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Andrew O'Keefe clashes with press after bail hearing

<p>Andrew O'Keefe has clashed with reporters outside a courtroom after he was granted bail following an interaction with police where he claims a crack pipe allegedly found in his pocket belonged to someone else.</p> <p>The disgraced former TV host sat quietly in the dock as his lawyer, Sharon Ramsden, applied for his release on bail at Waverley Local Court on Monday morning.</p> <p>Police allege the former Deal or No Deal host returned a positive drug test while driving after he was stopped shortly before midday on Sunday in Sydney’s affluent Bellevue Hill.</p> <p>Officers also allege that the 52-year-old also threatened a man in Point Piper shortly before he was stopped by police.</p> <p>The court was told Mr O’Keefe allegedly confronted the man at the property “potentially as a matter of jealousy” following a “rekindling” with his former partner.</p> <p>After O'Keefe was released on bail, chaos ensued outside Waverley police station as the TV host tried to make a quick exit. </p> <p>O'Keefe was followed by reporters as he stepped out into traffic and walked briskly away as he tried to avoid the camera crews. </p> <p>Footage captured by Channel 10 shows Mr O’Keefe handing a reporter her phone after it is dropped before telling her, “get out of my face”.</p> <p>Mr O’Keefe was ultimately granted bail despite magistrate Jacqueline Milledge telling the 52-year-old there were “a lot of aspects of the police facts that are of concern”.</p> <p>“There is a real concern you were somewhere you shouldn't have been and that drugs might still be a factor in your life, but I'm prepared to give you an opportunity to continue with your treatment,” she said.</p> <p>Mr O’Keefe will return before court next month as he faces a single charge each of intimidation and breach a court order, with police foreshadowing more charges pending forensic examination.</p> <p><em>Image credits: JOEL CARRETT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Editorial </em></p>

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"Flower grannies" at their grandkids' wedding go viral

<p>Two grandmothers have stolen the show at their grandkids' wedding as they walked down the aisle as flower girls. </p> <p>The heartwarming moment was captured by wedding photographer Joshua Hugget, who was taking photos at the picturesque wedding in South Australia. </p> <p>The video shows the two grandmothers arm-in-arm, dropping flower petals down the aisle in lieu of the standard young flower girls. </p> <p>The bride, Michaela Treloar, shared with the <em><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-03-03/grandmothers-who-were-flower-girls-become-viral-sensation/103519006?sf271999625=1&fbclid=IwAR21H0d9_RfQkyBfP6SuyI1L_3KN8a4CdTXqqmx8tEfN8SyIp3FXY_ryqbg_aem_AZyZ59VDrmi0hZ-kcRd9Yncw5hZywZzo313-pUSnNYZJ-K_2Z4fXcOVlFcvX0Gn-E40">ABC</a></em> how she and her partner both “wanted to include our grandmothers into our wedding somehow”, which resulted in the adorable moment.</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-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3hCIP9PgsG/?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/C3hCIP9PgsG/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Joshua Huggett Media (@joshuahuggettmedia)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“They took it on with pride, smashed it, and now they’ve gone viral,” exclaimed Treloar.</p> <p>“It was really cute … each nonna was helping each other get to the end of the aisle, chatting all the way.”</p> <p>The photographer who captured the moment shared that he believes something about the video is relatable to everyone in some way, and that is the secret to its success.</p> <p>“It hits that heart string straight away … it’s the perfect concoction of people saying they want to do that with their grandma, teamed with people saying they wish they could do that with their grandma now that they’d passed,” Joshua shared.</p> <p>The flower grannies shining moment has been viewed millions of times, with many leaving comments praising the married couple for including their grandmothers in their big day. </p> <p>“I have goosebumps head to toe! The smiles on the grannies’ faces …. Priceless!!!!!!!” One user commented. </p> <p>“Hope this trend catches on, it’s truly beautiful!”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram - Joshua Hugget Media</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Flower tycoon pays $76 million in CASH for epic mansion

<p>A Sydney businessman and flower mogul has expanded his real estate portfolio, snapping up one of NSW's most prestigious properties. </p> <p>Leo Lynch and his wife Christina have bought a Federation mansion in Sydney's Bellevue Hill, with the eight-bedroom eight-bathroom property boasting impressive views of Sydney Harbour. </p> <p>The mansion, which was built in the 1890s, also showcases a pool, tennis court, and endless luxury amenities for the well-off buyers. </p> <p>"Designed by architect Walter Vernon," read the listing for the property, "the home is considered his most significant residence. Other heritage buildings designed by Vernon include the Australian Museum, the Art Gallery of New South Wales and Central Railway Station. A truly rare offering to earn a piece of Australian history."</p> <p>While securing the house seems like a huge feat in itself, the Lynch's decided to take the purchase to the next level, buying the home for $76 million in cold hard cash. </p> <p>Despite paying the whopping eight-figure for the mansion, the home needs work and is set to undergo renovations. </p> <p>The purchase of the property, named Leura, comes just after the Lynch's sold their former home for $52.4million more than he bought it.</p> <p>The same night he made the enormous purchase for the Leura estate, he sold his mystery home, just blocks away, for $61.5 million after rebuilding the property he had bought for just $9.05 million in 2014.</p> <p>Leo Lynch, 60, is a third generation of the wholesale flower family's company, founded in 1915 and for which private equity group Next Capital took a majority interest in 2015, before it was publicly listed in 2021.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Domain</em></p>

Real Estate

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Hello hay fever – why pressing under your nose could stop a sneeze but why you shouldn’t

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/theresa-larkin-952095">Theresa Larkin</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jessica-nealon-1481995">Jessica Nealon</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a></em></p> <p>If you have <a href="https://theconversation.com/sniffles-sneezing-and-cough-how-to-tell-if-its-a-simple-allergy-rather-than-the-virus-139657">hay fever</a>, you’ve probably been sneezing a lot lately.</p> <p>Sneezing is universal but also quite unique to each of us. It is a protective reflex action outside our conscious control, to remove irritants from inside our nose.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/holding-in-a-sneeze">pressure in the airways</a> during a sneeze is more than 30 times greater than heavy breathing during exercise. Estimates of how fast a sneeze travels range from <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0059970">5 metres a second</a> to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19617285/">more than 150 kilometres per hour</a>.</p> <p>You can sometimes stop a sneeze by holding your nose or pressing underneath it. This is related to the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/gate-control-theory">gate control theory of pain</a> and the idea you can change neural responses with external stimulation. But given the velocity of a sneeze, it might not be a good idea to stop it after it has started.</p> <h2>An involuntary reflex</h2> <p>A sneeze is initiated when sensory nerves in our nose are <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1753465809340571?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&amp;rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&amp;rfr_dat=cr_pub%20%200pubmed">stimulated by an irritant</a> such as allergens, viruses, bacteria or even fluid.</p> <p>The sensory nerves then carry this irritant information to the brain.</p> <p>When a threshold amount of irritant signals reach the brain, the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2077498/">sneeze reflex is triggered</a>. A sneeze first involves a deep intake of breath and a <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-do-we-sneeze/">build-up of pressure inside the airways</a>. This is then followed by <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/back-pain/back-pain-when-sneezing#sneezing-as-a-cause">contraction of the diaphragm</a> and rib muscles, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2077498/">reflex closing of the eyes</a> and a strong exhalation.</p> <p>These are the “ah” and the “tchoo” phases of a sneeze.</p> <p>On the exhalation of a sneeze, your tongue is lifted to the roof of your mouth. This <a href="https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/10.1164/rccm.202004-1263PP">closes off the back of the mouth</a> so the air is forced mostly through your nose. The air expelled through the nose flushes out the irritants that caused the sneeze. The “tch” sound of a sneeze is the reflexive touching of the tongue to the roof of your mouth.</p> <h2>The trigeminal nerves</h2> <p>The trigeminal nerves are the <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/21998-cranial-nerves">largest of our 12 pairs of cranial nerves</a> and the largest sensory nerves in the body.</p> <p>The left and right trigeminal nerves carry sensory information from the face to the brain. This includes touch, pain and irritation sensory information from the facial skin and from inside the nose and mouth. Within each trigeminal nerve are thousands of individual nerve branches that each carry a <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1744806920901890">specific type of sensory information</a>.</p> <h2>Sensory nerves communicate in the spinal cord</h2> <figure class="align-right zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/555217/original/file-20231023-25-1lg691.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/555217/original/file-20231023-25-1lg691.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/555217/original/file-20231023-25-1lg691.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=631&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/555217/original/file-20231023-25-1lg691.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=631&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/555217/original/file-20231023-25-1lg691.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=631&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/555217/original/file-20231023-25-1lg691.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=792&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/555217/original/file-20231023-25-1lg691.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=792&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/555217/original/file-20231023-25-1lg691.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=792&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="drawing of face with nerves labelled" /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">Henry Gray’s anatomical illustration of the trigeminal nerve.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/83/Gray778.png">Gray's Anatomy/Wikimedia Commons</a></span></figcaption></figure> <p>Sensory nerves travel to the brain via the spinal cord. The sensory nerves that carry pain and irritant signals are narrow, whereas those that carry touch information are wider and faster.</p> <p>In the spinal cord, these nerves communicate with each other via interneurons before sending their message to the brain. The interneurons are the “gates” of the <a href="https://www.physio-pedia.com/Gate_Control_Theory_of_Pain#:%7E:text=and%20trigger%20%E2%80%A2-,Introduction,be%20let%20through%20or%20restricted.">gate control theory of pain</a>.</p> <p>A nerve carrying a pain signal tells the interneuron to “open the gate” for the pain signal to reach the brain. But the larger nerves that carry touch information can “close the gate” and block the pain messages getting to the brain.</p> <p>This is why rubbing an injured area can reduce the sensation of pain.</p> <p><a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2018.01037/full">One study</a> showed stimulating the trigeminal nerves by moving the jaw reduced tooth pain. We can observe this in action when babies instinctively <a href="https://chaimommas.com/2013/11/05/what-to-expect-with-teething-and-tooth-development-chart/">bite on things or pull their ear</a> when they are teething. These actions can stimulate the trigeminal touch nerves and reduce pain signals via the gate control mechanism.</p> <h2>So does putting your finger under your nose stop a sneeze?</h2> <p>There are <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-stop-sneezing">many suggestions</a> of how to stop a sneeze. These include pulling your ear, putting your tongue to the roof of your mouth or the back of your teeth, touching your nose, or even sticking your finger in your nose.</p> <p>All of these stimulate the trigeminal touch nerves with the goal of telling the interneurons to “close the gate”. This can block the irritant signals from reaching the brain and triggering a sneeze.</p> <h2>But should you stop a sneeze?</h2> <p>What if an irritant in your nose has triggered a sneeze response, but you’re somewhere it might be considered inappropriate to sneeze. Should you stop it?</p> <p>Closing your mouth or nose during a sneeze increases the pressure in the airways <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26914240/">five to 20 times more than a normal sneeze</a>. With no escape, this <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1945892418823147#:%7E:text=The%20high%20Valsalva%20pressure%20generated,to%20all%20people%20who%20sneeze.">pressure has to be transmitted elsewhere</a> and that can damage your eyes, ears or blood vessels. Though the risk is low, brain aneurysm, ruptured throat and collapsed lung have been <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/holding-in-a-sneeze#can-holding-a-sneeze-kill-you">reported</a>.</p> <p>So it’s probably best to try and prevent the sneeze reflex by treating allergies or addressing irritants. Failing that, embrace your personal sneeze style and <a href="https://theconversation.com/handkerchief-or-tissue-which-ones-better-for-our-health-and-the-planet-213065">sneeze into a tissue</a>. <!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><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/215265/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/theresa-larkin-952095">Theresa Larkin</a>, Associate professor of Medical Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jessica-nealon-1481995">Jessica Nealon</a>, Lecturer in Medical Sciences (Neuroscience), <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>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/hello-hay-fever-why-pressing-under-your-nose-could-stop-a-sneeze-but-why-you-shouldnt-215265">original article</a>.</em></p>

