Placeholder Content Image

Dental staff fired for mocking cancer patient’s private diary

<p>Shocking video has emerged of two dental staff reading a cancer patient's private diary aloud while laughing and mocking her concerns. </p> <p>The video which captured the American employees at  Premier Dental Group (PDG) of Knoxville laughing as they read the private diary entries was captioned: "Found a patients journal and now it's story time lmao."</p> <p>The footage was reportedly filmed by another staff member who could be heard giggling throughout the video, according to the<em> New York Post.</em> </p> <p>A woman in black scrubs was filmed reading passages from the diary to others in the room and describing the radiation treatments  the worried patient faces. </p> <p>Another woman was sitting cross-legged on the office floor and listening intently, a male employee was also in the room but he did not intervene or join in with the women.</p> <p>It’s not clear how staff obtained access to the patient’s private journal, or why they decided to read it.</p> <p>The video sparked outrage across social media, with  Premier Dental Group of Knoxville having to share an apology on Facebook acknowledging the incident. </p> <p>"Premier Dental Group of Knoxville is aware of a recent incident involving an inappropriate video created and shared by some of our employees that addressed an individual’s medical condition in a disrespectful and unprofessional manner.”</p> <p>“We deeply regret this incident and the hurt [it] has caused,” they wrote in the statement which has now been deleted. </p> <p>A spokesperson for PDG confirmed to the <em>New York Post</em> the female employees involved in the incident were fired “effective immediately”.</p> <p>After an investigation it was determined that the male employee in the video did not participate and kept his job. </p> <p>“We are committed to maintaining a respectful and professional environment for everyone, and we will continue to take necessary actions to uphold these standards,” the practice said.</p> <p><em>Images: news.com.au</em></p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

New York City mocked for only just discovering wheelie bins

<p>New York City has been trolled online after discovering wheelie bins for the first time. </p> <p>In order to tackle the "trash revolution", the mayor of NYC Eric Adams announced that wheelie bins will be introduced city wide, instead of the current system which is just leaving rubbish bags on the street.</p> <p>Despite the introduction of wheelie bins being a great solution for the city's trash and rodent problem, many were shocked to learn that the receptacles don't already exist there. </p> <p>Introducing the roll out, Mayor Adams began his press conference rolling in a bin and proudly demonstrating how to use it before celebrating with colleagues.</p> <p>He said “many people thought it was impossible” that these wheelie bins were going to be part of the city’s “trash revolution”.</p> <p>“We all have one unified dislike, and those are those pesky New York City rats,” Mr Adams said.</p> <p>“They’re getting more and more bold. They no longer run from you. They just hang out and just do what they want. We want to make sure we change that in a real way.”</p> <p>NYC department of sanitation commissioner Jessica Tisch described the official NYC bin as a “beautiful, rat-fighting piece of engineering” to conquer the estimated three million rats that dominate the streets. </p> <p>The wheelie bin announcement, which was intended to impress New Yorkers, has also gone global – with Europeans and Australians baffled by concept of wheelie bins being new.</p> <p>“Oh my word! Are they seriously showing their constituents how to use a trash can?” wrote one person.</p> <p>“Huh, they don’t have wheelie bins? What century do they live in?” said a second.</p> <p>“How the hell is this revolutionary??” agreed another.</p> <p>“So they finally figured out putting your trash in piles on the sidewalk is not a good idea,” mocked someone else.</p> <p><em>Image credits: X (Twitter) </em></p>

Home & Garden

Placeholder Content Image

“Entitled as”: Tesla driver mocked for creative parking

<p>A Tesla driver's parking skills has sparked an online debate after pictures of the vehicle parked across two parking spots was posted on Facebook. </p> <p>The black Tesla Model Y was parked at the Orion Springfield shopping centre in Queensland, and most online commenters condemned the driver's actions. </p> <p>“Of course, it’s a Tesla owner. Entitled as mentality,” one wrote. </p> <p>“They should find somewhere else to charge it or go home," another commented. </p> <p>However, some commenters pointed out that the charging station could be the problem, and with an increase in drivers choosing electric vehicles, it sparked a few questions on the accessibility of the charging stations across the country. </p> <p>“Maybe that was the only way to reach the plug? EV owners should be allowed to fuel up just as we do," one commenter wrote. </p> <p>“The one at fault … is the silver car parked in the charging spot not on charge, so I guess they [the Tesla owner] had to park like that to charge up," another said. </p> <p>In another incident last April,  another Tesla driver was criticised for parking their Model 3 – with an attached trailer – over the kerb next to the charging bay. </p> <p>However, the photo also highlighted the accessibility issues as current charging stations for EV's do not accomodate to oversized vehicles, so drivers may have to come up with other ways to charge. </p> <p>A spokesperson for Standards Australia said that a charger reform is currently being discussed by all relevant regulators. </p> <p>"There's a lot of work going on right now as our vehicle fleet becomes more electric. This includes consideration of charging infrastructure, its placement, and matters of safety and amenity," the spokesperson told<em> Drive</em>. </p> <p>"Standards Australia is working with governments, industry and the community to identify what standards are needed for charging infrastructure and how they can be embedded in our communities."</p> <p><em>Image: Drive/ Facebook</em></p>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

"You can't make this up": Project hosts mocked for trainwreck interview

<p><em>The Project</em> hosts have found itself in a storm of laughter and tears after a trainwreck interview with an unfortunate Melbourne mum who was recently booted from a comedy show with her crying baby.</p> <p>It all started innocently enough when a breastfeeding mother Trish Faranda found herself ousted from an Arj Barker comedy show because her seven-month-old bundle of joy was proving too distracting. </p> <p>In a flurry of events that could rival a sitcom script, Faranda then embarked on a media tour to share her side of the story, which, let's just say, didn't exactly go as smoothly as a well-rehearsed stand-up routine.</p> <p>On Monday night's episode of <em>The Project</em>, host Sarah Harris – in a moment that can only be described as a classic case of foot-in-mouth syndrome – hinted over the sounds of very loud crying that maybe baby Clara "can go to dad just for a quick second... a mum with three little kids, I reckon you need to laugh."</p> <p>As Waleed Aly chuckled nervously in the background, social media exploded faster than a punchline at a comedy club, forcing The Project to quickly disable comments. However, viewers were quick to point out the hilarity of <em>The Project</em>'s own struggle with disruptive babies, all while criticising Arj Barker for his comedic inconvenience.</p> <p>“There’s something really really funny about The Project host asking for the baby to leave for being disruptive during the interview and then going right back to empathising with the mother about being asked to take her baby out during a comedy show for being disruptive,” posted one follower.</p> <p>“Hilarious. The Project takes aim at comedian Arj Barker because he asked a mother/baby to leave &amp; avoid disrupting a live show. At the 3 min mark Sarah Harris kicks the same baby off the air to avoid disrupting the show. You can’t make this up,” posted another.</p> <p>“This is hilarious. Well done The Project and Sarah Harris for showing how distracting a whining baby can be when you’re trying to entertain people," wrote a third.</p> <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/C6EL8Kfvv7N/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;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/C6EL8Kfvv7N/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by The Project (@theprojecttv)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Meanwhile, over at <em>A Current Affair</em>, baby Clara once again stole the show, or rather, disrupted it entirely. The interview turned into a symphony of cries and babbling, leaving viewers wondering if they had accidentally tuned in to a sitcom pilot.</p> <p>But let's not forget the man of the hour, Arj Barker himself, who stood by his decision to evict the tiny troublemaker from his comedy haven. In a series of radio interviews, Barker defended his actions, citing the sacredness of comedic timing and the sheer audacity of bringing an infant to a 15-plus comedy show.</p> <p>In the end, amidst the laughter and the tears, one thing became abundantly clear: comedy, like life, is unpredictable. Whether it's a crying baby stealing the spotlight or a tone-deaf remark from a well-meaning host, one thing's for sure – you can always count on the unexpected.</p> <p><em>Images: The Project</em></p>

