Search

Family of Hannah McGuire make heart-wrenching decision

A tight-knit community have rallied behind the family of Hannah McGuire, a 23-year-old teacher who was allegedly murdered by her estranged partner. Hannah's parents have made the heart-wrenching decision to reopen their family-run pub, the National Hotel in the town of Clunes, north of Ballarat, in the days after Hannah's death. As the hotel reopened, locals came together to lay flowers, buy drinks and share memories. “It’s the saddest thing, I can’t believe it,” one patron told <a href="https://7news.com.au/news/pub-run-by-family-of-hannah-mcguire-allegedly-murdered-by-ex-partner-reopens-in-clunes-north-of-ballarat--c-14266127" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7News</a>. “To the young girl, we gave her all the best." In the wake of Hannah's death, the women of Ballarat are set to join together for an emotional gathering to demand an end to violence against women. The Ballarat region's Samantha Murphy, Rebecca Young and Hannah McGuire have all allegedly died at the hands of men since the beginning of February. A rally will begin at Ballarat train station on Friday before gathering at Camp Street, family members of the victims, community leaders and family violence specialists will address the gathering. Organiser Sissy Austin, who was herself savagely attacked while on a run in 2023, said the issue was a national crisis. "Us Ballarat women, we're coming together to stand in solidarity, to feel less alone and to show the country that we're united," Ms Austin told AAP. "We're here to fight for our rights to live safely in our community for generations to come. "The Ballarat community aren't going to succumb to the violence that has been perpetrated in our town." Ms Austin said the three killings in a little over two months had stunned the community. "Women are living on eggshells," she said. "The most immediate thing that we need to do, particularly as women, is to unite and show men who choose to use violence in our community that we stand against it," she added. "Enough is enough." Image credits: Google Maps / Facebook

Caring

Man restores mate's dream pub after tragic death

Kevin "Stumpy" Darmody ran the Peninsula Hotel in the Cape York town of Laura, Cairns for over 20 years before he was tragically killed by a crocodile during a fishing trip. The 65-year-old went missing on the Kennedy River at Rinyirru National Park in April last year, with his body recovered a month later, after wildlife officers shot and killed a crocodile during their search, discovering his remains in its stomach. Now, Darmody's best friend Stuart Wiggins has picked up where he left off, and travelled all the way to Cairns from Canberra to restore his mate's pub. "I've been coming up for 20 years myself and watched all the hard work Kev's put in and I thought I didn't want to see that get wasted," he told the ABC. He got to work and trimmed the three-metre long weeds that covered the pub. "The weeds were like trees. We've worked from day to night and it's looking really good now." Wiggins recalled how his best mate first moved to Laura, Cairns 20 years ago after he came across the town on a 4WD trip across northern Australia. Now, in honour of his late friend, Wiggins has renamed the hotel "Stumpy's Bar". "I've got a nice big sign out the front of the pub to remember him," Wiggins said. He also reminisced their friendship and how the pair "got on like a house on fire", saying that he too had "fished off the same spot" where Darmody was taken "so many times". "He was always warning people going out there, 'don't get too close to the water. If you fall in you're not going to get out,' so what happened that day we'll never ever know", he said. Wiggins shared that Darmody was known to for his tough exterior, but was the type of person that would "give you the shirt off his back and do anything for you". "Even the week before he passed, he bought a plane ticket to sneak down to surprise me for my 60th birthday," he said. Prior to Darmody's death Wiggins was working a "cruisy job" at Parliament House in Canberra, before deciding to leave his family behind to re-enter the hospitality industry. "It was a massive move to leave my family behind but even my lady Tanya knew it was something I needed to do," Wiggins said. "I couldn't just sit at parliament thinking the place was going to go to rack and ruin." Images: ABC/ Stuart Wiggins