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Top End tourism surge after massive search for fake Aussie town

<p>In an absolute boon to Top End tourism, it appears that Google users have been working overtime trying to locate a little slice of Northern Territory paradise known as Agnes Bluff and its nearby neighbour Mia Tukurta National Park. Why, you ask? Because they're convinced it's the next hidden holiday hotspot. But here's the catch: it's completely made up.</p> <p>This newfound obsession with Agnes Bluff and Mia Tukurta National Park is all thanks to Amazon Prime's latest hit series, <em>The Lost Flowers Of Alice Hart</em>. People have been binge-watching the show and drooling over the stunning landscapes, causing Google searches for these places to shoot up like a rocket on a sugar rush. </p> <p>According to <a href="https://www.news.com.au/travel/australian-holidays/northern-territory/google-searches-surge-for-agnes-bluff-an-aussie-town-that-doesnt-exist/news-story/59f00cc1e89074de0e6464c0072ae4b8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a>, Google searches for Agnes Bluff skyrocketed by a whopping 1640 per cent between July and August in Australia, and then another 40 per cent in September, all thanks to the series. And it's not just our fellow Aussies on the hunt for these mystical places – folks from Spain, Canada, the UK, the United States and Italy are also joining the imaginary treasure hunt.</p> <p>Can we blame them for trying to uncover these hidden gems? After all, in the show, Agnes Bluff and Mia Tukurta National Park look so darn spectacular that even the Loch Ness Monster might want to visit. But chin up, dear travellers! While you can't exactly book a one-way ticket to Fantasyland, you can still visit the real-life locations that inspired the series.</p> <p>This show was born from the creative genius of Aussie author Holly Ringland, who drew inspiration from her time living on Anangu land in Australia's Western Desert. In her news.com.au interview, she said, "To know people are Googling these places I fictionalised feels like a shot of joy straight to my heart – I don't know that there could be a greater compliment given to my writing." </p> <p>So, where was the series actually filmed? Well, it turns out they filmed all over Central Australia, including places like the Alice Springs Desert Park, Simpsons Gap, Ooraminna Station, Standley Chasm and Ormiston Gorge – just to name a few.</p> <p>And that crater that had everyone drooling? It's called Tnorala, or Gosses Bluff, and it's a mere 175km from Alice Springs.</p> <p>In fact, search interest in Gosses Bluff crater has hit a 15-year high in Australia, increasing by a whopping 500 per cent in August alone – so, it seems like people are genuinely eager to find their own piece of Alice Hart's world.</p> <p>Now, if you're wondering about the burning question that's on everyone's minds, it's this: "What is the crater in <em>The Lost Flowers for Alice Hart</em>?" And let me tell you, Gosses Bluff, or Tnorala, is the crater-du-jour.</p> <p>But here's the best part – this place is absolutely real; it's not a mirage or a figment of some writer's imagination. You can actually go there, touch it (not the crater itself, though), and breathe in the stunning views. Sure, you can't frolic inside the crater, but there are viewing points that will have you oohing and aahing like a kid in a candy store.</p> <p>And so, while Agnes Bluff and Mia Tukurta National Park might be the stuff of dreams, Gosses Bluff is the real deal. So it could be  ime to pack your bags, grab your camera and get ready for an adventure that's so real, it'll make your Google searches feel like a distant dream. </p> <p><em>Images: Prime Video</em></p>

Domestic Travel

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8 mind-boggling facts about your favourite flowers and plants

<p>We’ve found some fun, quirky and downright mind-boggling facts about our favourite flowers and plants.</p> <p>1. A sunflower is not just one flower. Each head is composed of hundreds of tiny flowers, called florets, held together on a single seed. This is the case for all plants in the sunflower family, including daises.</p> <p>2. Apples, pears, peaches, cherries, raspberries, strawberries and more are actually in the rose family, making them cousins to the long-stemmed flower of love.</p> <p>3. During the 1600s, tulips were so valuable in Holland that their bulbs were worth more than gold. No wonder the Netherlands is known for their tulips!</p> <p>4. Bamboo is the fasted-growing woody plant in the world. The current Guinness World Record title is held by a certain species of the 45 genera of bamboo, which have been found to grow at up to 91 cm per day or at a rate of 0.00003 km/h.</p> <p>5. Strawberries are the only fruit that bears its seeds on the outside. It has on average 200 seeds.</p> <p>6. The oldest known flower was discovered in 2002, in northeast China. The flower, named archaefructus sinensis, bloomed around 125 million years ago and resembles a water lily.</p> <p>7. The titan arum is the world’s largest flower. The circumference of the flower can be over three metres and a single leaf can grow to the size of a small tree. However, it smells horribly like rotten flesh, earning its nickname of corpse flower.</p> <p>8. You can change the colour of your hydrangeas by altering the pH level of the soil. Alkaline soil will create pinker blooms, while a more acidic soil will produce blue blooms.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Instagram</em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="../lifestyle/gardening/2015/05/gardening-and-soil-ph/">What you need to know about your soil’s pH levels</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="../lifestyle/gardening/2015/05/over60-community-gardens-part-4/">Take a look inside the beautiful gardens of the Over60 community</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="../lifestyle/gardening/2015/06/attracting-birds-to-the-garden/">Top tips for attracting birds to the garden</a></strong></em></span></p>

Home & Garden

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A win for the press, a big loss for Ben Roberts-Smith: what does this judgment tell us about defamation law?

