquiry underway as quickly as possible, but I also want to get it right. We will announce the opening of submissions as well as hearing dates in due course.” The NSW Health Services Union (HSU), which has raised concerns about the hospital’s operations since its opening in 2018, said the investigation is long overdue. “We have consistently seen evidence that Northern Beaches Hospital prioritises commercial interests over patient care,” said HSU secretary Gerard Hayes. “From renting out maternity wards to film crews while mothers struggle with understaffed services, to charging grieving families unnecessary fees to release their loved ones’ bodies – these practices reveal a disturbing pattern. “We hope this inquiry will finally address the systemic issues our members have been reporting for years and put patients before profits at Northern Beaches Hospital.”

Caring

Millions in danger as Cyclone Alfred changes course

Tropical Cyclone Alfred is expected to make landfall in Australia's east coast, with millions of people being told to prepare, as the cyclone could bring more than half a metre of rain in some places. “This is a really significant event,” said the Bureau of Meteorology’s (BOM) Angus Hines late on Tuesday. “The main hazards we are expecting are heavy rain and flooding for large areas of Queensland and New South Wales, damaging to destructive winds as well as storm surge and coastal inundation”. A severe weather warning has also been put in place for almost 1000km of the coast, with water levels expected to exceed the highest tide of the year by around half a metre, according to the BOM. Due to it hitting a high pressure area, the cyclone has switched from heading north to south, and is now heading west. As of 4am on Wednesday morning, the cyclone was at category 2 strength, 465km east of Brisbane and 430km from the Gold Coast. A warning zone has been put in place from Double Island Point in Queensland to north of Grafton in New South Wales, as well as Brisbane, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, Byron Bay and Ballina. BOM meteorologist Jonathon How said it would make landfall anytime from late Thursday into Friday. “The location of landfall will be critical because we are expecting to see the worst of the impacts, or most significant impacts, on the southern flank of the cyclone. “That does include places like Brisbane, the Gold Coast, and also the Northern Rivers.” Brisbane City Council has a flood modelling system in place, and according to the Courier Mail, as many as 20,000 properties could be at risk from inundation. In the Gold Coast, 6000 properties could be at risk. The maps of potential flood zones in the Brisbane City LGA show suburbs including Brighton, Windsor, Ashgrove, Indooroopilly, Sandgate are Rocklea at risk, while in the Gold Coast, Biggara Waters among others could be impacted by floods. Queensland Premier David Crisafulli has urged residents to take the warnings seriously. “In the last few days we’ve spoken to people about having days to prepare, we’re moving into that phase where it’s now about hours,” he told ABC News Breakfast on Wednesday morning. “Do all the little things now, it’ll make a world of difference.” He added that if they are told to evacuate, “you should leave and I can’t be more blunt than that”. “The idea about replacing property, well, that’s another story for another day. Your priority is you. So if somebody tells you to leave, you should heed that advice.” Residents in northern NSW have also been urged to prepare. “What we need is the community to start being alert and preparing themselves,” NSW SES Deputy Commissioner Deb Platz told Today on Wednesday morning. Image: BOM