Domestic Travel

One humble Sydney pub's big plans for Princess Mary's coronation

A pub in Sydney has shared their plans to celebrate Crown Princess Mary's coronation as she ascends to the Danish throne. The Slip Inn, a Merivale-owned pub near Sydney's Darling Harbour, was where Princess Mary met Denmark's Prince Frederik in 2000 during the Olympic Games. Now, the Aussie princess is set to become Queen of Denmark following the shock announcement of the abdication of Queen Margrethe, who announced she will be handing the throne to her son as of January 14th. In celebration of the Princess Mary <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/crown-princess-mary-set-to-make-history" target="_blank" rel="noopener">making history</a> as the first Aussie to ever hold the title of Queen Consort, the Slip Inn have shared their plans for coronation day. The pub will be honouring the occasion with a Danish themed menu and decorations ahead of a busy weekend expected to attract tourists and royal punters. The Slip Inn is closed on Sunday, so there will be no live broadcast of the official proclamation ceremony taking place in Copenhagen, however the pub couldn’t let the day pass without paying tribute to the couple. Danish flags will fly throughout the venue, while Daisies, the national flower of Denmark, will adorn the venue and King and Queen thrones have been installed for people to pose on and take photos with. A special menu will feature hotdogs and a Scandinavian inspired cocktail titled “There’s Something About Mary”. The Danish-inspired menu will run at The Slip Inn for the whole month of January to celebrate the new King and Queen. Chief operating officer at Laundy Hotels Justin Tynan said the Sussex St pub was “the place to be” in Sydney’s thriving night-life scene of the time, and soon became the centre of royal attention after the couple disclosed it as their meeting place. “I think I did about 50 live crosses around the world when the news broke,” he said of the time. “The Danish flag still hangs out the front of the building but back in the day we put Carlsberg beer on, we put Danish food on the menu, we had buses turning up with Danish tourists just wanting to see exactly where they were.” “It was absolutely crazy.” Image credits: Getty Images

Relationships

Aussies brave flood waters for a drink at the pub

A group of flood-stricken Queenslanders are braving the aftermath of the devastating Cyclone Jasper, and risking it all to head out to their local pub. On the banks of the Tully River, 155km south of Cairns, locals flocked to the Hotel Euramo to wait out the storm, with everyone arriving by boat. Instead of the carpark being full of cars, 18 tinnies brought thirsty locals to their watering hole, in what has become a tradition for when the area is impacted by floods. Hotel owner Ollie Muzic told ABC News Breakfast on Monday that it was a local tradition for patrons to turn up at the by either boat or tractor when the town was flooded. "We had no tractors turn up yesterday, but the water level was higher than it ever was before," she said. "Everyone was very high-spirited. We are lucky our water disperses very quickly." Hotel manager Tish Ottone said patrons made the best of the bad situation, and did what they could do enjoy their day at the pub. "It was really good, the atmosphere was amazing," she said. "It was definitely on my bucket list (to arrive by boat) and it is ticked off now so it was surreal, it was pretty cool." Six people stayed at the pu8b overnight on Sunday and Ms Muzic said she and staff would be on the premises until waters recede, providing what they could to locals who need help. "The majority of people who are here say they got everything sorted yesterday morning before coming here, everything high and dry and there’s pretty well nothing much you can do except sit around until the water drops down," she said. Although the atmosphere at the pub was festive, Ms Muzic said she was mindful of those in more catastrophic conditions in Queensland, as Cyclone Jasper continues to wreak havoc. "We do understand there are a lot of places in north Queensland absolutely devastated by these floods," she said. "Our hearts go to everybody in Cairns and the surrounding areas who have lost their homes and roads." "Hopefully our government gets in to fix everything up as quick as possible, it’s the week of Christmas." Image credits: Facebook

Travel Trouble

“There were bodies everywhere”: Five people dead in horror pub crash

Disturbing details have emerged from a horror crash where five people have died after a BMW crashed into a beer garden at a pub in regional Victoria. On Sunday evening in Daylesford, north of Melbourne, families were enjoying the last of the weekend at the Royal Hotel when a BMW X5 crashed into the busy venue. The pub was filled with hundreds of patrons in the hours before the crash due to the unofficial long weekend before Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup public holiday in Victoria. Superintendent John Fitzpatrick confirmed on Sunday night about 11pm four people had died at the scene: two men and a woman and a six-year-old boy, while a fifth person, a teenage girl, later died in hospital. Four others were injured, while a boy is fighting for his life in hospital. “I haven’t seen anything this drastic for a long time,” he said. “Any time you have five people die at a particular scene, it’s horrible.” “There are families that have got loved ones that are no longer going to be around.” “We don’t like to see anyone lose their life but to see a child – you don’t ever want to see anything like that.” The driver of the BMW, a 66-year-old man, was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. "The exact circumstances surrounding the collision are yet to be determined and investigations remain ongoing," Superintendent Fitzpatrick said. “We are waiting to speak to him… It’s a very complex scene.” A woman who was working at the business next door to the pub witnessed the horrific moment, recalling how she and her staff saw bodies lying on the pavement. “We’re all pretty shocked,” she said. “It’s pretty bad, I’ve never seen anything so traumatic in my life.” “There were bodies everywhere, it was horrifying,” she said. “I watched the whole crash. The car went up into the sky. I thought it was just dust. It’s only now I know it was bodies.” Infrastructure Minister Catherine King, whose electorate Ballarat includes Daylesford, said the community was “devastated” by the incident. “Five people have lost their lives, and their families’ lives have changed forever. “It will really have shocked a lot of people, and I think we’re really only just coming to terms with what happened today.” “These sort of terrible accidents, the sort of level of trauma goes on for a long period of time, and people will need a lot of support and care, and the police obviously will need to undertake a significant investigation into what’s happened.” Image credits: Nine News