<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/david-rolph-118815">David Rolph</a>, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a></em></p> <p>At the heart of the spectacular defamation trial brought by decorated Australian soldier Ben Roberts-Smith were two key questions.</p> <p>Had the Age, the Sydney Morning Herald and the Canberra Times damaged his reputation when they published in 2018 a series of explosive stories accusing him of murder and other crimes while in Afghanistan?</p> <p>And could the newspapers successfully defend their reporting as true?</p> <p>Today, in Sydney, Federal Court Justice Anthony Besanko found the newspapers were indeed able to establish the “substantial truth” of key allegations around killing of unarmed Afghan male prisoners.</p> <p>An <a href="https://twitter.com/Kate_McClymont/status/1664130451869663232">appeal</a> may still be on the cards, but this is a high-profile loss for a very prominent person. The costs will be substantial. The usual rule is that the losing party pays their own costs and those of the winning party.</p> <p>So, even though people say defamation law in Australia has a reputation for favouring plaintiffs, this case shows even plaintiffs do sometimes lose defamation cases in Australia.</p> <p>More broadly, this case shows how hard it is to use defamation law to repair any perceived damage to your reputation. Once a case begins, you never can control what will be said in court.</p> <h2>What was this case about?</h2> <p>The case centred on several defamatory meanings (or, as they’re known in defamation law, “<a href="https://www.fedcourt.gov.au/services/access-to-files-and-transcripts/online-files/ben-roberts-smith">imputations</a>”) that Roberts-Smith said the papers had made against him.</p> <p>Among these were that he’d <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/110-days-41-witnesses-and-15-key-questions-to-answer-what-the-ben-roberts-smith-case-was-about-20230209-p5cjdp.html">killed</a> unarmed Afghan male prisoners and ordered junior soldiers to execute others in Afghanistan between 2006 and 2012.</p> <p>Roberts-Smith denied wrongdoing, but the newspapers had pleaded a defence of truth. That means to win this case, they needed to prove the meanings conveyed by their reporting – even if those meanings were unintended – were true.</p> <p>Besanko, reading a summary judgment today, said the newspapers were able to establish the substantial truth of some of the most serious imputations in the case.</p> <p>For other imputations, Besanko found the newspapers were able to establish “contextual truth”.</p> <p>Substantial truth means what is sounds like – that the allegation published was, in substance, true. Defamation law does not require strict, complete or absolute accuracy. Minor or inconsequential errors of detail are irrelevant. What matters is: has the publisher established what they published was, in substance, true?</p> <p>Contextual truth is a fallback defence. The court has to weigh what has been found to be true against what has been found to be unproven. If the true statements about the plaintiff were worse than the unproven statements, then the plaintiff’s reputation was not overall damaged by the unproven statements, and the publisher has a complete defence.</p> <p>In other words, Besanko found most of the imputations to be true. And, when considered against those which were not proven to be true, the remaining unproven imputations did not damage Roberts-Smith’s reputation.</p> <h2>What does this case tell us about defamation in Australia?</h2> <p>The court heard several explosive claims during the course of this trial, including that evidence on USB sticks had been put into a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/aug/13/court-hears-ben-roberts-smiths-ex-wife-dug-up-usb-sticks-from-family-backyard">lunchbox and buried</a> in a backyard and that Roberts-Smith had allegedly <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/13/woman-who-says-ben-roberts-smith-punched-her-sustained-an-injury-in-a-fall-earlier-on-same-night-defamation-trial-hears">punched a woman</a> in their hotel room.</p> <p>Roberts-Smith said he didn’t bury the USBs or withhold information from a war crimes inquiry and denied that he had punched the woman.</p> <p>But the fact this widely scrutinised case yielded such astonishing testimony, day in and day out, shows how risky it is to use defamation law to restore perceived injury to one’s reputation.</p> <p>Defamation law is seeking to correct people’s views about the plaintiff. But it’s open to doubt that defamation law is actually any good at securing its own stated purpose of changing people’s minds about the plaintiff.</p> <p>The problem is the law is a very blunt instrument. It’s very hard to get people to change their minds about what they think of you.</p> <p>All litigation involves risk and defamation trials are even riskier. You never can control what can come out in court, as this litigation demonstrates so clearly.</p> <p>Roberts-Smith has sued to protect his reputation, but in doing so, a range of adverse things have been said in court. And whatever is said in court is covered by the defence of absolute privilege; you can’t sue for defamation for anything said in court that is reported accurately and fairly.</p> <h2>The 2021 defamation law reforms</h2> <p>The law that applies in the Roberts-Smith case is the defamation law we had before major reforms introduced in July 2021 across most of Australia.</p> <p>These reforms introduced a new defence known as the public interest defence. To use this defence, a publisher has to demonstrate that they reasonably believed the matter covered in their published material is in the public interest.</p> <p>As this defence didn’t exist prior to 2021, the publishers in the Roberts-Smith case used the defence of truth.</p> <p>If a case like this were litigated today following these reforms, it is highly likely the publisher would use the new public interest defence.</p> <p>Given the <a href="https://theconversation.com/lachlan-murdoch-could-well-have-won-his-crikey-lawsuit-so-why-did-he-drop-it-204279">Murdoch versus Crikey</a> case was settled, we may yet wait some time to see what’s required to satisfy the public interest test in a defamation case.</p> <p>But as today’s decision demonstrates, sometimes the truth alone will prevail.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><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/206759/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/david-rolph-118815">David Rolph</a>, Professor of Law, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a></em></p> <p><em>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/a-win-for-the-press-a-big-loss-for-ben-roberts-smith-what-does-this-judgment-tell-us-about-defamation-law-206759">original article</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

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What To Plant For An Impressive Winter Garden

<p>In some areas of Australia and New Zealand, winter is a season of ample rainfall and cool temperatures that can be enjoyed in the company of numerous garden plants.</p> <p>Although many plants slip into dormancy where winters are mild, there are plenty of evergreen trees, shrubs and perennials, as well as hardy annuals, that will keep the garden vibrantly alive with greenery and flowers through the slow season.</p> <p><strong>The right time to landscape?</strong></p> <p>If you are developing a new landscape, winter may not be slow at all. I</p> <p>n many mild-winter climates, autumn is the preferred planting season for perennials and evergreens, both large and small.</p> <p>When planted in the autumn, these plants will benefit from the cool temperatures and winter rains.</p> <p>By the time the hot weather returns the following summer, they are comfortably settled in with strong, deep roots established in the soil.</p> <p>In addition, autumn is the best time for dividing some perennials, such as daylilies, which can become crowded if they have spent several years in the same spot.</p> <p>When divided at the appropriate time, they will be well rooted and ready to bloom when spring arrives.</p> <p><strong>The tyranny of the lawn</strong></p> <p>The main feature of many gardens is a lush, green lawn.</p> <p>In warm climates, warm-season grasses, such as couch, buffalo and kikuyu, are the favoured grasses.</p> <p>During spring, summer and autumn, these lawns are green expanses that demand regular mowing, watering and lots of fertiliser.</p> <p>As the weather cools, warm-season grasses will wind down and may become dormant.</p> <p>In areas that experience winter frosts, warm-season lawns are liable to turn brown and lifeless with the first frost.</p> <p>While some varieties claim to hold their green colour through winter (including ‘Wintergreen’ couch and ‘Sir Walter’ buffalo), most warm-season grasses languish between dull green and straw colour.</p> <p>Some buffalo lawns may develop a crimson tinge, which can be removed by mowing in late autumn or early winter.</p> <p>If the thought of a brown lawn over winter is unappealing, it can be disguised under a blanket of green by oversowing it in autumn with cool-season grass seed such as rye or tall fescue.</p> <p>In climates with cold to mild winters and mild summers, cool-season grasses are the preferred choice for lawns, provided adequate water is available.</p> <p>These lawns demand lots of summer watering, but become lush and green in winter, and provide a pleasant green contrast to the bare branches of deciduous trees and shrubs.</p> <p>As the winter draws to an end, they are often starred with English daisies.</p> <p><strong>Willing winter bloomers</strong></p> <p>If you have acid soil and partial or filtered shade to accommodate them, camellias can be counted upon to colour up winter in mild climates.</p> <p>Sasanqua camellias lead the show with their first flowers opening in late summer and progressing through autumn into early winter.</p> <p>In late autumn and winter, the japonica camellias feature, with varieties opening progressively until spring.</p> <p>Camellias are a good choice for an evergreen hedge, or can be the central feature of your winter garden.</p> <p>For extra interest, edge with other winter-flowering plants such as pansies and primulas, or early-flowering jonquils and narcissus.</p> <p>In mild-winter climates gardens can be a mass of flowers with careful planning. In sunny spots, deciduous magnolias are stunning as they come into bloom in late winter while their branches are still bare.</p> <p>The display lasts into early spring as the leaves appear.</p> <p>Surround them with Marguerite daisies, African daisies and narcissus for a breath of spring in winter.</p> <p>In some areas of Australia and New Zealand, winter is a season of ample rainfall and cool temperatures that can be enjoyed in the company of numerous garden plants.</p> <p>Although many plants slip into dormancy where winters are mild, there are plenty of evergreen trees, shrubs and perennials, as well as hardy annuals, that will keep the garden vibrantly alive with greenery and flowers through the slow season.</p> <p><strong>Colourful winter annuals</strong></p> <p>In any mild-winter climate, there are lots of cold-hardy annuals waiting to be discovered for wintertime entertainment.</p> <p>Consider planting dusty miller, dianthus, ornamental kale, poppies, pansies and snapdragons.</p> <p>You can find them in garden centres in punnets from autumn onwards.</p> <p>They may not bloom much during the shortest days of winter, but will provide great colour again in early spring.</p> <p>When in doubt about the staying power of not-quite-hardy plants, such as snapdragons, plant them in a sheltered place.</p> <p>A wall or building can absorb heat during the day and radiate warmth to nearby plants at night.</p> <p>Such a sheltered spot also helps to protect plants from being damaged by harsh winter winds or frosts.</p> <p>In mild-winter climates, planning and preparation for the spring and summer garden continues through the colder months.</p> <p>In frost-free climates, make the most of the cool conditions to prepare new garden beds, or rework and replant existing ones.</p> <p>In subtropical areas, spring comes early in the garden as petunias and annual phlox burst into bloom.</p> <p>These annuals can be started in winter as seeds or seedlings.</p> <p>In all areas, you can keep winter and spring annuals such as pansies and sweet peas blooming for many months by regularly picking or deadheading spent flowers.</p> <p>The application of a fortnightly dose of liquid fertiliser will also help to keep your annuals growing and blooming well.</p> <p><strong>What to look for: Compact plantings</strong></p> <p>A mild winter usually means a long summer is ahead, giving you time to grow both cool-season and warm-season annuals.</p> <p>When looking into a design, group pansies, primulas and other cool-season annuals close together so that nearby permanent plants won’t be disturbed when you pull them up and replace them with summer annuals.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/gardening-tips/what-plant-impressive-winter-garden" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>. </em></p>