Travel Trouble

Calls for major shops to ditch "toxic" product

Common poisons sold at Bunnings, Mitre 10, Coles and Woolworths could potentially wipe out five species of carnivorous mammals. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S004896972500467X" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" data-i13n="cpos:2;pos:1" data-ylk="slk:and a new study by Edith Cowan University;cpos:2;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" data-rapid_p="12" data-v9y="1">A new study by Edith Cowan University</a> has discovered the impact of these common rat poisons is more widespread than first thought, with predators also being impacted by the toxins as well as the pests. “This is the first documentation of pretty substantial rodenticide exposure in our entire suite of top marsupial carnivores in Australia,” researcher and adjunct lecturer Dr Michael Lohr told <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/calls-for-bunnings-mitre-10-coles-and-woolworths-to-ditch-toxic-product-going-to-kill-everything-063045604.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yahoo News</a>. “Tasmanian devils and quolls are potentially being exposed at rates that could have a substantial impact on the trajectory of their populations going forward, and not in a good way.” The use of second-generation rat baits is currently under review by a government regulator – the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA), with Dr Lohr urging retailers to take them off shelves. "I think it's really important for Australia at this point to try to catch up to the rest of the developed world," he said. "Action is needed on this and the world has already agreed on that." The use and sale of these pesticides are heavily restricted in the United States, European Union and United Kingdom, but are freely available in Australia. More than 7,000 people have signed a <a href="https://www.change.org/p/help-wildlife-and-pets-poisoned-dying-in-agony-bunnings-stop-selling-sgar-rat-baits" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-i13n="cpos:9;pos:1" data-ylk="slk:Change.org petition;cpos:9;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" data-rapid_p="20" data-v9y="1">Change.org petition</a> calling for supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths to ditch these "highly toxic" rat baits which it said can kill pets and native animals. Veteran wildlife advocate Cat Coake told Yahoo retailers have a duty to stop non-targeted poisons, as she said, "Otherwise they're going to kill everything." In a statement, Bunnings noted that it's not the only major retailer in Australia selling second-generation rodenticides. "Like many retailers, we offer a range of rodent control products, including anticoagulant rodenticides and non-poisonous alternatives, to provide choice for customers on the best solution to their specific rodent problem," it said. Bunnings also said it's complying with government regulations on the sale of these poisons. Image credits: Shutterstock

Home & Garden

Summer holidays haven’t changed much since ancient Greece and Rome (except maybe the sand wrestling)