News

Iconic Crocodile Dundee pub hits the market

The iconic Aussie pub that was made famous in Crocodile Dundee has hit the market. The Walkabout Creek Hotel, located in the remote Western Australian town of McKinlay, is up for sale with an asking price of $1.4 million. The local watering hole, which featured in the famous Paul Hogan film, features a public bar, pool room, store room, office, kitchen and a veranda. It also has nine rooms for accommodation and an attached caravan park for out of town visitors. The <a href="https://www.vzrealestate.com.au/listings/rural_sale-3742335-mckinlay/?doing_wp_cron=1694572016.2800199985504150390625" target="_blank" rel="noopener">listing</a> for the pub reads, "This could be the perfect opportunity to purchase a piece of Australian movie history and a great business all while enjoying true country atmosphere and breaking away from busy city life." The property was listed for sale by its owners Debbie and Frank Wust, who are retiring after owning the pub for nine years. “One thing that will always stick in my mind is when we first took over the joint, we had to keep pinching ourselves," Mr Wust told <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-07-22/crocodile-dundee-pub-for-sale/101256696" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC</a>. <div data-component="EmphasisedText"> "We were like, 'Holy moly, we own the Crocodile Dundee pub!'" </div> "It definitely took a bit of getting used to, but honestly, we've been living the dream." "Who doesn't want to own a pub? Any time you want a drink you just go behind the bar and help yourself." Mr Wust said travellers from the UK and the US had made the trek all the way to Australia just to see the pub. Although Debbie and Frank are looking forward to their retirement, they admitted they will be sad when the day comes to had the keys over to the pub's new owner. <p class="paragraph_paragraph__3Hrfa" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif;">"I'm really gonna miss the people out here — there are so many great characters," Mr Wust said. <p class="paragraph_paragraph__3Hrfa" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif;">"But I reckon we'll be back each year." <p class="paragraph_paragraph__3Hrfa" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif;">"It'll be exciting to see what the next lot do with it — if you're gonna buy a pub, may as well make it a famous one." Image credits: Getty Images / VZ Real Estate

Domestic Travel

"Is it even legal?": Outrage over pub's "sneaky" surcharge

A Sydney hotel has come under fire online after one customer exposed the popular venue for an unexpected - and apparently undeclared - “late night surcharge”. And after taking to Reddit, that same customer found a wave of support from users who agreed the additional fee was ridiculous, with some even questioning the legalities of it. And while they hadn’t initially revealed the name of the sneaky establishment, after a number of requests from fellow Redditors for a “name and shame”, they eventually disclosed that it had been Sydney’s iconic Oxford Hotel. They began their tale by sharing that they’d just been out with a friend, and had been buying “jugs of beer as rounds”. The first was “purchased at 9:18pm for $24.36”, and wasn’t an issue for the two friends. However, trouble arose at 10:37pm when the poster’s next round came about, and the total came in at $33.50. “I paid for it not looking at the price but Apple Pay has notifications when you pay for things,” they explained, “and I noticed the price difference in the notifications. “When I asked the same staff member who served me he said there was a ‘late night surcharge after 10pm’.” They went on to note that they’d never even heard of a late night surcharge before, and were dismayed by the “30% increase! Not exactly a small increase.” “There’s no signage to notify anyone of the fee after 10pm. I’ve never even heard of this practice in Australia,” they said, before asking whether anyone else had had a similar experience before, and “is it even legal?” When someone noted that “surcharges and semi-forced gratuities are becoming commonplace now unfortunately”, they suggested checking out menus beforehand to determine whether or not a particular establishment would be issuing additional fees. But as one user pointed out, the hotel in question didn’t list the late night charges anywhere on their website. Someone else said that while “late charge surcharging is nothing new”, what the customer had paid “seems somewhat excessive”. “Every time I go out in Sydney these days the whole experience just leaves a bad feeling because I feel like I've just been had by someone,” another said. “Ahh, the reverse happy hour. A sad hour, if you will,” one offered. “So sick of this. It needs to stop. Australian Culture is being killed before our eyes by these greedy establishments not willing to pay their staff living wages,” someone else lamented. And as one bartender added, “so many bars will bump their booze prices up at 10pm and midnight to ‘help pay for staff loading’, but won't actually pay their staff penalty rates. just a little bit of extra money for the big wigs”. Images: Facebook