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How to attract butterflies to the garden

<p>If you’re keen to attract some new fluttering friends to your garden you’ve got to know how to provide the right conditions. Butterflies can be incredibly useful not only due to their beauty but their ability to pollinate your flowers.</p> <p>Attracting butterflies involves incorporating a variety of plants that support all stages of life; safe spots for egg laying, food for caterpillars, places to form chrysalides and food sources for fully matured butterflies. Here’s how to tackle the basics.</p> <ul> <li><strong>Plant native flowering plants –</strong> Butterflies and natives evolved together and often depend on each other to thrive. Planting natives indigenous to your local area provides butterflies with plenty of foliage for both the caterpillar and adult stages.</li> <li><strong>Choose colours carefully –</strong> Butterflies love colour. Red, yellow, orange, pink and purple blossoms are all highly attractive to our fluttering friends.</li> <li><strong>Be mindful of sunshine –</strong> Adult butterflies generally only feed in the sun, therefore you need to plant your nectar sources in a sunny spot that receives plenty of mid morning light.</li> <li><strong>Plant for continuous bloom –</strong> Butterflies need nectar all year round so planting a crop that will continuously flower is important.</li> <li><strong>Steer clear of insecticides –</strong> Common insecticides are designed to kill insects, including caterpillars. Steer well clear if you can.</li> <li><strong>Take good care of caterpillars –</strong> If you want adult butterflies, you need to take care of the caterpillars. Planting plenty of native plants that caterpillars feed off is the best way of ensuring a thriving population.</li> <li><strong>Provide a resting place –</strong> Butterflies enjoy basking in the sun as much as we do. Flat rocks in a sunny spot make for perfect “rest zones”.</li> <li><strong>Provide a puddle –</strong> Butterflies love damp sand and shallow puddles. This is how they ingest water and access various minerals. Place some coarse sand in a shallow pan and insert the pan in the soil of your habitat, making sure to keep it moist.</li> </ul> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

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The secret meaning behind flowers

<p>From beautiful wedding bouquets and congratulatory flowers at graduation to a bunch offered in remorse, flowers play an important part in our lives. There are many occasions and reasons why we might want to give someone flowers. But did you know that all flowers have meanings behind them? In the Victorian era, flowers were symbols and people gave specific flowers to convey specific messages. As they could not openly express themselves, flowers were almost like a secret language. Here we uncover the meaning behinds some popular flowers so next time you’re picking out some to give to a loved one, you can make sure the message matches your thoughts!</p> <p><strong>Daffodils</strong></p> <p>These bright and happy flowers symbolise regard. They are also associated with new beginnings, eternal life and unrequited love. A single daffodil indicates misfortune but a whole bunch of them means happiness.</p> <p><strong>Peonies</strong></p> <p>These feminine flowers signal bashfulness. However, when a bride carries them they indicate a happy marriage and good fortune. On the other hand, peonies can also be used to express shame or indignation.</p> <p><strong>Hydrangeas</strong></p> <p>This wildflower symbolises understanding. Give them to someone when you want to express gratitude.</p> <p><strong>Gardenias</strong></p> <p>The elegant gardenia signifies purity, beauty and sweetness. Unsurprisingly then they are popular at wedding ceremonies. Giving someone gardenias can indicate a secret love or a way of telling them you think they are sweet and lovely.</p> <p><strong>Carnations</strong></p> <p>These popular flowers are available in a variety of colours and each one signifies something different. Pink symbolises enduring love – particularly a mother’s love for her child. Purple means unpredictability and red – admiration and an aching heart. White carnations represent pure love and if you ever need to politely decline a lover, striped carnations indicate a regretful refusal.</p> <p><strong>Rose</strong></p> <p>Everyone knows red roses mean romantic love but many people don’t know other colours have quite different meanings. Dark red is associated with mourning whereas pink represents happiness. Although very pretty, yellow roses actually indicate jealousy.</p> <p><strong>Tulips</strong></p> <p>These popular flowers stand for perfect love. Conveying grace and elegance, giving someone tulips is a declaration of love.</p> <p><strong>Orchids</strong></p> <p>These tropical blossoms symbolise exotic beauty. Those looking to make a lasting impression should consider these rare and delicate flowers.</p> <p><strong>Iris</strong></p> <p>The meaning of the iris includes faith, hope, wisdom and eloquence. Purple irises are associated with wisdom and compliments whereas blue ones symbolise faith and hope.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

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7 tips to make fresh flowers last longer

<p>It’s always such a nice treat to have fresh flowers in the house – whether they’ve been bought for you by a special someone, you’ve treated yourself, or you’ve just cut them straight from your very own garden. But many people don’t know the correct way to look after a bunch of flowers to ensure they get to enjoy their beauty for as long as possible. So here are some simple tips to remember.</p> <ol> <li>Start with the right kind of vase. Don’t try to cram too many flowers into a small vase – make sure the flowers have room to open fully so you can see as much of them as possible.</li> <li>Remove any low-hanging leaves. You don’t want any leaves to be sitting in the water, so be sure to prune them before putting your bouquet into your vase.</li> <li>Change the water daily. Flowers don’t like to sit in the same water day after day.</li> <li>Trim the stems. Every few days, trim the stems a little, cutting at an angle.</li> <li>Keep the flowers away from direct heat and sunlight. A room that is too warm will lead to wilted flowers, so be sure to choose somewhere that stays cool if possible. If you really want to stretch things, consider keeping the flowers in your fridge when you’re not in the house.</li> <li>When flowers start to wilt, remove any that don’t look so hot and transfer the bouquet to a smaller vase to freshen things up.</li> <li>If you’re left with just one or two late-opening blooms, you can float it in a decorative teacup full of water.</li> </ol> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

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Three must-visit Australian gardens

<p>These stunning gardens around Australia are the perfect place to spend the day with family to soak up some of the great outdoors, take in a spot of history and witness some of our country’s award-winning gardening talents.</p> <p><strong>National Rose Garden in Wolmers Estate, Longford, Tasmania</strong></p> <p>Nestled in a sun-drenched corner of the beautiful Woolmers Estate in Longford, Tasmania, this outstanding National Rose Garden, where heady perfume wafts from the flowers, is full of all of the rose families you can imagine and is one of the finest collections of historic roses in the southern hemisphere, ranging from the earliest European and China roses through to the roses of the twenty first century.</p> <p>As one of the most historically significant heritage properties in Australia, the estate is the perfect place to visit to also get a unique and fascinating look at what colonial life in Tasmania was like.</p> <p><strong>Nooroo, Blue Mountains, New South Wales</strong></p> <p>Famous for its magnificent cool climate exotic gardens, at Mount Wilson you can experience its gardens, its avenues of trees, its lookouts and its walking trails and picnic areas. For most people, the best time to visit Mount Wilson is either spring or autumn.</p> <p>Of particular interest if you plan a trip are Church Avenue, Queen's Avenue and The Avenue with their rows of plane trees, limes, elms, beeches, liquidambars and pink cherries. Nooroo is gorgeous and includes a world famous wisteria collection.</p> <p><strong>Araluen Botanic Park, Perth Hills, Western Australia</strong></p> <p>Located in the Perth hills, Araluen Botanic Park is home to many species of Australian and international flora with a range of native wildlife, including marsupials, birds, reptiles and water creatures. With international acclaim for its gardens and some particular species, including Camellias and Roses, visitors can take a bushwalk or stroll around the gardens and may even spot a family of western grey kangaroos or a wallaby.</p> <p>Boasting a unique microclimate featuring loam soils and high rainfall, the gardens enjoy an unmatched opportunity to cultivate exotic and cool climate plants in Western Australia – thus, there are a variety of exotic species in addition to the profusion of native plant species that thrive here.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

Domestic Travel

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How to create your own flower arrangements