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/konstantine-panegyres-1528527">Konstantine Panegyres</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> Imagine a summer holiday at a seaside resort, with days spent sunbathing, reading books, exploring nature and chatting with friends. Sounds like it could be anywhere in Australia or New Zealand in January, doesn’t it? This is also how the Roman emperor <a href="https://oxfordre.com/classics/display/10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.001.0001/acrefore-9780199381135-e-3508?product=orecla">Julian</a> spent his summers in the 4th century CE. Towards the end of 357 CE, Julian wrote a <a href="https://www.loebclassics.com/view/emperor_julian-letters/1923/pb_LCL157.79.xml?rskey=Sa5rUn&result=1&mainRsKey=pqeNrD">letter</a> to his friend Evagrius, telling him how he spent his holidays at his grandmother’s estate as a boy and young man: <blockquote> Very peaceful it is to lie down there and glance into some book, and then, while resting one’s eyes, it is very agreeable to gaze at the ships and the sea. When I was still hardly more than a boy I thought that this was the most delightful summer residence, for it has, moreover, excellent springs and a charming bath and garden and trees. </blockquote> As Julian got older, though, he had less time for summer holidays. Work consumed him. Even when he was on a break, he couldn’t fully relax. This might sound familiar, too. It seems very little has changed from the days of the ancient Greek and Roman empires when it comes to finding time to unwind – and being on holidays, too. <h2>Finding time for a break</h2> Taking time off was important in ancient Greek and Roman times. Even <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00397677908590731">Greek and Roman slaves</a> were permitted to take a few holidays each year. Not everyone could enjoy their holidays, however. In 162 CE, <a href="https://oxfordre.com/classics/display/10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.001.0001/acrefore-9780199381135-e-984">Marcus Aurelius</a>, then emperor of Rome, took four days of holiday at a resort in Alsium, a city on the coast of modern-day Italy. According to his friend <a href="https://oxfordre.com/classics/display/10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.001.0001/acrefore-9780199381135-e-1846">Marcus Cornelius Fronto</a> (c. 95-166 CE), though, the emperor could not stop working. In a letter, Fronto <a href="https://www.loebclassics.com/view/marcus_cornelius_fronto-correspondence/1919/pb_LCL113.5.xml?mainRsKey=Q5rXrd&result=1&rskey=fAbCGr">criticises</a> Marcus for continuing to work hard rather than sleeping in, exploring the seaside, rowing on the ocean, bathing and feasting on seafood. Fronto amusingly says that Marcus, rather than enjoy his holiday, has instead “declared war on play, relaxation, good living, and pleasure”. <h2>Going to the seaside</h2> Relaxing by the coast was one of the things people in ancient Greece and Rome most enjoyed doing in the summer. The rich built summer residences on the coast, while people of all walks of life flocked to seaside resorts to enjoy the fresh air and cool water. The orator <a href="https://oxfordre.com/classics/display/10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.001.0001/acrefore-9780199381135-e-3675">Libanius</a> (314-393 CE) <a href="https://www.loebclassics.com/view/libanius-oration_45_emperor_prisoners/1977/pb_LCL452.165.xml?rskey=EVUxsK&result=1&mainRsKey=ISthry">wrote</a> that the people who really enjoy life the most are those who have the freedom to “drive to their estates, visit other towns, buy land, and visit the seaside”. Health tourism was also a popular reason why people came to the seaside. Many ancient doctors recommended sea water and air as cures for all kinds of health problems, especially those related to the skin and respiratory system. For example, the doctor <a href="https://oxfordre.com/classics/display/10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.001.0001/acrefore-9780199381135-e-705">Aretaeus of Cappadocia</a> (c. 150-200 CE) <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?id=v4gIAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA463&dq=Aretaeus+sea+water&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjh-f6OiuCJAxW4dPUHHXQQH5oQ6AF6BAgEEAI#v=onepage&q=Aretaeus%20sea%20water&f=false">recommended</a> bathing in sea water, wrestling on sand and living by the sea as therapies for those who get frequent headaches. <h2>Travelling abroad</h2> Visiting foreign places was another of the things people in ancient Greece and Rome most enjoyed doing on their summer holidays. For the Romans, trips to see Greece – and in particular Athens – were especially popular. The Roman general <a href="https://oxfordre.com/classics/display/10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.001.0001/acrefore-9780199381135-e-3396?rskey=xWdUMg&result=1">Germanicus</a> (15 BCE–19 CE) went on a tour of Greece in 18 CE, travelling from Athens eastward to Euboea, Lesbos, the coast of Asia Minor and then to Byzantium and Pontus. According to the Roman historian <a href="https://oxfordre.com/classics/display/10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.001.0001/acrefore-9780199381135-e-6205">Tacitus</a>, Germanicus was motivated by a desire to see famous ancient sites. Like many Romans, he was fascinated by the old stories of the Greek past, so <a href="https://www.loebclassics.com/view/tacitus-annals/1931/pb_LCL249.469.xml">he was</a> “eager to make the acquaintance of those ancient and storied regions”. Another popular destination for ancient Greeks and Romans was Egypt, which had always been regarded as a land of wonder. Roman tourists could catch regular boats from <a href="https://www.romanports.org/en/the-ports/88-puteoli.html">Puteoli</a> to the great Egyptian city <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Alexandria-Egypt">Alexandria</a>. The trip took anywhere from one to two weeks, stopping along the way in Sicily and Malta. Once there, the highlights were typically the great Nile River and Pyramids. Tourists marvelled at the immense temples and walls of hieroglyphic writing. When Germanicus visited Egypt in 19 CE, he was so curious about the meaning of the hieroglyphics that he <a href="https://www.loebclassics.com/view/LCL249/1931/volume.xml">asked</a> an old Egyptian priest to translate some for him. In Alexandria, another attraction was the tomb of <a href="https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095401572">Alexander the Great</a> (356-323 BCE). His body was stored in honey in a coffin made of glass. Ordinary tourists were not allowed to visit it, but VIPs like Roman emperors were. Tourists might also have enjoyed the different vibe in Alexandria. According to the Greek orator <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Dio-Chrysostom">Dio of Prusa</a> (c. 40-110/120 CE), the atmosphere in the coastal city was relaxed, with plenty of music, chariot racing and good food. <h2>Lazy summer days</h2> We can probably all relate to what the writer <a href="https://oxfordre.com/classics/display/10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.001.0001/acrefore-9780199381135-e-5134">Pliny the Younger</a> (61/62-112 BCE) said about his summer break. Writing on a holiday in Tuscany, he <a href="https://www.loebclassics.com/view/pliny_younger-letters/1969/pb_LCL059.95.xml?rskey=Mdlmkl&result=1">said</a> he can only work “in the lazy way to be expected during a summer holiday”. Working any other way was simply not possible. Many of us will be able to relate to that!<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/243367/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/konstantine-panegyres-1528527">Konstantine Panegyres</a>, McKenzie Postdoctoral Fellow, researching Greco-Roman antiquity, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/summer-holidays-havent-changed-much-since-ancient-greece-and-rome-except-maybe-the-sand-wrestling-243367">original article</a>. </div>

International Travel

"Dying does change how you live": Beloved Neighbours star opens up about cancer battle