Travel Trouble

Pub trivia baffles the internet

Social media has been sent into trivia turmoil after one Reddit user uploaded a picture from a pub trivia session, declaring that their “mate left before getting the answer”. The image in question, which appeared on a quiz sheet at Sydney’s Penrith Gaels Club, features the silhouettes of five individuals - two female heads and three male figures, with check marks above the heads of the women. “From pub trivia, mate left before getting the answer,” the Reddit user explained, before posing the question, “any ideas?” According to the user, these kinds of questions are typically either a phrase or a saying, but that was the only clue any of them had when it came to figuring out the bizarre puzzle. The post has since gathered over 9,000 responses, with 2.1k commenters stopping by to share their thoughts on the situation. <iframe id="reddit-embed" style="border: none;" src="https://www.redditmedia.com/r/australia/comments/11ezzi0/from_pub_trivia_mate_left_before_getting_the/?ref_source=embed&ref=share&embed=true" width="640" height="468" scrolling="no" sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups"></iframe> Some took their chance at guessing, some simply marvelled at the entertainment the struggle was providing, and one even had a laugh at the mate’s expense, noting that they’d fled at “Puzzle #1”. The potential answers kept rolling, but with many stellar contenders, no-one could reach an agreement, though amusement was high as the discussion went on. “Behind all great men is a ticked off woman?” wrote one user, to 670 upvotes. “The right men check on ladies first?” suggested one. “The only thing I've got is two's company, three's a crowd,” was another popular guess, with the user adding, “it's a bit weak, though.” “Is it a microphone test?” asked one clever commenter, “check, check. 1-2, 1-2-3.” Eventually, the original poster informed everyone that he’d taken the plunge and reached out to the pub for the answer, “but another Redditer commented saying he was there and that the Trivia Master accepted all answers because no one got it.” And to what should have been the delight of everyone involved, he got an answer - it just wasn’t nearly as funny as anything they’d come up with on the Reddit thread, with the crowd of trivia fans given a new burst of energy is expressing their annoyance with the uninspired solution. “Alright, the pub saw the post and they have found the answer that the Trivia Master was looking for,” he announced, “the answer is ‘Ladies First’. A little bit anticlimactic but at least we have the answer now.” Images: Reddit

Travel Trouble

“I'm really upset about the schnitty”: Karl tees off on outrageous price hike

Karl Stefanovic has labelled Sydney as “nuts” after hearing a pub is charging $46.70 for a basic chicken schnitzel, chips and salad. Stefanovic was reacting to news from a reporter at Five Dock Bowling Club. “That's why Sydney has lost the plot. It's not even good there... I'm really upset about the schnitty. How many bread crumbs?,” he said. “That's why we stay home and make our own food, parmies, schnitties - $40, that's crazy.” The reporter, Luscie McLead, said the schnitzel without the sides costs $28.90. If you’re after chips, you need to pay an extra $6.90, and adding a salad would cost you an additional $8.90. The bowling club also charges an extra 10 per cent surcharge on weekends and public holidays. McLead said buying all the ingredients from a supermarket to make the same dinner for a family costs almost the same as just one meal from the bowling club. “To put it into perspective, I went to Coles, bought the ingredients, $56. Karl, you could make it home,” she said. Karl agreed, saying, “Just whack it in the air fryer and Bob's your uncle.” A venue just down the road from the bowling club charges $24 for a chicken schnitzel, which includes two sides. Five Dock’s Bowling Club defended its high prices, saying it isn’t a bowling club, it’s a “private restaurant.” “The only thought behind keeping the building name as Five Dock Bowling Club was as a reference for people to know its location and whereabouts, as the site first opened in 1933, not to denote the offering,” owner Pierre Moio told <a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/sydney-confidential/restaurant-at-five-dock-bowling-club-surprises-locals-by-charging-35-for-schnitzel-and-chips/news-story/a0ed949ab1f851a7440866f0f870439c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Telegraph</a>. “We are not a registered club. We don't have poker machines, we are not subsidised by gambling. We are a private restaurant. “There are enough places offering $15 meals nearby. We made a conscious choice to be different and maybe that attracts a new market.” Recent data from the Consumer Price Index found Australians were paying 9.4 per cent more for food and non-alcoholic in November 2022 when compared to the same time in 2021. Image credit: Getty

Money & Banking

Pubs and clubs – your friendly neighbourhood money-laundering service, thanks to 86,640 pokies