TV

Placeholder Content Image

Aldi shopper mercilessly mocked over "shotgun pellet" claims

<p>An Aldi shopper has been slammed online after claiming she found "shotgun pellets" in a piece of meat. </p> <p>The mum from Canberra took to a Facebook group dedicated to parents who shop at Aldi, to share pictures of a mysterious find in her corned beef.</p> <p>She claimed the slab of meat was laced with small metal balls, and after her growing concern about what she ingested, the woman went so far as to book in an abdominal x-ray. </p> <p>“Today I prepared a whole piece of meat in a pressure cooker that I bought at ALDI in Gungalhin, I was in a hurry so I only added one garlic and salt,” she wrote on Facebook.</p> <p>“While I was tasting a piece that had just been taken out of the pot, I felt something hard and noticed that it was a metal ball."</p> <p>“I checked the pot thoroughly but it was not part of the pot. Then I helped myself to another piece and realised there was one more I didn’t chew, I took it out and looked — ball was IN BETWEEN.</p> <p>“Can I complain to Aldi? Has it happened to you? I was going to give that meat to my two-year-old daughter, now I’m afraid. I prefer to throw it away.”</p> <p>She later added, “Update: shotgun pellets inside the cow meat! I have an abdominal [x-ray] for tomorrow to check if I ate some before noticed. There are more inside the meat."</p> <p>Despite her grave concerns, other shoppers were quick to slam her claims, with many arguing back that the small black balls appeared to be peppercorns and maintained that “no livestock are slaughtered with shotguns”.</p> <p>“Aren’t cows shot with a power head not bullets?” one said.</p> <p>Another wrote, “Cows aren’t shot with a shotgun they get a metal rod through the brain. Farmers don’t even use a shotgun, they use a gun that uses one bullet through the brain. This is very odd.”</p> <p>Many people also claimed that the round balls seemed to be peppercorns, prompting the mum to defend herself.</p> <p>She said, “That is not peppercorn! It’s completely round, the other one half is being covered by the meat. Definitely looks like something that shouldn’t be in there.”</p> <p>An ALDI Australia spokesperson has told <em><a href="https://7news.com.au/lifestyle" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link-type="article-inline">7News</a></em> that it has not received any similar complaints.</p> <p>“We are in direct contact with customer and are investigating the possibility that this product has not met our strict quality and safety standard,” the spokesperson said.</p> <p>“We have not received any further complaints of a similar nature, however, customers can return any product they are not satisfied with for a full refund or replacement.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images / Facebook</em></p>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

"How can people bully a baby?": Paris Hilton's son mercilessly mocked

<p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">In a world dominated by social media, celebrities often share glimpses of their personal lives with their followers. It's a way to celebrate their joys and connect with fans. However, this can also invite unwarranted negativity, as recently experienced by Paris Hilton when she posted innocent photos of her nine-month-old son, Phoenix, on Instagram. </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">While she was trying to cherish a beautiful moment in her baby's life, vile comments from some of her followers overshadowed the happiness considerably.</span></p> <p>Hilton, the hotel heiress turned entrepreneur, proudly shared the series of snaps capturing her son during his first trip to New York City. The images featured the adorable baby boy sitting on her lap, evoking smiles and warmth from those who understood the significance of the moment. Paris captioned the photos with the words, "My precious angel baby Phoenix's first time in NYC."</p> <p>However, the joyous occasion quickly turned sour due to some insensitive comments from trolls who chose to focus on the appearance of baby Phoenix in an attempt to make fun of an innocent child.</p> <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/Cylt-26pDR7/?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/Cylt-26pDR7/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Paris Hilton (@parishilton)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Some followers expressed genuine concern for the baby, suggesting that Hilton should seek medical advice for her son. These comments, though well-intentioned, were also made without understanding the full context. In particular, one comment advised, "Please take him to the neurosurgeon ASAP; he needs a helmet soon." Another mentioned, "He really does look like he has macrocephaly," referring to a condition where an infant's head circumference is larger than normal.</p> <p>In contrast to the negativity, many of Paris Hilton's followers came to her defence, emphasising the importance of kindness and compassion, especially when it comes to a baby. One commenter wisely stated, "If you don't have anything nice to say, you shouldn't say anything at all."</p> <p>"How can people Bully a baby?" wrote another. "What is wrong with you? It’s an innocent little baby 🥺🥺❤️"</p> <p>"She was so kind to share a precious photo of her son with us," wrote yet another. "I don't understand why people have to make fun of him or make comments about the way she is holding him."</p> <p>Some even criticised those pretending to be concerned about Phoenix's health but failing to consider the emotional toll such comments can take on a family.</p> <p>It's crucial to recognise that public figures like Hilton are also parents who cherish their family's privacy. In the weeks following Phoenix's birth, Hilton explained that she wanted something personal for herself, away from the spotlight. "I didn't want the media and people online just speaking about my son even before he was here on this earth," she revealed on the US <em>Today </em>show.</p> <p>The episode serves as a poignant reminder of the harshness that can exist on social media platforms, even towards the most innocent of beings. Behind every celebrity persona is a human being, oftentimes a parent, who simply wants to celebrate a cherished moment in their child's life.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