Veteran Neighbours star Ian Smith, best known for his role as Harold Bishop on the popular long-running show, has shared insights into his ongoing battle with cancer, revealing that despite the challenges, he feels "good". Smith, 86, was <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/non-fixable-neighbours-icon-reveals-terminal-diagnosis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of lung cancer</a> in 2024, leading to his departure from the beloved soap opera. In a candid interview with The Guardian, he recently reflected on his journey, saying, "I thought I would be stronger, but I am as weak as any human. Dying does change how you live." He added that his illness has made him "more forgiving, more understanding". The actor began chemotherapy and immunotherapy as part of his treatment, which has proved effective despite his terminal diagnosis. Initially, doctors predicted he wouldn’t survive past March 2024, but his successful response to treatment has extended his life expectancy to Christmas 2026. "I know I have cancer because doctors keep telling me I have it," he said. "I may get very sick again one day. But I have lived the most privileged life." Smith first appeared as Harold Bishop in Neighbours in 1987, introduced as the former love interest of Madge Mitchell, played by Anne Charleston. His character became a fan favourite, with Smith making multiple returns to the show over the decades. He initially played Harold from 1987 to 1991 before returning from 1996 to 2009. He later made guest appearances in 2011, 2015, 2022, and most recently in 2024 before stepping away due to his illness. Upon Smith’s most recent departure, Neighbours Executive Producer Jason Herbison paid tribute to his contribution to the show. "The way the residents of Ramsay Street feel about Harold is how we all feel about Ian – we couldn't love him more than we do," Herbison told the Herald Sun. A spokesperson for Network 10 also expressed admiration for the actor, stating, "We are deeply saddened to hear of Ian Smith's cancer diagnosis. He is a cherished member of the Neighbours family." Beyond Neighbours, Smith appeared in the cult TV series Prisoner and worked extensively in theatre since the 1950s. His personal life has been marked by both joy and sorrow. His wife, Gail, passed away in 2019 after her own battle with cancer, after the couple had been married for more than 50 years. Smith also faced personal revelations later in life. At 54, he discovered he had been adopted after his mother, Connie, disclosed the truth before her passing. He later found his biological mother, Peg Kline, who revealed she had conceived him at 14 following a sexual assault. The two maintained a relationship until her death in 2005, also from cancer. Smith shared his adoption story on ABC’s Australian Story. Despite his health struggles, Smith remains positive and reflective, cherishing the life he has led. His impact on Australian TV has certainly solidified his place as one of the industry’s most beloved figures. Image: Network 10

Caring

Disney to change content warnings shown before "problematic" classics

Disney will tone down the language of the content warnings on its streaming service that accompany classic movies with racial stereotypes. The current disclaimers played before older titles like Dumbo and Peter Pan said the film “includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of peoples or cultures” adding, “these stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now.” The new disclaimers will state: “This program is presented as originally created and may contain stereotypes or negative depictions,” and will not appear as introductory text that plays before the beginning of a film. The disclaimers will also only appear in the details section of certain films, where viewers will have to navigate to find it, decreasing their visibility. Disney will also replace its “Diversity & Inclusion” performance factor used to evaluate executive pay with a new “Talent Strategy”, according to Sonia Coleman, Disney’s senior executive vice president and chief human resources officer. Other rollbacks of its diversity, equity and inclusion measures include the closure of its Reimagine Tomorrow initiative, a website that highlighted stories and talent from underrepresented communities. Disney first added content warnings to older movies like Dumbo and Peter Pan in November 2019, due to racist depictions included in some of the films created by the studio in the 40s and 50s. Disney has become the latest major organisation to roll back its diversity measures following Donald Trump’s re-election as US President. Image: spatuletail / Shutterstock.com