Billions of dollars in proceeds of crime are being funnelled through clubs and pubs in New South Wales, <a href="https://www.crimecommission.nsw.gov.au/final-islington-report.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to</a> the NSW Crime Commission. Predictably, the industry is claiming it’s not an issue and solutions are too difficult. Laundering money through a local club or hotel involves loading cash into one of the state’s <a href="https://www.liquorandgaming.nsw.gov.au/resources/gaming-machine-data" target="_blank" rel="noopener">86,640 poker machines</a>, then cashing out and claiming the money as winnings. This is not a preferred method for most organised criminals, the crime commission says. Sophisticated criminals have other methods. But it is still a sizeable proportion of the estimated $20 billion in criminal proceeds laundered in NSW each year. In Queensland, you can put only $100 into a poker machine at one time. In Victoria the limit is $1,000. In NSW, newer machines allow $5,000, and older machines up to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/jul/14/nsw-poker-machine-laws-may-increase-risk-of-money-laundering-says-commission" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$10,000</a>. For supposedly harmless suburban fun it’s hard to understand why such sums are allowed. The findings of the NSW Crime Commission’s <a href="https://www.crimecommission.nsw.gov.au/final-islington-report.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">inquiry into money laundering via clubs and hotels</a> follow scandalous money-laundering revelations from casino inquiries in <a href="https://theconversation.com/not-suitable-where-to-now-for-james-packer-and-crowns-other-casinos-154938" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NSW</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/illegal-dishonest-unethical-and-exploitative-but-crown-resorts-keeps-its-melbourne-casino-licence-170625" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Victoria</a>, Western Australia and Queensland. Those inquiries found Crown Resorts and Star Entertainment allowed hundreds of millions of dollars to pass through their casinos, in contravention of anti-money-laundering regulations. Both companies were found not fit to hold their licences. Crown has been fined <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-30/crown-casino-fined-80-million-dollars-china-union-pay/101111660" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$80 million</a> in Victoria. Star has been fined <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-16/star-casino-set-to-be-fined-100-million/101541354" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$100 million</a> in NSW, and had its licence suspended. Both have been required to undergo extensive “renewal”. They have agreed to adopt cashless gaming to better protect against money laundering. It’s therefore unsurprising the NSW Crime Commission’s principal recommendation is to introduce a cashless system for all electronic gaming machines in NSW. Also unsurprising is that the industry is focused on why it shouldn’t. <h2>Cashless gambling recommended</h2> The NSW Crime Commission’s report recommends a cashless gambling system for pubs and clubs the same as for casinos – consistent with the identification requirements of Australia’s <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2021C00243" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act</a>. Electronic gaming cards would record amounts loaded and withdrawn, times, turnover, and losses/wins. The maximum amount of cash able to be loaded on to a player’s account in a single day would be $1,000. Josh Landis, the chief executive of ClubsNSW (which represents most of the state’s 1,200 licensed clubs) <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/sydney/programs/breakfast/breakfast/14090002" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has said</a> that such technology has not been trialled, and was uncosted and unproven. But Crown Resorts and Star Entertainment are implementing such systems. Similar systems have been operating successfully in Norway <a href="https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-571970219/view" target="_blank" rel="noopener">since 2009</a>, and in Sweden <a href="https://aifs.gov.au/resources/policy-and-practice-papers/pre-commitment-systems-electronic-gambling-machines" target="_blank" rel="noopener">since 2013</a>. Victoria has already implemented a card-based <a href="https://www.yourplay.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">precommitment system</a>, incorporating most necessary characteristics. Every poker machine in the state is linked to this system. Its flaw is that it is voluntary, allowing those who wish to clean dirty money, or avoid a limit, <a href="https://www.justice.vic.gov.au/safer-communities/gambling/evaluation-of-yourplay-final-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">to simply opt out</a>. <h2>It’s not just about money laundering</h2> Money laundering isn’t the only reason to introduce cashless gaming systems. On any day in NSW, <a href="https://www.responsiblegambling.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/881279/NSW-Gambling-Survey-2019-report-FINAL-AMENDED-Mar-2020.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hundreds of thousands of people</a> are experiencing significant gambling harm, mostly using poker machines. Many hundreds of thousands more – <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14459795.2017.1331252" target="_blank" rel="noopener">partners, children, employers</a> – are also harmed as a consequence. A pre-commitment system incorporating all the features of the NSW Crime Commission’s cashless model would stop money laundering and also help those struggling to control their gambling. For those who want to stop it would provide a truly effective gambling self-exclusion system. The Tasmanian government <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-16/tasmania-pokies-gambling-limits-reform-explained/101446788" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has promised to implement</a> a statewide system by 2024. <h2>A matter of political commitment</h2> The real test here isn’t technology. It’s political will. NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has expressed concern at the <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/premier-says-pokies-taxing-on-the-misery-of-others-vows-to-do-better-20221002-p5bmjz.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">exploitation of vulnerable people</a> via gambling. Opposition leader Chris Minns has <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/politics/nsw/coalition-labor-set-to-be-wedged-on-cashless-gaming-card-as-crossbench-pushes-for-reform-20221027-p5bteh.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said the crime commission’s report is concerning</a> but will not commit to a cashless card. ClubsNSW and the Australian Hotels Association are two of Australia’s most powerful lobby groups. According to an <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-11-23/how-gambling-industrys-biggest-political-donors-influence-votes/100592068" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC investigation</a>, they have doled out about a third of $40 million in political donations disclosed by gambling-related organisations over the past two decades. Since 2010, ClubsNSW has signed <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/the-million-dollar-men-who-run-the-clubs-industry-20221011-p5bowp.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">memorandums of understanding</a> with incoming governments to protect its members interests. In the first six months of 2022 (the <a href="https://nswgov.sharepoint.com/sites/GamingMachineReports/Shared%20Documents/Forms/AllItems.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">most recent data</a> available), people in NSW lost $4 billion using pokies – $2.4 billion in clubs, $1.6 billion in pubs. This is 23% more than the same period in 2019, before pandemic restrictions. Yet according to the Australian Hotels Association, the industry is on “<a href="https://www.afr.com/chanticleer/why-a-pokie-crackdown-will-have-pub-owners-nervous-20221026-p5bt48" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on its knees</a>” and being told to introduce “an unproven, untested, un-costed and unnecessary cashless system”. In NSW, gambling operators are not permitted to donate to state political campaigns. But ClubsNSW (and its member clubs) can because they are “<a href="https://www.elections.nsw.gov.au/Funding-and-disclosure/Political-donations/Unlawful-political-donations/Prohibited-donors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">not for profit</a>”. If this continues, political parties will be open to the allegation that they, like clubs, are benefiting from the proceeds of crime. Pokie operators have billions of reasons to assert this is no big deal. Politicians should take a different view. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/pubs-and-clubs-your-friendly-neighbourhood-money-laundering-service-thanks-to-86-640-pokies-193312" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Legal