<p>Flowers are a sure-fire way to make just about anyone’s day. Whether you’re giving them as a gift, using them to decorate you house or making a centrepiece for an occasion, flowers will instantly brighten with their beauty. Here are some tips for creating your own flower arrangements at home.</p> <p><strong>Look for inspiration</strong><br />With Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, inspiration for flower arrangements is now literally endless. Magazines and books are also a great source for ideas.</p> <p><strong>Select a colour scheme</strong><br />When deciding on a colour scheme for your flower arrangement, there are a few things to consider. Firstly, is it an arrangement to go in a vase in your home and if so, what are the colours of the room it is going in? Or perhaps it is a gift for a friend and if so, what’s the occasion? Lastly, what time of year is it? These factors will influence what you go for. If the arrangement is for a house then you’ll need to pick colours that suit the room. If it is for an occasion, you’ll want to consider if you need bright and happy colours, or something more subtle. Lastly, if it's summer, it’s best to opt for colours that celebrate that time of year.</p> <p><strong>Write up a recipe</strong><br />Prepare a recipe for your floral arrangements, just as you do when making a meal. Include tools and supplies needed, the amount of flowers and go from there. If you're making an arrangement for home, you’ll likely just need the bucket, vase, a couple of tools for grooming the flowers (see below). For a bouquet, you’ll need all of that minus the vase and add in some ribbon and string, or if you’re after a centrepiece, you will also need a block of floral foam and a votive to make your arrangement in. It’s always a good idea to buy a few more flowers than you think you’ll need. A standard flower arranging supply tool kit would include: clippers, floral tape, ribbons, floral moss, flower preservative, rose strippers if you have roses, and vases. Once you have your recipe, you'll know what you need.</p> <p><strong>Off to the market</strong><br />You have a few options when it comes to where to buy your blooms: you could start in your own garden if you’re on a budget, otherwise there are lots of wholesale flower markets, or grocery stores, store front florists, farmer’s markets and mail order. We recommend heading to wholesale markets. The produce comes straight from farms, the variety is amazing and you can generally get the best value for your money. Keep in mind that in order to get the best flowers from the markets, you’ll have to get there early and some markets open at 4 or 5am. Check what markets are closest to you.</p> <p><strong>Pick your flowers</strong><br />Peonies or gardenias, roses or carnations, orchids or irises? It is best to select flowers according to the time of year and what’s in season. Out-of-season flowers are likely to be harder to come by and expensive. There are some places in which you can pre-order, so it might be worth a phone call to discuss your options. Otherwise, just Google what you’re interested in and see what's in season where you live and make your plan around that. When you’re at the market or store, make sure the flowers you buy are not beginning to wilt. Ideally, there should be a few green buds in the mix and petals should feel firm and have no brown edges.</p> <p><strong>Grooming</strong><br />First you need to pick out any dead or broken blooms and petals. Next, you need to cut each stem by at least one inch at an angle using a sharp knife, scissors, or clippers. Then it is very important to get them into some water. Buckets work well to keep them in and a tall bucket in which the stems can gently rest on the sides will work best. The fewer leaves left below the waterline in the vase the better as leaves steal nutrients from blooms and can also cause the water to get nasty faster. Be sure to pull of the extra greenery. Most flowers (except tulips and hyacinths) do best in lukewarm water.</p> <p><strong>Caring for your flowers</strong><br />Keep the water fresh and change daily to keep the flowers healthy. It’s also good to trim the stems periodically to help them stay hydrated.</p> <p><strong>Step-by-step guide to flower arranging<br /></strong><br />1. Begin by placing two or three more branchy stems into the vase (or in your hand if you're making a bouquet) as this will help you get an idea of the overall shape you want your arrangement to take. You want to create a sense of width as well as height, so really work those angles.</p> <p>2. Now start adding the attention-grabbing blooms one at a time, again at different heights. Try placing one big bloom right on the edge of the vase, and one at least an inch or two higher. If it looks like your arrangement is growing a set of eyeballs, snip one of the stems.</p> <p>3. Turn your vase often and consider working from different angles. Even if you vase ends up in a corner or against a wall when you’re done, you want it looking good from all sides.</p> <p>4. Go slowly and don’t be afraid to take things out if it’s not working. Keep going, adding alternate colours, sizes and shapes. Mix foliage and greenery with vivid hues, ensuring you don’t damage them. When you feel like you’re done, try adding two or three longer gestural stems (ranunculus or anemones) at an unexpected height or angle to pump up the drama.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Home & Garden

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How to prune a hibiscus plant

<p><em><strong>As past president of the Australian Hibiscus and the International Hibiscus Society, there’s no one better to teach us how to prune hibiscus plants than 87-year-old Over60 community member, Jim Prudie.</strong></em></p> <p>“This month we will look at the subject of pruning your plants, as this is advisable here in Australia seeing that this is the month that spring arrives and the plants begin to wake from there winter sleep and the sap begins to flow causing the plants to start getting new shoots and if you prune the bush at this time you will get a good shaped bush and better flowers. People in the southern states should wait until the danger of frosts has passed and in the northern hemisphere you will have to adjust the month to coincide with your spring.</p> <p>This condition is brought about by a few things – the most important being that the daylight hours begin to get longer as the sun on its 
journey begins to get closer to your country, where ever you may live, be it in the northern or southern hemisphere, and as the sun gets closer, the weather begins to warm up and this causes the sap to flow and in so doing it causes the roots to start drawing more nourishment from the surrounding soil, and the plant goes into growing mode and new shoots begin to appear at the eyes, as opposed to the bare sticks we have been looking at during the winter.</p> <p>We prune our plants for a variety of reasons, and I have listed the most important reasons to get a better bush.</p> <p>1. To train into a desired shape.</p> <p>2. To maintain the bush to a manageable size, and open up the bush to the sun by pruning away the middle branches which have grown into the middle thus blocking out the air and light.</p> <p>3. It helps in the control and to be able to see any attacks of insects.</p> <p>4. It will encourage stronger growth, as when you shorten the branches when you prune them, it will cause the plant to send out more branches, and as I always say more branches, more flowers.</p> <p>5. It will get rid of old and weak branches, and those which grown in a crisscross fashion causing a cluttered plant, as well as those that have grown out of shape.</p> <p>6. If you prune your plants in the spring you help the bush to promote larger and better blooms of good shape and size. Hibiscus thrives on being pruned in the spring, and you do not have to get a stepladder to see the flowers, as the branches get too long. When you prune the tops of the branches, it causes the plant to start shooting down lower and instead of bare sticks you will see a plant covered in nice green leaves, and more branches, and “more branches more flowers”.</p> <p>This happens because when you prune the tops off, it stops the growing cycle from the tip. </p> <p>Whenever I start to prune I try to think how the bush grows, and prune the plant according to the way it grows, by that I mean if the plant is an average grower, I will prune off about a third of the bush, if the bush is a tall fast grower I will prune off about a half, and if the plant is a slow low grower, I will just prune off the tips, otherwise it takes too long to recover if you give it a hard prune, and you will miss out on the flowers for the season and have to wait until next year to see some blooms.</p> <p>I always cut off the low lying branches, usually leaving a 12 inch space under the bush, which allows you to keep under the bush clean and also if there are low lying branches, and a flower appears it drags in the dirt and there is a danger of snails causing damage to the petals.</p> <p>I prune just above an outward pointing eye, using a slanting cut away from the eye, so any water will run away from the eye, and also 
encourages the new shoot to grow outwards instead of into the middle of the plant, and as I always try to end up with a pruned bush which is in the shape of a vase.</p> <p>Make sure your secateurs are kept clean and sharp, so that they will give a clean cut, and I like to dip my secateurs into some alcohol or methylated spirits between bushes to prevent spreading disease.</p> <p>Some members do not prune all the branches at one time so they are able to have blooms while they wait for the new growth to flower. These remaining branches can be pruned once the new growth commences flowering.</p> <p>If you are growing in pots this is a good time to think about a root prune at the same time as you prune the top of the plant, and repot into some fresh potting mix, with some slow release fertilizer included in the mix, either into the same size pot if it is the biggest you want to go to, or the next size pot if it is in a small pot.  Do not make the pot size too big, When the bush is putting out a lot of new growth this is when I apply a fertilizer high in nitrogen to promote the new growth, and apply this until you see new buds starting to form and then I use a fertilizer higher in potash than nitrogen to promote flowers instead of nice green leaves.</p> <p>A fertiliser I recommend after you have pruned the plants in the ground is the following: two ice cream containers [or two litres] of Blood and Bone, two of superphosphate, one of sulphate of potash, half a can of magnesium sulphate [epsom salts], a quarter of can sulphate of iron. Mix all this all together and apply a good handful around each bush. Then I cover this with good mulch about two to three inches thick to keep the roots cool in hot weather to come and also to prevent the loss of moisture. Later when the blooms appear I use a soluble fertiliser higher in potash than nitrogen with my FertiGator and apply it from the hose attached to the 5000-litre tank with an electric pump.</p> <p>If you follow these instructions you will be well on your way to seeing a healthy bush and plenty of flowers.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

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Giving out flowers on TikTok: is this a ‘random act of kindness’ or just benevolent ageism?