Placeholder Content Image

"This is absurd": PM mocks bizarre Higgins conspiracy

<p>Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has denied claims Senator Katy Gallagher misled Parliament over what she knew about <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/lisa-wilkinson-denies-turning-to-senior-politicians-over-higgins-rape-allegations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brittany Higgins’ rape allegations</a>, dubbing it a “bizarre conspiracy”.</p> <p>Amid the Coalition preparing to target the Finance Minister and Labor during question time, Albanese is backing the Senator completely.</p> <p>He said the real questions were around how the Morrison Government mishandled the issue and not about how Higgins’ boyfriend tipped off Senator Gallagher.</p> <p>“This is absurd,” Albanese declared.</p> <p>“It’s a bizarre conspiracy theory – this concocted issue by what is a desperate Liberal opposition looking for any issue.</p> <p>“Katy Gallagher has been transparent.”</p> <p>The uproar follows the leaking of a six-hour audio tape that hears Higgins’ partner David Sharaz bragging to The Project that he had a connection with Senator Gallagher and in turn, she would drive the story forward in Senate estimates.</p> <p>Network Ten has lodged a police complaint over the leak after a tape of Lisa Wilkinson and Brittany Higgins was seen on a rival channel.</p> <p>Thomson Geer law firm partner Marlia Saunders, who is currently acting for Network Ten in the defamation proceedings, has confirmed she has filed a complaint to Australian Capital Territory Policing.</p> <p>Ten has complained that the material used was obtained via coercive subpoenas for the criminal trial and should have remained under wraps.</p> <p>“Last Wednesday, Ten made a complaint to the AFP requesting they investigate an apparent contempt of court,” Saunders told news.com.au.</p> <p>It relates to material produced under an AFP warrant and a subpoena issued in the ACT Supreme Court which Saunders said “appears to have been disclosed to the media in breach of the implied undertaking.”</p> <p>“The AFP yesterday confirmed the complaint has been received for consideration,” she said.</p> <p>The leaked audio tape first aired on Channel Seven during a televised interview on the Spotlight program, it has since been leaked to <em>The Daily Mail</em>,<em> The Australian</em> and <em>Sky News</em>.</p> <p>The ACT Supreme Court did not release the entire audio at the trial, but parts of it were played to the jury.</p> <p>The audio hears Wilkinson describing former Defence Minister Linda Reynolds as “a nobody” and an “idiot”, and saying “who is this f***king woman”.</p> <p>It also recorded the group war gaming the story and suggested Albanese would “definitely” raise the issue in time. Wilkinson has confirmed she never contacted him to do so.</p> <p>The leaked texts show private discussions with Wilkinson’s husband Peter Fitz-Simons regarding a $325,000 book deal and Sharaz describing then-Prime Minister Scott Morrison as a “c***t”.</p> <p>Higgins’ private text messages were provided to the police and lawyers during the criminal trials, and have since been leaked by sources unknown to media outlets.</p> <p>In the text messages, Sharaz suggested he had forwarded the entire transcript of Higgins’ interview with Lisa Wilkinson to Senator Gallagher before the story aired.</p> <p>Channel 10 were seemingly unaware that Sharaz had forwarded the transcript, which was also a signed statutory declaration, to other parties before the broadcast.</p> <p>In June 2021, Senator Gallagher was in a state of fury when the then-Defence Minister Linda Reynolds proposed she “knew where this started”, adding she had been tipped off by a Labor Senator before the story broke about what the ALP was planning.</p> <p>“No one had any knowledge. How dare you! It’s all about protecting yourself,” Senator Gallagher said at the time.</p> <p>Speaking at an ALP conference in Fremantle, Senator Gallagher was asked if she would stand aside or resign.</p> <p>“Why would I?" she said.</p> <p>“I was responding to an assertion that was being made by the minister Reynolds at the time that we had known about this for weeks and had made a decision to weaponise it,” she continued.</p> <p>“That is not true. It was never true. I explained that to Senator Reynolds that night and she accepted that explanation.”</p> <p>“Mr Sharaz provided me with information, I think we’ve seen that in the paper in the last couple of days,” she said.</p> <p>“I did nothing with that information. And I was clear about that at the time.</p> <p>“There’s absolutely no issue here at all,” she insisted.</p> <p>“I’ve been clear, I’ve been honest. And at all times, I’ve been guided by the bravery and courage of a young woman who chose to speak up about her workplace. And from that we have had massive changes to that workplace because of the problem.”</p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty</em></p>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