Melbourne pub under fire for tasteless posts about Queen Elizabeth

A Melbourne pub is under fire for its tasteless social media posts following Queen Elizabeth’s death. Kelly’s Hotel in Cranbourne in Melbourne’s southeast shared Facebook updates after news broke of Queen Elizabeth’s death on September 8. One of the posts shows a photo of Prince Harry looking down at his grandmother smiling with the caption, “Do lunch before they die. The opportunities after are extremely limited”. Another post shows a photo of the queen with an inset of Prince Harry arriving to the palace after news broke of the late monarch’s death. "Yep, he cancelled lunch, time and time again," the post read. "'She’ll keep till next week!' he said, ‘It’s not as if it’s my Mum’s Mum’, he said. "But next week never arrived for Grannie Windsor. Do lunch with your oldie!!" The posts, which have since been deleted, received plenty of backlash from locals and social media users who are calling for a boycott of the pub. “Disgusting and very distasteful. After our last visits we'd never go there again. It's just a no go zone," someone wrote. "I know a few of us that will never go back...There is a difference between funny and grubby,” another commented. The hotel’s manager Michael Goldie however defended the posts saying the point was misunderstood. "Over the last two years they’ve been stuck in homes...we thought it might be good to remind younger people the importance of older people in their life," he said. Images: Facebook

Food & Wine

Chloé: how a 19th-century French nude ended up in a Melbourne pub – and became an icon for Australian soldiers