<p>In June, 22-year-old Harrison Pawluk filmed himself staging a “random act of kindness”, giving a bunch of flowers to an older woman sitting alone in a Melbourne food court.</p> <p>His <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@lifeofharrison/video/7111321730773175553?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">video</a> went viral on TikTok, attracting 57 million views within a week.</p> <p>Comments on the post included, “when she started crying, I couldn’t hold it back” and “wow that was so beautiful I swear I would cry”.</p> <p>Acts of kindness can boost <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022103117303451" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wellbeing</a> for the giver, the recipient, and even the viewers of selfless acts. Social media influencers have found ways to commodify this by presenting them as random and unexpected.</p> <div data-id="17"> </div> <p>But this gesture was interpreted by TikTok, the woman targeted for the video, as an artificially staged production that left her feeling “<a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-07-14/tiktok-video-maree-melbourne-flowers/101228418" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dehumanised</a>” and like “clickbait” for tabloid fodder.</p> <p>In the media, individuals aged over 60 are often depicted as a homogeneous group of elderly people who lack personality, social identity or individuality.</p> <p>It’s not just a “random act of kindness”. Pawluk’s actions – and some of the media coverage – unearths a much bigger problem of “benevolent ageism”.</p> <h2>What is benevolent ageism?</h2> <p>When we talk about ageism, people often think of overt acts such as older people being explicitly told they are dressed “<a href="https://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/louise-di-francesco-ageism-at-work-200031282.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">inappropriately</a>” for their age, or an employer refusing to hire someone for a job because of their age.</p> <p>But not all ageism is overt. “<a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2793359" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Everyday ageism</a>” is a more subtle yet pervasive component that informs our impressions of older people. This could be assumptions about what older people’s preferences are because of their age group, or that by a certain age most people should be “slowing down”.</p> <p>Benevolent ageism is where these every day biases manifest in the belief that older people need special “help” or “support”.</p> <p>Benevolent ageism manifests in the way people sometimes use pet names or <a href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/ageism#ageism-in-healthcare" target="_blank" rel="noopener">baby talk</a> to address older people; an emphasis on <a href="https://spssi.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1540-4560.2005.00405.x" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pitying</a> people above a certain age; or the importance placed on “<a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.587911/full" target="_blank" rel="noopener">protecting</a>” older people during the COVID pandemic.</p> <p>Commenters on Pawluk’s video said “[the flowers] made her feel so good and it looks like she might have needed it”, “she is so cute” and “I miss my grandma!”.</p> <p>Benevolent ageism leads to false assumptions or inaccurate and limiting stereotypes about older people being “warm but not competent” and lacking individuality.</p> <p>In Pawluk’s video, Maree is framed as being sad and alone. Speaking to <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-07-14/tiktok-video-maree-melbourne-flowers/101228418" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC Radio</a>, Maree expressed frustration at being presented as “the elderly woman who drank a takeaway cup of coffee”.</p> <p>“It’s the patronising assumption that women, especially older women, will be thrilled by some random stranger giving them flowers,” she told the ABC.</p> <h2>Our implicit biases</h2> <p>Benevolent ageism is hiding in plain sight.</p> <p>Our own ageist biases can show up in everyday judgements we make about people’s capacity to work, how they dress or whether they are in need of assistance or attention because of their age.</p> <p>Ageist characterisations are culturally reinforced by media portrayals, and have the effect of categorising “older people” – <a href="https://spssi.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/josi.12162" target="_blank" rel="noopener">particularly women</a> – as being lonely and in need of pity.</p> <p>A <a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/18-03-2021-ageism-is-a-global-challenge-un" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recent report</a> from the World Health Organization shows one in every two people shows moderate to high levels of ageist attitudes, with their definition of ageism encompassing stereotypes (how we think), prejudice (how we feel) and discrimination (how we act) towards others or oneself based on age.</p> <p>The Australian Human Rights Commission found that <a href="https://humanrights.gov.au/about/news/new-research-finds-ageism-most-accepted-form-prejudice-australia-0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">90% of Australians</a> agree that ageism exists in Australia.</p> <p>Age discrimination commissioner Kay Patterson calls ageism “the least understood form of discriminatory prejudice” and “more pervasive and socially accepted than sexism and racism”.</p> <p>Internalised ageism, in which we unconsciously hold these own ageist attitudes against ourselves, negatively impacts our functional health as we age and can even <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S009174350400115X" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shorten our own lifespan</a>.</p> <h2>Stereotypes facing older women</h2> <p>These TikTok random acts of kindness can have the unfortunate overtone of the <a href="https://www.britishgerontology.org/content/22875/Live/pdf/Generations_Review%2025%202%20July%202015.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">twin prejudices</a> of ageism and sexism. Older women targeted in this way can be left feeling like their identity is reduced to being just an older lady in need of pity.</p> <p>When interviewed by The Project, Pawluk <a href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/current-affairs/aussie-tiktok-star-sorry-but-wont-stop-controversial-acts-of-kindness/news-story/347c18457d80a961e27c6b31f42b2507" target="_blank" rel="noopener">apologised</a> to Maree. He claims he does not target people based on their age.</p> <p>But the assumptions made about Maree – and other women to whom he has offered flowers – are embedded in age-old stereotypes about older women: that they are sad or lonely, and in need of support.</p> <p>There is nothing wrong with greeting another person regardless of their age. But the framing of this TikTok video is a clear example of ageist stereotypes manifesting as a show of concern.</p> <p>Much of the news reporting and comments surrounding the event were also examples of everyday ageism. The Daily Mail <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10967869/Melbourne-TikToker-Harrison-Pawluk-gives-woman-bunch-flowers.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">described the video</a> as a “heartwarming moment [where] a total stranger gives an elderly woman a bunch of flowers before she bursts into tears”.</p> <p>Although likely not the initial intention of the gesture, this social media craze of capturing supposed “random acts of kindness” can have the undesired effect of diminishing the perceived social value of the target to whom the protagonist is trying to show kindness.</p> <p>We should take this as a moment to pause and address our own unconscious biases and our subtle forms of everyday ageism of the benevolent kind.</p> <p><em><strong>This article originally appeared on The Conversation.</strong></em></p> <p><em>Image: TikTok</em></p>

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Grace Tame and Brittany Higgins slam PM in press club address

<p>In a sold out event, former Australian of the Year Grace Tame and former Liberal staffer who triggered the #MeToo movement Brittany Higgins addressed the national press club. </p><p>The two powerful women used their experiences to slam Prime Minister Scott Morrison, as they both condemned his handling of sexual violence against women both in parliament and in Australia at large. </p><p>When Grace took to the microphone, she condemned the Prime Minister after she received a threatening phone call from a senior member of a government-funded organisation, telling her to not besmirch the PM's name "with an election coming soon".</p><p>This claim immediately triggered an investigation by the government, along with a statement from the PM saying he had not authorised any intervention in such a threatening nature. </p><p>As it came for Brittany's turn to speak, she slammed Scott Morrison's comments that became public after Brittany disclosed her assault, with the PM seemingly only finding empathy when he thought of the situation "as a father with daughters".</p><p>In response to this, Brittany said, “I didn’t want his sympathy as a father. I wanted him to use his power as prime minister. I wanted him to wield the weight of his office and drive change in the party and our parliament, and out into the country."</p><p>When both women were asked if they planned to enter politics, they both answered no, claiming they could "achieve more outside of politics".</p><p>While Grace Tame admitted that former Labor leader Kim Beazley "did try to sway me", Brittany said after the horror she was put through in the walls of Parliament House, she was now "stateless".</p><p>With the impending federal election on the horizon, a journalist in the room asked the women what Labor leader Anthony Albanese could do better in the handling of sexual assault issues if he became prime minister, with Grace responding, "All Anthony would have to do is nothing that Scott's done."</p><p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

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Djokovic press conference shut down after probing question

<p dir="ltr">The Djokovic family abruptly ended a press conference when someone asked whether tennis star Novak knowingly socialised with children without wearing a mask a day after testing positive for COVID-19.</p> <p dir="ltr">The decision to cancel Djokovic’s visa was overturned in the Federal Court on Monday, and he plans to play in the Australian Open next week. However, the federal government says it is still considering whether or not to cancel his visa, saying it has the power to do so regardless of the court’s decision.</p> <p dir="ltr">Court documents released after the hearing reveal that the tennis star was tested at 1.05 pm on December 16 and received a positive result at 8.19pm. This revelation has prompted speculation about whether Djokovic knowingly mingled with others without wearing a mask while being sick with the virus.</p> <p dir="ltr">On December 16, he received a commemorative stamp from the Serbian National Postal Service, and on December 17, he attended an awards ceremony at the Novak Tennis Centre in Belgrade. Multiple photos posted to social media show him posing for photos with children without wearing a mask.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">An honor to receive my very own Serbian stamp. Thank you to my generous country for this rare gift! I’m humbled!! Excited to share we’ll partner with the Serbian National Postal Service on <a href="https://twitter.com/novakfoundation?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@novakfoundation</a> projects for every child to have the opportunity to attend preschool 🙏🏼 <a href="https://t.co/Ww8Zma95NU">pic.twitter.com/Ww8Zma95NU</a></p> — Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) <a href="https://twitter.com/DjokerNole/status/1471843717271150592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 17, 2021</a></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">These photos led people to question why he would attend social functions, particularly with children and without wearing a mask, knowing he was at risk of transmitting the virus.</p> <p dir="ltr">When his family members – father Srdjan, mother Dijana and brother Djordje – were asked that very question at a press conference in Belgrade on Monday, Djordje said, “So, ah, this press conference is adjourned at the moment”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Before abruptly ending the press conference, the family thanked fans for their support and defended Djokovic’s right to be in Australia, with Djordje saying, “Thank you to people all over the world, people have risen in defence of Novak, we have seen the footage in front of the detention centre. Novak is free, he practised on the courts. He went there to chase another title, with the best possible intent and all the documentation.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Novak has been labelled many times, but all he stands for is freedom of choice. The justice has been done. Truth and justice came to the light. I would like to thank the justice system of Australia.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Srdjan Stevanovic/Getty Images</em></p>

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Hibbert’s flowers and Hitler’s beetle – what do we do when species are named after history’s monsters?