Movies

John Farnham's son shares major health update

John Farnham's son James has shared a major update on his father's health condition, as he prepares to become a grandfather. The Aussie singer, 75, is recovering from 12-hour surgery for throat cancer, with doctors removing a tumour from his mouth and reconstructing his jaw in August 2022. He has since received an “all clear" as his cancer remains in remission. Speaking candidly to Nat Barr and Matt Shirvington on Sunrise, James updated viewers on his father's condition. “He’s doing great, he’s doing really well, walking around, kicking goals .... annoying mum,” James said with a laugh. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> FARNHAM FAMILY ANNOUNCEMENT 🎤 James Farnham on his dad’s health, an exciting family announcement and the incredible Logies tribute. WATCH SUNRISE FOR MORE | <a href="https://twitter.com/7plus?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@7plus</a> ☀️ <a href="https://t.co/pY48wTiLNU">pic.twitter.com/pY48wTiLNU</a> — Sunrise (@sunriseon7) <a href="https://twitter.com/sunriseon7/status/1886532531001884967?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2025</a></blockquote> James, who is expecting his first child later this year with his partner Tessa, also revealed that Farnham has decided what he wants his first grandchild to call him. “We’re all really excited, another little Farnham on the way,” James said. “I can’t wait to take him up to the farm and get dad to teach him everything he taught me.” He then revealed that his famous father wants to be called “Pa” when the baby is born. James went on to share details about Cancer Research Giving Day, as since their father’s diagnosis, James and his brother, Rob, have supported cancer awareness and fundraising events including Daffodil Day “Given the fact that dad went through a brutal cancer, we were asked by Daffodil Day to be ambassadors — we jumped at the chance,” Rob told Sunrise last August. “It’s such an amazing opportunity to push that forward. And the things that they do for fundraising and research, it helps recovery process, helps families, helps the people who have the cancer." “Cancer is one of those things that doesn’t just affect the person going through it, it affects everyone else around them.” Image credits: Getty Images / Sunrise

Family & Pets

Kyle Sandilands reveals major health diagnosis live on air

Kyle Sandilands has shared his shocking health diagnosis live on air, telling his listeners he is due to undergo emergency brain surgery. The radio shock jock shared the news on Monday morning, saying he would be stepping back from the KIIS FM hosting role to look after his health and recover from the major operation. “On Friday, I was told by my medical team, which sounds like I’m already very sick - to have a medical team - that I have a brain aneurysm and it requires immediate attention, brain surgery,” Sandilands told listeners. “If you just tuned in to us after all these years, lap it up. And if you’re in Melbourne ... you’re coming to the party too late. You may get your wish. I may be dead.” After being away on Friday, Sandilands shared that he received his diagnosis after a difficult period of difficult headaches. <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/DFlTXUwo5w6/?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/DFlTXUwo5w6/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Kyle and Jackie O (@kyleandjackieo)</a> </div> </blockquote> "It's not a blockage. It's like, imagine your blood vessel is the garden hose, and the garden hose is weak and it blisters out like a big bubble, you know, like a puncture in it. (It's) like a bike tyre with a big bubble - that bubble's the aneurysm, so it's not blocked," he explained. "It's expanded and if it bursts, (I will become) either a vegetable, in the wheelchair, or dead instantly" Sandilands expects to take eight weeks off from his hit show, The Kyle and Jackie O Show, to recover. “My wife, every time I look at her, her eyes well up with tears. She is already counting down the days.” “The facts are a life of cocaine abuse and partying are not the way to go,” he said. Sandilands then used his condition as a warning to others, saying, "If anyone is having persistent headaches or any of those recurring issues, get a brain scan. It could save your life." Image credits: Instagram

Caring

Major changes coming to paracetamol packaging

A major change to the way Aussies access paracetamol will be enforced from February 1st in an attempt to curb the number of overdoses. In May 2023, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) announced a suite of changes to the sale of paracetamol to reduce the risk of liver damage and intentional overdoses. The changes include a reduction in the size of paracetamol packages sold outside pharmacies from 20 capsules or tablets to 16. Paracetamol is also required to be in blister packaging for general sale, and the TGA has encouraged retailers to only sell one pack at a time. The new changes also impact medications that contain paracetamol, such as cold and flu medicines. Under the new regulations, paracetamol packs with more than 50 tablets will need to be sold under the supervision of a pharmacist. However, residents in Queensland and Western Australia will need to consult a pharmacist if they want to buy more than 16 tablets of paracetamol at a time, The changes are set to take effect on Saturday February 1st, at which time it will be illegal to sell paracetamol packs of more than 16 tablets in supermarkets, convenience stores or petrol stations. The new rules have been announced to combat a rise in hospitalisations as a result of paracetamol overdoses and liver injuries. Image credits: Shutterstock

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