King Charles' signature coronation dish mercilessly mocked

<p>With the coronation comes one of the most famed traditions in the Monarchy, the creation of a signature dish, made to be shared and enjoyed across the Commonwealth in honour of the new Monarch.</p> <p>The Queen’s coronation made history in 1953, with the ‘Coronation Chicken’, a recipe that has since embedded itself into British culture.</p> <p>Charles’ crowning marks 70 years since the last coronation, and with the event coming up on May 6, the reveal of the signature dish has been highly anticipated. A culinary delight, like Queen Elizabeth II’s ‘Poulet Reine Elizabeth’, that will make its way down from generation to generation.</p> <p>The Royal Family verified Twitter account shared the long-awaited dish.</p> <p>“Introducing… Coronation Quiche!”, the tweet read.</p> <p>“Chosen personally by Their Majesties, The King and The Queen Consort have shared a recipe in celebration of the upcoming #CoronationBigLunch taking place up and down the country.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Introducing… Coronation Quiche!</p> <p>Chosen personally by Their Majesties, The King and The Queen Consort have shared a recipe in celebration of the upcoming <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CoronationBigLunch?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CoronationBigLunch</a> taking place up and down the country. <a href="https://t.co/aVcw9tNarP">pic.twitter.com/aVcw9tNarP</a></p> <p>— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) <a href="https://twitter.com/RoyalFamily/status/1647917367798939648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>King Charles III has officially unveiled his signature coronation offering, which will be served at the palace’s ‘Big Lunch’ event on May 7, also to be served at several community events and street parties across coronation weekend.</p> <p>The coronation quiche recipe consists of spinach, broad beans, cheese and tarragon, although Buckingham Palace’s chef Mark Flanagan says those who want to bake their own can easily make adjustments to suit their preferences.</p> <p>Charles, Camilla and Flanagan chose the dish because it’s a convenient “sharing” dish that can be served either hot or cold.</p> <p>The coronation quiche has left a bad taste in many individuals’ mouths, going viral online and becoming quite the laughingstock for a few reasons.</p> <p>The most profound stems from the well-known egg shortage in the UK, with production at its lowest in over a decade, according to The Guardian.</p> <p>In 2022, almost a billion fewer eggs were packed compared to 2019 due to producers hit by price hikes and a disastrous outbreak of bird flu.</p> <p>Shoppers calling for supermarkets to stock up on the ingredients for the coronation quiche have posted online to point out the obvious issue.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">And what are we supposed to make this Coronation Quiche with? <a href="https://t.co/nEmwQGmV0e">pic.twitter.com/nEmwQGmV0e</a></p> <p>— Tavern Hoyden (@TavernHoyden) <a href="https://twitter.com/TavernHoyden/status/1648034778032009219?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">The UK:</p> <p>- There's a shortage of eggs in the supermarkets.</p> <p>Royal Family:</p> <p>- The "Coronation Quiche". <br /><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CoronationBigLunch?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CoronationBigLunch</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/coronationquiche?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#coronationquiche</a> <a href="https://t.co/xjEtjiUCuS">pic.twitter.com/xjEtjiUCuS</a></p> <p>— Pauline (@tlnlndn) <a href="https://twitter.com/tlnlndn/status/1648016686937776128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>Aside from supply shortages, many people decided the egg pie wasn’t very fitting.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">whats the matter babe? you've hardly touched your coronation quiche <a href="https://t.co/3FZZwzMEZz">pic.twitter.com/3FZZwzMEZz</a></p> <p>— Jake Johnstone (@hijakejohnstone) <a href="https://twitter.com/hijakejohnstone/status/1648083477693120512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Quiche?? For a coronation?? <a href="https://t.co/rsmwcicgZQ">https://t.co/rsmwcicgZQ</a> <a href="https://t.co/V8aKgf1ZKL">pic.twitter.com/V8aKgf1ZKL</a></p> <p>— local swamp gay 🦝🦨🦉 (@localswampgay) <a href="https://twitter.com/localswampgay/status/1648094906957660161?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">This is the lamest thing I’ve ever heard. Imagine having 70+ years to think about it and choosing QUICHE. I despair. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Coronation?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Coronation</a> <a href="https://t.co/jEeXmxP1Ss">https://t.co/jEeXmxP1Ss</a></p> <p>— Julie Lovell (@ficklishjlo) <a href="https://twitter.com/ficklishjlo/status/1648094645669224452?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>Elizabeth’s coronation saw famed culinary school Le Cordon Bleu London’s creation of the ‘Coronation Chicken’, which consisted of cooked chicken meat in a creamy curry sauce with dried apricots. It was served with a simple salad.</p> <p>When it was first produced the dish came as a surprise due to many of the ingredients not being pantry staples and the country was still under post-war ration restrictions.</p> <p>The chicken dish has evolved over the years, with it now commonly served on a brioche bun and garnished with various trimmings from crisp coconut chips to mangetout and sultanas.</p> <p>Quiche the ‘Coronation Chicken’ goodbye and stay occu-pied with the recipe below.</p> <p>Pastry:</p> <ul> <li>125g plain flour</li> <li>Pinch of salt</li> <li>25g cold butter, diced</li> <li>25g lard</li> <li>2 tablespoons milk</li> <li>Or 1 x 250g block of ready-made shortcrust pastry</li> </ul> <p>Filling:</p> <ul> <li>125ml milk</li> <li>175ml double cream</li> <li>2 medium eggs</li> <li>1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon</li> <li>Salt and pepper</li> <li>100g grated cheddar cheese</li> <li>180g cooked spinach, lightly chopped</li> <li>60g cooked broad beans or soya beans</li> </ul> <p>Method:</p> <p>1. To make the pastry: sieve the flour and salt into a bowl; add the fats and rub the mixture together using your finger tips until you get a sandy, breadcrumb-like texture. Add the milk a little at a time and bring the ingredients together into a dough. Cover and allow to rest in the fridge for 30-45 minutes.</p> <p>2. Lightly flour the work surface and roll out the pastry to a circle a little larger than the top of the tin and approximately 5mm thick.</p> <p>3. Line the tin with the pastry, taking care not to have any holes or the mixture could leak. Cover and rest for a further 30 minutes in the fridge.</p> <p>4. Preheat the oven to 190C.</p> <p>5. Line the pastry case with greaseproof paper, add baking beans and bake blind for 15 minutes, before removing the greaseproof paper and baking beans.</p> <p>6. Reduce the oven temperature to 160C.</p> <p>7. Beat together the milk, cream, eggs, herbs and seasoning.</p> <p>8. Scatter half of the grated cheese in the blind-baked base, top with the chopped spinach and beans and herbs, then pour over the liquid mixture.</p> <p>9. If required gently give the mixture a delicate stir to ensure the filling is evenly dispersed but be careful not to damage the pastry case.</p> <p>10. Sprinkle over the remaining cheese. Place into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until set and lightly golden.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty/Twitter</em></p>

Food & Wine

Placeholder Content Image

No cake for Karen: Karl mocks Hemsworth birthday detractors

<p><em>Today </em>co-hosts Karl Stefanovic and Sarah Abo have said their piece (of cake) amid the internet controversy that has erupted over a birthday celebration in the Hemsworth-Pataky household. </p> <p>In a photo shared to Instagram to wish their “two little men” - 9-year-old twins Tristan and Sasha - a happy birthday, the family can be seen gathered around a table. On said table is a cake, with one of the kids bent over it, face pressed against it, and the others watching on - some in a show of surprise, all smiling. </p> <p>The image - which appears to be a screenshot from a video - was paired with Chris’ caption stating that there is “Only one way to eat cake in this house and that’s to have mum slam your head into it face first!!”</p> <p>Despite the fact that this was only a brief glimpse into the family’s festivities that day, Chris’ followers wasted no time in slamming them for their birthday prank, with some even going as far as to accuse them of wasting an entire cake without any proof that that was the case. </p> <p>“Why people smash their kids’ face[s] in the cake is above my understanding but whatever,” said one critic. </p> <p>“Agreed,” wrote another. “I think it’s ridiculous.” </p> <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/Cp_TjmPP_LW/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;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/Cp_TjmPP_LW/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Chris Hemsworth (@chrishemsworth)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>And when entertainment reporter Brooke Boney asked Karl and Sarah for their take on the situation, the two let loose. </p> <p>“Chris Hemsworth has been called out by his fans, with some saying his latest Instagram post is violent, and shows him putting his son in an unsafe situation,” Brooke explained. </p> <p>“I'm all for holding people accountable,” she added, “but saying that this is a violent image is a bit too much.</p> <p>“It's a bit of a stretch - they look like they’re a family having fun.”</p> <p>Karl hopped straight to responding, imitating a much older - and sarcastic - version of himself when he quipped, “I think it sends a bad message.” </p> <p>“He’s such a terrible father,” Sarah deadpanned. </p> <p>“People need to wake up to themselves,” Brooke agreed, hands up in amused exasperation. “It’s such a joke!” </p> <p>“It’s face in a cake,” Karl powered on through his own laughter, “now we’re not going to be able to pin the tail on the donkey.” </p> <p>“Unacceptable,” a straight-faced Sarah mused, “unacceptable.” </p> <p>When Karl asked Sarah if she played pin the tail on the donkey, she finally broke, laughing as he told her “you can’t do it anymore.” </p> <p><em>Images: Today / Nine, Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