<p>“What’s in a name?”, <a href="https://www.bartleby.com/70/3822.html">asked Juliet of Romeo</a>. “That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”</p> <p>But, as with the Montagues and Capulets, names mean a lot, and can cause a great deal of heartache.</p> <p>My colleagues and I are <a href="https://theconversation.com/its-not-the-science-of-tax-and-five-other-things-you-should-know-about-taxonomy-78926">taxonomists</a>, which means we name living things. While we’ve never named a rose, we do discover and name new Australian species of plants and animals – and there are a lot of them!</p> <p>For each new species we discover, we create and publish a Latin scientific name, following a set of international rules and conventions. The name has two parts: the first part is the genus name (such as <em>Eucalyptus</em>), which describes the group of species to which the new species belongs, and the second part is a species name (such as <em>globulus</em>, thereby making the name <em>Eucalyptus globulus</em>) particular to the new species itself. New species are either added to an existing genus, or occasionally, if they’re sufficiently novel, are given their own new genus.</p> <p>Some scientific names are widely known – arguably none more so than our own, <em>Homo sapiens</em>. And gardeners or nature enthusiasts will be familiar with genus names such as <em>Acacia</em>, <em>Callistemon</em> or <em>Banksia</em>.</p> <p>This all sounds pretty uncontroversial. But as with Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers, history and tradition sometimes present problems.</p> <h2>What’s in a name?</h2> <p>Take the genus <em><a href="http://www.flora.sa.gov.au/cgi-bin/speciesfacts_display.cgi?form=speciesfacts&amp;name=Hibbertia">Hibbertia</a></em>, the Australian guineaflowers. This is one of the largest genera of plants in Australia, and the one we study.</p> <p>There are many new and yet-unnamed species of <em>Hibbertia</em>, which means new species names are regularly added to this genus.</p> <p>Many scientific names are derived from a feature of the species or genus being named, such as <em>Eucalyptus</em>, from the Greek for “well-covered” (a reference to the operculum or bud-cap that covers unopened eucalypt flowers).</p> <p>Others <a href="https://theconversation.com/its-funny-to-name-species-after-celebrities-but-theres-a-serious-side-too-95513">honour significant people</a>, either living or dead. <em>Hibbertia</em> is named after a wealthy 19th-century English patron of botany, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Hibbert">George Hibbert</a>.</p> <p><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437440/original/file-20211214-15-1u4xyy3.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" alt="George Hibbert by Thomas Lawrence" /> <span class="caption">George Hibbert: big fan of flowers and slavery.</span> <span class="attribution"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:George_Hibbert_by_Thomas_Lawrence,_1811.JPG" class="source">Thomas Lawrence/Stephen C. Dickson/Wikimedia Commons</a>, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/" class="license">CC BY-SA</a></span></p> <p>And here’s where things stop being straightforward, because Hibbert’s wealth came almost entirely from the transatlantic slave trade. He profited from taking slaves from Africa to the New World, selling some and using others on his family’s extensive plantations, then transporting slave-produced sugar and cotton back to England.</p> <p>Hibbert was also a prominent member of the British parliament and a <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/lbs/person/view/16791">staunch opponent of abolition</a>. He and his ilk argued that slavery was economically necessary for England, and even that slaves were better off on the plantations than in their homelands.</p> <p>Even at the time, his views were considered abhorrent by many critics. But despite this, he was handsomely recompensed for his “losses” when Britain finally abolished slavery in 1807.</p> <p>So, should Hibbert be honoured with the name of a genus of plants, to which new species are still being added today – effectively meaning he is honoured afresh with each new publication?</p> <p>We don’t believe so. Just like statues, buildings, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/was-first-governor-james-stirling-had-links-to-slavery-as-well-as-directing-a-massacre-should-he-be-honoured-162078">street or suburb names</a>, we think a reckoning is due for scientific species names that honour people who held views or acted in ways that are deeply dishonourable, highly problematic or truly egregious by modern standards.</p> <p><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437442/original/file-20211214-13-1yaho8u.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" alt="Anophthalmus hitleri" /> <span class="caption">This beetle doesn’t deserve to be named after the most reviled figure of the 20th century.</span> <span class="attribution"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Anophthalmus_hitleri_HabitusDors.jpg" class="source">Michael Munich/Wikimedia Commons</a>, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/" class="license">CC BY-SA</a></span></p> <p>Just as Western Australia’s King Leopold Range <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-07-03/wa-king-leopold-ranges-renamed-wunaamin-miliwundi-ranges/12416254">was recently renamed</a> to remove the link to the atrocious <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopold_II_of_Belgium">Leopold II of Belgium</a>, we would like <em>Hibbertia</em> to bear a more appropriate and less troubling name.</p> <p>The same goes for the Great Barrier Reef coral <em><a href="http://www.edgeofexistence.org/species/elegance-coral/">Catalaphyllia jardinei</a></em>, named after Frank Jardine, a brutal dispossessor of Aboriginal people in North Queensland. And, perhaps most astoundingly, the rare Slovenian cave beetle <em><a href="https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/773804">Anophthalmus hitleri</a></em>, which was named in 1933 in honour of Adolf Hitler.</p> <p>This name is unfortunate for several reasons: despite being a small, somewhat nondescript, blind beetle, in recent years it has been reportedly <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/fans-exterminate-hitler-beetle-6232054.html">pushed to the brink of extinction</a> by Nazi memorabilia enthusiasts. Specimens are even being stolen from museum collections for sale into this lucrative market.</p> <h2>Aye, there’s the rub</h2> <p>Unfortunately, the official rules don’t allow us to rename <em>Hibbertia</em> or any other species that has a troubling or inappropriate name.</p> <p>To solve this, we propose a change to the international rules for naming species. Our <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/tax.12620">proposal</a>, if adopted, would establish an international expert committee to decide what do about scientific names that honour inappropriate people or are based on culturally offensive words.</p> <p>An example of the latter is the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/tax.12622">many names of plants</a> based on the Latin <em>caffra</em>, the origin of which is a word so offensive to Black Africans that its use is <a href="https://www.cfr.org/blog/k-word-south-africa-and-proposed-new-penalties-against-hate-speech">banned in South Africa</a>.</p> <p>Some may argue the scholarly naming of species should remain aloof from social change, and that Hibbert’s views on slavery are irrelevant to the classification of Australian flowers. We counter that, just like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statue_of_Edward_Colston">toppling statues in Bristol Harbour</a> or <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/mar/18/goodbye-cecil-rhodes-house-renamed-to-lose-link-to-british-empire-builder-in-africa">removing Cecil Rhodes’ name from public buildings</a>, renaming things is important and necessary if we are to right history’s wrongs.</p> <p>We believe that science, including taxonomy, must be socially responsible and responsive. Science is embedded in culture rather than housed in ivory towers, and scientists should work for the common good rather than blindly follow tradition. Deeply problematic names pervade science just as they pervade our streets, cities and landscapes.</p> <p><em>Hibbertia</em> may be just a name, but we believe a different name for this lovely genus of Australian flowers would smell much sweeter.</p> <p><em>This article was co-authored by Tim Hammer, a postdoctoral research fellow at the State Herbarium of South Australia.</em><!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><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; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/172602/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kevin-thiele-136882">Kevin Thiele</a>, Adjunct Assoc. Professor, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067">The University of Western Australia</a></em></span></p> <p>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/hibberts-flowers-and-hitlers-beetle-what-do-we-do-when-species-are-named-after-historys-monsters-172602">original article</a>.</p> <p><em>Image: John Tann/Wikimedia Commons</em></p>

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Hibbert’s flowers and Hitler’s beetle – what do we do when species are named after history’s monsters?