Chloé, the French nude by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jules_Joseph_Lefebvre">Jules Joseph Lefebvre</a>, is an Australian cultural icon. Chloé made its debut at the 1875 Paris Salon and won medals at the 1879 Sydney and 1880 Melbourne international exhibitions. In December 1880, Thomas Fitzgerald, a Melbourne surgeon, bought Chloé for his private collection. Two years later, when Fitzgerald loaned Chloé to the National Gallery of Victoria, a furious debate erupted in the press. Public opinion was <a href="https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/224814361">sharply divided</a> over the propriety of displaying a French nude painting on the Sabbath. Chloé spent the next three years at the Adelaide Picture Gallery, before Fitzgerald <a href="https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/94392855">removed her</a> from the public gaze. After the surgeon’s death in 1908, Henry Figsby Young bought Chloé for £800 and hung the famous nude in the saloon bar of Young and Jackson Hotel, opposite Flinders Street Station in Melbourne. Enjoying a drink with Chloé at the hotel has been a good luck ritual for Australian soldiers since the first world war. <h2>Longing for her lover</h2> According to the 1875 Paris Salon catalogue, Chloé depicts the water nymph in “Mnasyle et Chloé” by 18th century poet martyr <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andr%C3%A9_Ch%C3%A9nier">André Chénier</a>. Toes dipped in a puddling stream, longing and heartache etched on her lovely features, she listens for the voice of her lover. Chloé was created in the winter of 1874-75. France was still rebuilding after its defeat in the <a href="https://www.kcl.ac.uk/the-franco-prussian-war-150-years-on">Franco Prussian War</a> and the Versailles government’s brutal repression of the revolutionary <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWrnGZ_975I">Paris Commune</a>. Newspapers in France and around the world described women who supported the Commune as lethal <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C3%A9troleuses">pétroleuses</a>, or petrol carriers. The women were often blamed for destructive acts of arson carried out by Versailles troops during <a href="https://www.historytoday.com/miscellanies/paris-communes-bloody-week">The Bloody Week</a>. <a href="https://index-journal.org/issues/identity/evanescence-of-an-artist-s-model-by-katrina-kell">Jules Lefebvre claimed</a> his working class model for Chloé was involved with former Communards. She may have fought alongside other girls and women, and witnessed the widespread bloodshed that stained the streets of Paris red in 1871. This volatile chapter in French history has been absent from <a href="https://index-journal.org/issues/identity/evanescence-of-an-artist-s-model-by-katrina-kell">Chloé mythologies</a>. But Chloé was painted in the wake of war and revolution and of women’s inspiring activism, as women challenged the class and gender barriers that had limited their opportunities. <h2>Chloé and the Australian soldier</h2> The ritual of having a drink with Chloé at Young and Jackson Hotel, opposite <a href="https://heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/get-involved/tours/melbourne-at-war-hidden-histories-1914-18-audio-tour/melbourne-at-war-stop-2a/">Melbourne’s busiest railway station</a>, began after <a href="http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article89096318">Private A. P. Hill</a>, who was killed in action, put a message in a bottle and tossed it overboard. When the bottle was found in New Zealand in January 1918, his message read, "To the finder of this bottle. Take it to Young and Jackson’s, fill it, and keep it till we return from the war." The <a href="http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article148561880">hotel and Chloé</a> proved irresistible for returning soldiers. By the start of the second world war, Chloé and Young and Jackson’s were so enmeshed in military mythology they were included in the 2/21st Australian Infantry Battalion’s <a href="https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/11305333">official march song</a>: "Good-by Young and Jackson’s, Farewell Chloé too, It’s a long way to Bonegilla, But we’ll get there on stew." Tragically, on February 2 1942, the B and C Companies of the 2/21st Australian Infantry Battalion were massacred by Japanese forces at Laha Airfield on the Indonesian island of Ambon. Those who weren’t killed became prisoners of war. After Japan’s surrender in 1945, the Australian prisoners’ hopes for liberation were frustrated when Japanese officers refused to give them radio access. When they finally got a radio transmitter their SOS message was received on the neighbouring island of Morotai. The men were asked questions to prove they were “dinki-di Aussies”. One of the first questions Melbourne soldier John Van Nooten <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23494802-ambon">was asked was</a> “how would you like to see Chloé again?” When Van Nooten replied “Lead me to her”, the operator asked “where is she?” Van Nooten responded with Young and Jackson’s, finally convincing the operator he was Australian. <h2>A soldier’s consolation</h2> In his 1945 article <a href="https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/38559150">Seein’ Chloé</a>, West Australian journalist Peter Graeme claimed, "Chloé is to Melbourne what the Bridge is to Sydney. From the soldier’s point of view of course. All over Australia you meet men who have seen her […] Chloé belongs to the Australian soldier." Graeme recalled meeting a soldier at Young and Jackson’s who drained three drinks in front of Chloé. When he asked the soldier why he drank the beers in quick succession, the soldier said he was honouring a promise he and two mates had made to Chloé. The three of them had pledged to have a drink with her when they returned to Melbourne. His two friends never returned, buried at Scarlet Beach in New Guinea. As Graeme concluded in his poignant tale, Chloé may have been, "the symbol of the feminine side of his life. That part which he puts away from him, except in his inarticulate dreams." The soldier’s grief for the mates he lost, and the comfort drinking with the painting gave him, seems to resonate with the longing in Chloé’s melancholy expression, and the war-torn history behind this celebrated Melbourne icon. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared in <a href="https://theconversation.com/chloe-how-a-19th-century-french-nude-ended-up-in-a-melbourne-pub-and-became-an-icon-for-australian-soldiers-180032" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation. </a>

Art

Afterpay enters Aussie pubs, experts warn of “debt spiral”