Placeholder Content Image

“Very questionable”: Kmart mocked after customer's "ridiculous" delivery

<p>A woman has taken to Facebook to mock Kmart over her recent delivery.</p> <p>The shopper shared on Facebook she had ordered a 20mm combination padlock from Kmart and was caught by surprise when it was delivered to her home on February 13. </p> <p>The woman had received a large cardboard box, and when she opened it, it was filled to the brim with plastic wrap to protect the item. However, once she dug out the plastic, she saw a small padlock at the bottom of the unnecessarily large box.</p> <p>“My delivery arrived today,” the woman said on Facebook.</p> <p>Other Kmart fans were shocked by the large box for such a small item, with many users deeming it “ridiculous.”</p> <p>“Omg! Seriously,” a user commented.</p> <p>"Ridiculous honestly yet a pair of jeans get scrunched up into a bag for delivery," another added.</p> <p>"It's absolutely rubbish that they waste like that," a third chimed in.</p> <p>Another comment read, ”How ironic ... how easy is it to break this lock that it needs to be so protected when shipped? Would you need it if it is so fragile? Very questionable Kmart ... What a waste,”</p> <p>Many other users joined in on the teasing, claiming they also received small items delivered in unnecessarily large boxes. </p> <p>"This happened to us recently with a car air freshener," one shopper said.</p> <p>"Yeah they keep sending me one item in a stupidly big box. I’d be much more appreciative of multiple items jammed into a big box to stop wastage or happy to wait for all items to be ready together," another claimed.</p> <p>"I thought my three bowls packed like this was bad!" another commented.</p> <p>Back in May 2021, another Kmart shopper complained that she received a small book in a “huge box.”</p> <p>Although some said it was “terrible”, other users claimed the size of the box shouldn’t matter because it’s recyclable. </p> <p>A Kmart spokesperson told Yahoo Lifestyle that the complaints have been forwarded to Kmart’s online team, and they will reassess how they manage and replenish packaging materials. </p> <p>"Regrettably, in this instance, it appears the team member who has packed this order did not have available or use the most appropriately sized packaging components," the spokesperson said.</p> <p>"While our team are trained and aim to minimise packaging use and waste, it is likely that they did not have access to appropriately sized packaging options so used what was available in an effort to pack and dispatch this order as quickly as possible."</p> <p>Image credit: Facebook</p>

Food & Wine

Placeholder Content Image

16-year-old climate activist mocked on radio

<p>A 16-year-old climate activist has been mocked on a New Zealand radio show, prompting a furious response from the teenager's mother. </p> <p>School Strike 4 Climate member Izzy Cook was speaking to NewstalkZB host Heather du Plessis-Allan about a recent trip she took to Fiji, just moments after telling the interviewer she shouldn't fly to the tropical location. </p> <p>When the comments were made, raucous laughter erupted from the host. </p> <p>“So we would have to apply to have like, approved events to be able to fly for?” du Plessis-Allan asked when discussing the climate impacts of air travel. </p> <p>“Well that’s one thing that you could look at doing,” Cook said.</p> <p>“Am I allowed to go to Fiji? Is that necessary?” du Plessis-Allan asked.</p> <p>Cook replied, “In the current climate crisis, I don’t think that that’s necessary.”</p> <p>The host then asked when was the last time Cook was on a plane.</p> <p>“Mm, I’m not sure – maybe a few months ago to be honest,” she said.</p> <p>“Where’d you go?” the host asked.</p> <p>“Fiji,” Cook conceded.</p> <p>The host then erupted in laughter, asking “Izzy! Izzy! Don’t you care about the climate, Izzy?” </p> <p>The teenager conceded it was “pretty ironic but to be honest it’s not really a trip that I wanted to go on but I can’t really get out of it because my parents wanted to go”.</p> <p>“Are you embarrassed that your parents did that to the planet and then forced you to do it as well?” du Plessis-Allan asked.</p> <p>“Of course I’m not embarrassed,” she said.</p> <p>“Did you have a terrible time?” the host asked.</p> <p>“Not really,” the teen said, sparking more laughter.</p> <p>du Plessis-Allan ended the interview telling Cook she was “such a champion” who had a “brilliant future ahead of you”, mockingly asking, “Are you doing another strike soon?”</p> <p>“Yeah well we’ll look to,” Cook said.</p> <p>“Good, we’ll talk to you again,” the host laughed. “We might get you back on the show.”</p> <p>After the clip of the interview went viral online, Izzy's mother penned a furious opinion piece saying the host should be “ashamed” for “bullying” her daughter.</p> <p>“On Friday evening, I listened in horror as my 16-year-old daughter had a phone conversation with someone who appeared to be bullying her, laughing at her, and talking over her,” Rose Cook <a href="https://thespinoff.co.nz/media/25-09-2022/heather-du-plessis-allan-should-be-ashamed-of-how-she-bullied-my-daughter" target="_self">wrote in </a><a href="https://thespinoff.co.nz/media/25-09-2022/heather-du-plessis-allan-should-be-ashamed-of-how-she-bullied-my-daughter" target="_self">The Spinoff</a>.</p> <p>“As soon as she got off the call I demanded to know who the hell was speaking to my child in this way.”</p> <p>Rose went on to defend her daughter's low carbon lifestyle, and said commentators like Heather du Plessis-Allan are more interested in the "gotcha moments" than listening to young people about the state of the environment. </p> <p><em>Image credits: 1News</em></p>

Travel Trouble

Placeholder Content Image

Lidia Thorpe causes a stir after mocking the Queen

<p>Outspoken Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe has been forced to take a second oath of allegiance in the Senate.</p> <p>This comes after causing quite the stir by openly describing the Queen as a “coloniser”.</p> <p>The controversial Victorian Greens Senator has previously said that the Australian parliament had no permission to be here and that her role as an Indigenous woman was to “infiltrate” the senate.</p> <p>She was asked to recite the oath of allegiance, then marched towards the despatch box with her fist in the air before stating: “I, sovereign Lidia Thorpe, do solemnly and sincerely swear that I will be faithful, and I bear true allegiance to the colonising Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.”</p> <p>MPs present then interjected, warning that she would not be officially considered a senator if she failed to recite the pre-written oath properly.</p> <p>“Senator Thorpe, Senator Thorpe, you are required to recite the oath as printed on the card,’’ Senate President Sue Lines said.</p> <p>Senator Thorpe then took the oath again, mispronouncing "heirs and successors" as the Queen’s “hairs” and successors.</p> <p>Later, taking to Twitter, she declared: “Sovereignty never ceded.”</p> <p>This isn’t the first time the Greens Senator has raised public concerns about colonisation.</p> <p>In June when speaking to the ABC, she argued that the Australian flag represents “dispossession, massacre and genocide” and accused the media of pitting her against Liberal Senator Jacinta Price.</p> <p>“The colonial project came here and murdered our people. I’m sorry we’re not happy about that,” she said.</p> <p>“If people are going to get a little bit upset along the way, well that’s just part of the truth telling. The truth hurts.”</p> <p><em>Image: Twitter</em></p>