<p>“What’s in a name?”, <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.bartleby.com/70/3822.html" target="_blank">asked Juliet of Romeo</a>. “That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”</p> <p>But, as with the Montagues and Capulets, names mean a lot, and can cause a great deal of heartache.</p> <p>My colleagues and I are <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/its-not-the-science-of-tax-and-five-other-things-you-should-know-about-taxonomy-78926" target="_blank">taxonomists</a>, which means we name living things. While we’ve never named a rose, we do discover and name new Australian species of plants and animals – and there are a lot of them!</p> <p>For each new species we discover, we create and publish a Latin scientific name, following a set of international rules and conventions. The name has two parts: the first part is the genus name (such as <em>Eucalyptus</em>), which describes the group of species to which the new species belongs, and the second part is a species name (such as <em>globulus</em>, thereby making the name <em>Eucalyptus globulus</em>) particular to the new species itself. New species are either added to an existing genus, or occasionally, if they’re sufficiently novel, are given their own new genus.</p> <p>Some scientific names are widely known – arguably none more so than our own, <em>Homo sapiens</em>. And gardeners or nature enthusiasts will be familiar with genus names such as <em>Acacia</em>, <em>Callistemon</em> or <em>Banksia</em>.</p> <p>This all sounds pretty uncontroversial. But as with Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers, history and tradition sometimes present problems.</p> <p><strong>What’s in a name?</strong></p> <p>Take the genus <em><a rel="noopener" href="http://www.flora.sa.gov.au/cgi-bin/speciesfacts_display.cgi?form=speciesfacts&amp;name=Hibbertia" target="_blank">Hibbertia</a></em>, the Australian guineaflowers. This is one of the largest genera of plants in Australia, and the one we study.</p> <p>There are many new and yet-unnamed species of <em>Hibbertia</em>, which means new species names are regularly added to this genus.</p> <p>Many scientific names are derived from a feature of the species or genus being named, such as <em>Eucalyptus</em>, from the Greek for “well-covered” (a reference to the operculum or bud-cap that covers unopened eucalypt flowers).</p> <p>Others <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/its-funny-to-name-species-after-celebrities-but-theres-a-serious-side-too-95513" target="_blank">honour significant people</a>, either living or dead. <em>Hibbertia</em> is named after a wealthy 19th-century English patron of botany, <a rel="noopener" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Hibbert" target="_blank">George Hibbert</a>.</p> <p><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437440/original/file-20211214-15-1u4xyy3.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" alt="George Hibbert by Thomas Lawrence" /></p> <p><em><span class="caption">George Hibbert: big fan of flowers and slavery.</span> <span class="attribution"><a rel="noopener" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:George_Hibbert_by_Thomas_Lawrence,_1811.JPG" target="_blank" class="source">Thomas Lawrence/Stephen C. Dickson/Wikimedia Commons</a>, <a rel="noopener" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/" target="_blank" class="license">CC BY-SA</a></span></em></p> <p>And here’s where things stop being straightforward, because Hibbert’s wealth came almost entirely from the transatlantic slave trade. He profited from taking slaves from Africa to the New World, selling some and using others on his family’s extensive plantations, then transporting slave-produced sugar and cotton back to England.</p> <p>Hibbert was also a prominent member of the British parliament and a <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/lbs/person/view/16791" target="_blank">staunch opponent of abolition</a>. He and his ilk argued that slavery was economically necessary for England, and even that slaves were better off on the plantations than in their homelands.</p> <p>Even at the time, his views were considered abhorrent by many critics. But despite this, he was handsomely recompensed for his “losses” when Britain finally abolished slavery in 1807.</p> <p>So, should Hibbert be honoured with the name of a genus of plants, to which new species are still being added today – effectively meaning he is honoured afresh with each new publication?</p> <p>We don’t believe so. Just like statues, buildings, and <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/was-first-governor-james-stirling-had-links-to-slavery-as-well-as-directing-a-massacre-should-he-be-honoured-162078" target="_blank">street or suburb names</a>, we think a reckoning is due for scientific species names that honour people who held views or acted in ways that are deeply dishonourable, highly problematic or truly egregious by modern standards.</p> <p><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437442/original/file-20211214-13-1yaho8u.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" alt="Anophthalmus hitleri" /></p> <p><em><span class="caption">This beetle doesn’t deserve to be named after the most reviled figure of the 20th century.</span> <span class="attribution"><a rel="noopener" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Anophthalmus_hitleri_HabitusDors.jpg" target="_blank" class="source">Michael Munich/Wikimedia Commons</a>, <a rel="noopener" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/" target="_blank" class="license">CC BY-SA</a></span></em></p> <p>Just as Western Australia’s King Leopold Range <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-07-03/wa-king-leopold-ranges-renamed-wunaamin-miliwundi-ranges/12416254" target="_blank">was recently renamed</a> to remove the link to the atrocious <a rel="noopener" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopold_II_of_Belgium" target="_blank">Leopold II of Belgium</a>, we would like <em>Hibbertia</em> to bear a more appropriate and less troubling name.</p> <p>The same goes for the Great Barrier Reef coral <em><a rel="noopener" href="http://www.edgeofexistence.org/species/elegance-coral/" target="_blank">Catalaphyllia jardinei</a></em>, named after Frank Jardine, a brutal dispossessor of Aboriginal people in North Queensland. And, perhaps most astoundingly, the rare Slovenian cave beetle <em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/773804" target="_blank">Anophthalmus hitleri</a></em>, which was named in 1933 in honour of Adolf Hitler.</p> <p>This name is unfortunate for several reasons: despite being a small, somewhat nondescript, blind beetle, in recent years it has been reportedly <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/fans-exterminate-hitler-beetle-6232054.html" target="_blank">pushed to the brink of extinction</a> by Nazi memorabilia enthusiasts. Specimens are even being stolen from museum collections for sale into this lucrative market.</p> <p><strong>Aye, there’s the rub</strong></p> <p>Unfortunately, the official rules don’t allow us to rename <em>Hibbertia</em> or any other species that has a troubling or inappropriate name.</p> <p>To solve this, we propose a change to the international rules for naming species. Our <a rel="noopener" href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/tax.12620" target="_blank">proposal</a>, if adopted, would establish an international expert committee to decide what do about scientific names that honour inappropriate people or are based on culturally offensive words.</p> <p>An example of the latter is the <a rel="noopener" href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/tax.12622" target="_blank">many names of plants</a> based on the Latin <em>caffra</em>, the origin of which is a word so offensive to Black Africans that its use is <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.cfr.org/blog/k-word-south-africa-and-proposed-new-penalties-against-hate-speech" target="_blank">banned in South Africa</a>.</p> <p>Some may argue the scholarly naming of species should remain aloof from social change, and that Hibbert’s views on slavery are irrelevant to the classification of Australian flowers. We counter that, just like <a rel="noopener" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statue_of_Edward_Colston" target="_blank">toppling statues in Bristol Harbour</a> or <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/mar/18/goodbye-cecil-rhodes-house-renamed-to-lose-link-to-british-empire-builder-in-africa" target="_blank">removing Cecil Rhodes’ name from public buildings</a>, renaming things is important and necessary if we are to right history’s wrongs.</p> <p>We believe that science, including taxonomy, must be socially responsible and responsive. Science is embedded in culture rather than housed in ivory towers, and scientists should work for the common good rather than blindly follow tradition. Deeply problematic names pervade science just as they pervade our streets, cities and landscapes.</p> <p><em>Hibbertia</em> may be just a name, but we believe a different name for this lovely genus of Australian flowers would smell much sweeter.</p> <p><em>This article was co-authored by Tim Hammer, a postdoctoral research fellow at the State Herbarium of South Australia.</em><!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><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; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/172602/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kevin-thiele-136882" target="_blank">Kevin Thiele</a>, Adjunct Assoc. Professor, <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067" target="_blank">The University of Western Australia</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/hibberts-flowers-and-hitlers-beetle-what-do-we-do-when-species-are-named-after-historys-monsters-172602" target="_blank">original article</a>.</em></p> <p><em><span class="attribution">Image: <a rel="noopener" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hibbertia_procumbens_(6691568261).jpg" target="_blank" class="source">John Tann/Wikimedia Commons</a>, <a rel="noopener" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/" target="_blank" class="license">CC BY-SA</a></span></em></p>

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Protestors force Daniel Andrews to abandon press conference

<p dir="ltr">Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews cancelled a press conference on Wednesday, following advice from police after protestors picketed his appearance at the opening of a regional TAFE.</p> <p dir="ltr">Andrews was touring a new TAFE in the regional Victorian city of Bendigo, but after protestors, chanting “kill the bill” and “coercion is not consent”, arrived outside the campus, the premier decided not to take questions from the media because of safety concerns raised by Victorian Police.</p> <p dir="ltr">The protestors were demonstrating against new pandemic laws introduced by the state government, as well as vaccine mandates.</p> <p dir="ltr">Before leaving, Andrews told the crowd, "to perhaps give you a quieter time, I'm going to go now". Protestors could be heard shouting insults such as “sack Dan Andrews” as the premier was ushered into a waiting car.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Daniel Andrews shows his face in public once and this is what happens... <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DanNext?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DanNext</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KillTheBill?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KillTheBill</a><br /><br />Shot in Bendigo after a press conference. <a href="https://t.co/GLuHkjgUhW">pic.twitter.com/GLuHkjgUhW</a></p> — The Altruistic Capitalist (@kimchi2613) <a href="https://twitter.com/kimchi2613/status/1458269530283593732?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 10, 2021</a></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The incident coincided with daily protests in Melbourne’s CBD, including a protest on Monday night that saw roughly 200 people gather on the steps of the Victorian Parliament. COVID-19 response commander Jeroen Weimar and Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton had to be escorted by police through the crowd.</p> <p dir="ltr">Meeting again on Tuesday, the crowd of protestors outside Parliament included Shadow Treasurer David Davis and Liberal Democrat David Limbrick.</p> <p dir="ltr">The laws being protested have been strongly criticised by Victorian Liberals and the Victorian Bar for being too broad and lacking proper scrutiny. Despite this, they passed the Legislative Assembly last month and are now awaiting the support of three crossbench MPs to pass the Legislative Council.</p> <p dir="ltr">The proposed laws seek to replace existing state of emergency powers, and would empower the premier and health minister of the day to declare pandemics and enforce health directions. Under existing laws, only the state’s chief health officer, who is not an elected official, has these powers.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images</em></p>

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