News

Placeholder Content Image

Waleed Aly mocked live on air

<p dir="ltr">Waleed Aly has been mocked on live television for supporting the prime minister’s suggestion to allow first home buyers to take money out of their super to enter the property market.</p> <p dir="ltr">Scott Morrison announced that first home buyers will be allowed to take up to $50,000 out of their super to be able to buy a house.</p> <p dir="ltr">Labor labelled the scheme as an election stunt but <em>The Project</em> co-host Waleed Aly stood short of criticising.</p> <p dir="ltr">Speaking to guest economics journalist Shane Wright, Waleed said it was surprising that it was claimed the housing market did better than the share market. </p> <p dir="ltr">Waleed pointed out a massive 16 per cent increase in the past year for the housing market and said the prime minister's initiative made sense. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Ten years ago I’d much rather have had my money in housing than on the stock market,” Waleed said.</p> <p dir="ltr">To which Wright immediately snapped back: “That's why you are a TV personality and not in the property market.</p> <p dir="ltr">“That is why you are not a real estate economist,” fellow co-host Steve Price piped in.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Very good point. That is why I am asking the question,” a laughing Waleed replied. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Scott Morrison announced the Coalition's plan to allow first home buyers access to part of their super to buy a house. Economics journalist <a href="https://twitter.com/swrighteconomy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@swrighteconomy</a> explains what this will mean for house prices and your retirement.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheProjectTV?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheProjectTV</a> <a href="https://t.co/kL4zjciknu">pic.twitter.com/kL4zjciknu</a></p> <p>— The Project (@theprojecttv) <a href="https://twitter.com/theprojecttv/status/1526120191985389569?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Waleed had tried to explain his reasoning to Wright and to the panel saying that the housing market would be a lot more reliable than shares.</p> <p dir="ltr">“One thing that is interesting about this policy is that if you were to take your money out to spend on a house and you sell that house, you have to put the money back with the relevant proportion of capital gains,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“So once you think about it that way, couldn’t you look at this as just another investment, instead of putting money aside for superannuation that gets invested in the share market, it’s being invested in the property market.</p> <p dir="ltr">“And so it’s the same as shares except it has the benefit that you could live on your investment but you are not throwing your money away, you’re not losing the investment.</p> <p dir="ltr">“If you’re in a superannuation with a growth fund, you have made 9.5 per cent over the last 10 years. You have outperformed the property market by about $200,000,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“People think that house prices never go down. We are actually experiencing that right now.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: The Project</em></p>

News

Placeholder Content Image

Prince Charles mocked over "cost of living" promise

<p>Prince Charles has been relentlessly mocked online for a comment made in a speech at British parliament.</p> <p>The speech was originally meant to be delivered by his mother Queen Elizabeth, who was forced to pull out of yet another key public engagement due to health reasons. </p> <p>As snippets of the speech circulated online, the future king was mocked as he promised the government would aim to "ease the cost of living for families" - all while he sat on a golden, jewel-encrusted throne inside the ornate House of Lords.</p> <p>Many online couldn’t resist a few digs at the Prince over the stark contrast between his speech and his setting. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">i simply would have made this announcement from any other room, wearing any other outfit <a href="https://t.co/2u1XNn6Vj5">https://t.co/2u1XNn6Vj5</a></p> <p>— rax ‘leads with her crotch’ king (@RaxKingIsDead) <a href="https://twitter.com/RaxKingIsDead/status/1524100216688885761?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 10, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Note to self. Do not give “cost of living” update while sitting on solid gold throne. <a href="https://t.co/rvhGu89xNO">https://t.co/rvhGu89xNO</a></p> <p>— Paddy Andrews (@PaddyAMetis) <a href="https://twitter.com/PaddyAMetis/status/1524037178006937602?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 10, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Gotta love the irony of Prince Charles feigning concern about the cost of living, while decked out in more gold than Flavor Flav at the Pimp of the Year awards <a href="https://t.co/VirBplUoDz">pic.twitter.com/VirBplUoDz</a></p> <p>— We're Werewolves Not Swearwolves (@punka1977) <a href="https://twitter.com/punka1977/status/1524006462611144705?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 10, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">As he sits on his gold throne next to a hat made of precious jewels, English Prince Charles adorned with bogus medals talks about how his government will solve the cost of living crisis. </p> <p>Meanwhile, thousands of his subjects are forced to use food banks.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AbolishTheMonarchy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AbolishTheMonarchy</a> <a href="https://t.co/PZJQiKZyl5">pic.twitter.com/PZJQiKZyl5</a></p> <p>— Graham Sanders 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 🇺🇦 (@gramatter) <a href="https://twitter.com/gramatter/status/1524134103674765313?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 10, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p>“Her Majesty’s Government’s priority is to grow and strengthen the economy and help ease the cost of living for families,” Charles said in the speech.</p> <p>“Her Majesty’s Government will level up opportunity in all parts of the country and support more people into work.”</p> <p>The Queen’s speech to parliament is traditionally penned by the government and is used to outline the Prime Minister’s plans for the country, meaning Charles would have had no actual input in the content of the speech.</p> <p>The Prime Minister’s office was later forced to defend the speech amid criticism that it did not outline any specific measures to alleviate the cost of living crisis in Britain. </p> <p>“The public understand that we’ve already acted to address some of the immediate challenges facing the public.</p> <p>“The Prime Minister and the Chancellor are very upfront that no government could address all of these global pressures that we’re seeing,” the Prime Minister’s official spokesman told <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/18518084/queens-speech-live-watch-video-health-prince-charles-king/">The Sun</a>.</p> <p>“The Queen’s speech, the bills we’re bringing forward, focus on boosting economic growth across the country to create the conditions for more people to have high-wage, high-skilled jobs, so dealing with the medium to long-term issues, that’s what is a sustainable solution to ease the burden of families and businesses.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Money & Banking

Placeholder Content Image

China ridicules Australia with more mocking cartoons

<p>China has once again taken a swipe at Australia, as China's Global Times posted a cartoon mocking Australia's allegiance to the US and UK. </p> <p>The cartoon was posted to China's state-affiliated media channels, blasting Australia's "arrogance and immaturity" as Scott Morrison withdraws support of the Beijing Winter Olympics. </p> <p>Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison discussed the tension of the relationship between Australia and China and how the union is a cause for concern, as are the ongoing human rights abuses against the Uyghur community in China's Xinjiang region. </p> <p>“The human rights abuses in Xinjiang and many other issues that Australia has consistently raised, we have been very pleased and very happy to talk to the Chinese Government about these issues and there’s been no obstacle to that occurring on our side,” he said.</p> <p>“But the Chinese Government has consistently not accepted those opportunities for us to meet about these issues.</p> <p>“So it is not surprising, therefore, that Australian Government officials would, therefore, not be going to China for those Games. Australian athletes will, though.”</p> <p>Australia has joined Canada, the United States and Britain in boycotting the games in the name of human rights. </p> <p>Following Scott Morrison's announcement, the Global Times posted the mocking cartoons. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GTCartoon?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GTCartoon</a>: No.1 lackey <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/US?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#US</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Australia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Australia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ScottMorrisonMP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ScottMorrisonMP</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Beijing2022?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Beijing2022</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/LiuRui60688?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LiuRui60688</a> <a href="https://t.co/oObXYXIwYB">pic.twitter.com/oObXYXIwYB</a></p> — Global Times (@globaltimesnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/globaltimesnews/status/1468578044168511488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2021</a></blockquote> <p>A piece written for the communist party media also hit out at the decision, claiming Australia's decision was "nothing but a joke".</p> <p>“Australia’s move is not surprising. As a Western country located in the southern hemisphere, the sense of insecurity grasps Australia so much that it needs a ‘big brother’ to follow,” the piece said.</p> <p>“However, without even getting an invitation, the so-called boycott is nothing but a joke, Lü Xiang, director for research of the Chinese Institute of Hong Kong, told the Global Times.</p> <p>“The Morrison government’s boycott decision exposed their arrogance and immaturity in dealing with geopolitics as the move brings no good to Australia or bilateral relations, Chen Hong, a professor and director of the Australian Studies Centre, East China Normal University, told the Global Times.”</p> <p>Beijing issued a warning to the US, saying they would "pay the price" for its boycott, while accusing Parliament House of <span>“political posturing and selfish games” and “blindly following” Washington.</span></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

News

Placeholder Content Image

Donald Trump Jr selling T-shirts mocking Alec Baldwin shooting

<p><em>Image: Getty</em></p> <p>Donald Trump Jr is using Alec Baldwin’s recent tragedy to mock the actor who skewered his father on<span> </span><em>Saturday Night Live</em>.</p> <p>Selling for $US27.99 is a T-shirt that reads “Guns Don’t Kill People, Alec Baldwin Kills People” on a merchandise site linked to the former US President’s son.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845083/new-project-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/0d810f5a26ac459a9c7d1b2e645fc2b4" /></p> <p><em>Image: Shopdonjr</em></p> <p>This was of course in reference to last week’s incident during which cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was hit by discharge from a prop gun while working on the set of Baldwin’s new film<span> </span><em>Rust</em>.</p> <p>Baldwin, the film’s star, was handling the weapon from which the fatal shot was fired. The movie’s director was injured too.</p> <p>Trump Jr’s merchandise platform also sells shirts that read “My God, My Family, My Guns &amp; My Freedom.”</p> <p>The 43-year-old is a vocal gun advocate who frequently poses with firearms and posts photos of animals he’s killed. Last year, he hosted an Alaskan hunting trip to raise money for Safari Club International.</p> <p>Other right-wing pundits also teed up on the Baldwin hunt after Hutchin’s death. Commentator Candace Owens accused Baldwin of the “murder” of “innocent people”, which she later corrected.</p> <p>Republican lawmaker Lauren Boebert and Republican Senate Candidate JD Vance took to Twitter to mock Baldwin, with the latter asking that the former president be reinstated on Twitter so he could address his former tormentor.</p> <p>These comments drew fire from his Democratic rival in Ohio, Tim Ryan, who tweeted “Someone died, you a-hole.”</p> <p>Even Fox News host Janice Dean urged Vance to take down his tweet.</p> <p>Baldwin's impression of former president Donald Trump on SNL angered Trump, who questioned the long-running program's legality in a 2018 Twitter rant about "unfair news coverage".</p> <p>Trump and Baldwin feuded on Twitter in March of that year with the 45th president claiming the actor's "dying mediocre career" was revived by his impersonation of the commander in chief. Trump was banned from the platform following the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol.</p> <p>Baldwin tweeted his feelings of "shock and sadness" following Thursday’s shooting and said he was cooperating with investigators. He had reportedly been told the firearms was "cold".</p> <p>According to a new affidavit, Baldwin was training his pistol on a camera when the shot was fired from his gun. Joel Souza, the<em><span> </span>Rust</em><span> </span>director, reportedly claimed Baldwin was rehearsing a "cross draw" at the time of the killing. The filmmaker said he was looking over Hutchins' shoulder and heard "a whip and then loud pop" before the two of them were struck.</p> <p>Hilaria Baldwin, the 63-year-old actor's wife, tweeted her sympathies for Hutchins, her family and her own husband as well.</p> <p>"My heart is with Halyna," she wrote Monday on Instagram.</p>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

David Koch mocked for Home and Away appearance

<p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p> <p>He may have had his own soap opera debut on Home and Away this week, but TV weatherman Sam Mac isn’t the first<span> </span><em>Sunrise</em><span> </span>star to showcase his acting skills on the long-running program.</p> <p>During Wednesday’s Sunrise broadcast, Sam reminded viewers that host David ‘Kochie’ Koch actually enjoyed a two-line cameo on the show back in 2007.</p> <p>He proceeded to play Kochie’s rather underwhelming performance, which showed him mingling by the bar at the Summer Bay surf club.</p> <p>Kochie is seen holding a stubby and saying ‘yeah sure.’</p> <p>Sam couldn’t help but mock Kochie over his blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment, saying “that’s it! That is literally it. All of two words!”</p> <p>Kochie, 65 went on to reveal some insider knowledge about what its like to be an extra on-set, explaining that producers told him to mouth the word ‘watermelon’ over and over again ‘because you’re not allowed to make a noise when you’re talking’.</p> <p>Sam, who appeared on Wednesday night’s episode as a ‘VIP guest’ at a Summer Bay soiree, pointed out that he, unlike Kochie, wasn't in a background scene.</p> <p>‘I was actually acting!’ he teased.</p> <p>Home and Away fans saw a Summer Bay charity gala turn into a disaster on Wednesday night’s episode, after a mysterious stranger launched a gas attack through the air vents.</p> <p>Sam was briefly pictured in a promotional trailer for the episode, showing him arriving at the swanky event in a suit and tie, as onlookers referred to him as ‘the VIP’.</p>

TV

Placeholder Content Image

“Please. God. No”: Basil Zempilas mocked for AFL grand final suggestion

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Basil Zempilas, Lord Mayor of Perth, probably didn’t anticipate quite this level of backlash when he shared an idea on Twitter on Friday morning, posting, “TOMORROW @OptusStadium - 20.21 in the first quarter #AFLGF - we’re asking everyone in the stadium to stand for one minute and applaud - a nod to our friends around the country who are doing it tough &amp; to let them know we’re with them in this difficult time. Let’s do it WA”.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">TOMORROW <a href="https://twitter.com/OptusStadium?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OptusStadium</a> - 20.21 in the first quarter <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AFLGF?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AFLGF</a> <br />- we’re asking everyone in the stadium to stand for one minute and applaud - a nod to our friends around the country who are doing it tough &amp; to let them know we’re with them in this difficult time. Let’s do it WA 👏💪🏆</p> — Basil Zempilas (@BasilZempilas) <a href="https://twitter.com/BasilZempilas/status/1441170568972095495?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 23, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The match, set to take place in Perth on Saturday night between Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs, comes at a time when WA’s borders are closed to the majority of Australians, and will most likely remain closed for the foreseeable future. As many responses to Zempilas’ tweet pointed out, this hardly engenders feelings of solidarity.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">No offence but this is a horse shit idea. I couldn't go to Perth last year for my grandmother's funeral. My brother and nieces haven't met my almost 2 year old son. WAs borders are constantly closed off to the rest. Don't give us the "we are all in this together" crap.</p> — Adam Hoskins (@hosko) <a href="https://twitter.com/hosko/status/1441199359262003204?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">An overwhelming number of responses focused on the families kept apart by Premier Mark McGowan’s tough approach to fighting the spread of COVID-19, and also pointed out that WA’s low vaccination rate was only prolonging these separations (</span><a href="https://twitter.com/CaseyBriggs/status/1441274845996535809/photo/1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">WA currently has the lowest vaccination rate in the country</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">).</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Instead of clapping I would love WA to hurry up and get vaccinated so Mark can open the border and my kids can see their grandparents again <a href="https://t.co/nYYxL2f0ZR">https://t.co/nYYxL2f0ZR</a></p> — Chryssie Swarbrick (@chryssieswarbs) <a href="https://twitter.com/chryssieswarbs/status/1441230427847462913?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Other footy fans said they’d rather everyone just got on with the game, frankly:</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">It’s a nice thought Baz but I reckon most of us footy fans on the east coast would rather the crowd just focus on and enjoy the game</p> — Michael Sleap (@michaelsleap) <a href="https://twitter.com/michaelsleap/status/1441191160936951808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One Twitter user pointed out that amidst interstate sniping over lockdowns and vaccination distribution, it’s almost heartwarming to see the country come together to make fun of Zempilas’ terrible suggestion:</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Australia's a very fractured country right now. But it's been nice to see everyone united against this terrible idea. <a href="https://t.co/sgFTMm6luk">https://t.co/sgFTMm6luk</a></p> — Vince Rugari (@VinceRugari) <a href="https://twitter.com/VinceRugari/status/1441227932937064455?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">ABC Melbourne sport reporter Catherine Murphy even got the hashtag #NOBASILNO going, encouraging users who share her belief that Victorians have been subjected to enough to post using the hashtag in order for her to get an idea of just how many people found the suggestion patronising and meaningless.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Please. God. NO. <a href="https://twitter.com/AFL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AFL</a> <br /><br />Can we just STOP the week?!!!<br />😩😩😩😩😩<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NoBasilNo?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NoBasilNo</a> <a href="https://t.co/iwlyqTPQQz">https://t.co/iwlyqTPQQz</a></p> — Catherine Murphy (@CathMurphySport) <a href="https://twitter.com/CathMurphySport/status/1441225144035250179?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Pre-match festivities kick off at 6.15pm on Saturday and include performances from John Butler, Eskimo Joe, Abbe May, Stella Donnelly, Men at Work’s Colin Hay, and Baker Boy. Birds of Tokyo will perform during half-time alongside the West Australian Symphony Orchestra.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images</span></em></p>

News

Placeholder Content Image

Karl and Piers mock Harry and Meghan’s unique baby name

<p>Karl Stefanovic has poked fun at the name of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s newborn baby girl, Lilibet ‘Lili’ Diana Mountbatten-Windsor.</p> <p>While in conversation with Piers Morgan on<span> </span><em>Today</em>, Karl admitted he wasn’t a fan of the tiny tot’s name, asking the controversial British host: “What did you make of the name Lilibet? Does it sound like a sports betting app?”</p> <p>Australia’s betting apps including Unibet, Sportsbet and Pointsbet has been compared to Lilibet’s name.</p> <p>It was revealed however that Meghan and Harry’s name choice was deeply personal to them and the Queen.</p> <p>Growing up as a child, young Elizabeth had trouble pronouncing her name so often opted for Lilibet.</p> <p>The pronunciation of the name stuck after her grandfather King George V began calling her Lilibet.</p> <p>Prince Philip, who recently passed, is also known to have referred to his beloved wife and Queen as Lilibet, telling his mother-in-law after their wedding, “Lilibet is the only 'thing' in the world which is absolutely real to me.”</p> <p>Piers blasted Harry and Meghan for using the Queen's nickname, saying “I think it's quite ironic, isn't it?”</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7841693/harry-meghan-piers-karl.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/717a895ada6b488b8f6eb3a1f2dab16a" /></p> <p>“You have this couple who have been trashing the royal family and the monarchy for the last few weeks and they have named the baby after the Queen.”</p> <p>Piers went on to add: “Maybe it's their way of reaching out, as the Americans say, to the royals and wanting some kind of end to this on-running feud.”</p> <p>“I always think when a new baby is born, I've had four myself it's churlish to put any negative slant.</p> <p>“At such a moment. I wish them all the very best. There is four in the family now. I wish them every success and a long and happy life.”</p> <p><em>Image: Screenshots via Channel Nine</em></p>

TV

Placeholder Content Image

Peter FitzSimons hits back at Stan Grant for mocking wife

<p><span>Peter Fitzsimons has hit back after ABC political journalist and former friend Stan Grant mocked the writer and his wife Lisa Wilkinson.</span><br /><br /><span>Grant took aim at the couple’s annual harbourside party, which usually occurs on the highly controversial January 26.</span><br /><br /><span>“What a woke leftie love-in that was: actors, writers, couple of ex-Wallabies (well it was the North Shore), a few washed up politicians,” Grant wrote in a chapter for <em>The Australian's</em> serialised murder mystery <em>Oh Matilda: Who Bloody Killed Her?</em></span><br /><br /><span>“Even a couple of liberals (small l of course) and a former managing director of the ABC for good measure.</span><br /><br /><span>“Everyone there voted yes for same-sex marriage - the year ­before last, they'd all tearily ­applauded their first gay married couple guests - they hated the Catholic Church and had cried when Kevin Rudd said sorry.”</span><br /><br /><span>FitzSimons responded in a fiery rebuttal for the <em>Sydney Morning Herald</em> on Sunday, calling Grant's comments “rather odd”.</span><br /><br /><span>“Stan has been a semi-regular attendee [of the couple's parties], only to write a mocking piece about it in The Australian a fortnight ago,” he wrote.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7839898/stan-grant-lisa-wilkinson-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/b22a6b80fe854991930f3ec6ea8792c5" /></p> <p><em>Image: Instagram @LisaWilkinson</em><br /><br /><span>FitzSimons responded to a comment where Grant mentioned that the hosts “adored Indigenous culture”.</span><br /><br /><span>“There were dot paintings on the wall, a photo with their arms around Cathy Freeman at Sydney Olympic Stadium, and a framed copy of Paul Keating's Redfern Statement signed by the last great Australian prime minister himself.”</span><br /><br /><span>FitzSimons hit back though and fiercely denied owning any Indigenous artwork.</span><br /><br /><span>“For the record, and contrary to what Stan wrote, I don't have a framed Redfern speech on my wall, nor a photo of me hugging Cathy Freeman, nor Indigenous paintings,” he wrote.</span><br /><br /><span>“We don't even have the party on Australia Day any more, having moved it to an Independence Day gathering the day before, for obvious reasons.”</span><br /><br /><span>FitzSimons also said his friendships have “never been confined by political allegiances” in response to Stan's “lefty love-in” remark.</span><br /><br /><span>He ended his piece by writing that anyone who wondered why they weren’t invited in recent years to the annual party should “fear not” as a “couple of vacancies have just opened up” – a curt reference to Grant no longer being invited.</span></p>

Relationships

Our Partners