Afterpay – the popular buy now, pay later (BNPL) service – has made the jump from retail stores to over 160 Aussie pubs. But consumer advocates are worried that the move could send some people into a “debt spiral”. Australian Venue Co (AVC) has become the first hospitality group to partner with Afterpay as part of its ‘Dine Now, Pay Later’ offering – which rolls out across its venues from November 15. AVC CEO Paul Waterson said the decision was driven by customer demand, who he said have shifted away from credit cards, as well as a desire to offer convenient experiences for guests, “We’re not afraid to go first. As a group, we seek out other industry leaders who we can work with to innovate on behalf of our customers,” he said. “We are looking forward to our guests being able to choose an alternative, innovative way to pay for dining out at our pubs.” However Katherine Temple, the policy and campaigns director at the Consumer Action Law Centre, said the centre has seen more people struggling with BNPL debts, making the move from AVC all the more concerning. “Often buy now, pay later is part of a larger debt so people are also struggling with existing credit card debts or personal loans or utility loans, so it’s rarely the only type of debt when they come to us,” she told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/money/costs/afterpay-moves-into-hospitality-with-australian-venue-co/news-story/b569dcf94efcde0e5eef2ba79852c24f" target="_blank">news.com.au</a>. “The debt varies but it can be [from] a couple of thousand dollars up to tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt and we are hearing from people of all ages and walks of life that are using these products now.” James Hunt, a policy advisor at Financial Counselling Australia, told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.goodfood.com.au/eat-out/news/twobeer-pub-trip-or-sixweek-hangover-afterpay-comes-to-the-pub-20211104-h1zlwk" target="_blank">Good Food</a> that Afterpay and other BNPL companies aren’t required to check if customers can afford the repayments, “so unfortunately many people are ending up with unmanageable debt”. Ms Temple shares those concerns, citing a lack of safeguards “to ensure people can afford to make repayments”, which she says exacerbates “financial hardship and money problems”. “Buy now, pay later is everywhere now and is normalising debt particularly for younger people,” she said. A spokesperson for Afterpay said the company enters new consumer markets based on demand. “As credit cards steeply decline, Australians are looking for smarter ways to manage their budget, using their own money, and avoiding interest and debt traps,” they said. They also said the Afterpay’s product has built-in spending rules to ensure customers don’t pay interest or revolve in debt. “Customers are unable to continue using Afterpay if they are late on a single instalment,” they added. However, customers do pay some fees if they miss a payment, with Afterpay collecting a whopping $70 million in late fees in 2020. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) also criticised Afterpay, Zip, and other BNPL providers for charging excessive fees. In a report released last year, the regulator found that one in five BNPL users are missing payments. It also found that 15 percent of users had taken out additional loans to pay for the services. As for Afterpay’s place in pubs, chief spokesperson for CANSTAR Steve Mickenbacker said it could be especially challenging to navigate. “You visit a pub, perhaps budgeting to buy two drinks … BNPL puts you in a position to turn those two drinks into eight,” he said. “Without self-discipline, that two-beer pub trip could become a six-week hangover.” Images: Getty Images

Money & Banking

Winners of the Wotif Uniquely Aussie Awards crowned

With every small Aussie town claiming to have the best pubs, bakeries and hot chips, the <a href="https://www.wotif.com/vc/blog/australia/trending/2021-uniquely-aussie-awards/">Wotif.com Uniquely Aussie Awards</a> have made the definitive decisions. The travel site announced the winners of the six prestigious awards, as an annual guide to Australia’s quintessential experiences in both food and culture. The awards were designed to highlight some of the nation’s best kept secrets in small towns, beachside communities and occasionally, the big cities. The awards are Best Jaffle, Best Vanilla Slice, Best Country Pub, Best Hot Chips, Best Hotel Pool and Best National Park. This year, New South Wales took home the crown for the Best Jaffle, with the award going to Miss Jaffles in Cronulla, and Best Country Pub going to the Beechwood Hotel in Beechwood (just half an hour drive from Port Macquarie). Queensland’s JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort and Spa claimed the title of Best Hotel Pool, while the iconic Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory was named Best National Park. The elite foodie awards went to the Bridgewater Bakehouse in Victoria for the Best Vanilla Slice, and Chicken Chef in Blair Athol, South Australia took home the Best Hot Chips title. Wotif managing director Daniel Finch said the awards are an opportunity for locals to nominate the unsung heroes of their community for national recognition. “Country charm, cheesy jaffles and creamy vanilla slices - no one does them quite like Australia, and the thousands of nominations we received this year shows Aussies are a passionate bunch,” he said. “There's so much to love and discover about Australia, and with a really exciting summer period ahead, we hope to inspire and encourage Aussies to plan their next adventure and support local businesses.” With the awards in their fourth year, Daniel said the 2021 awards have showcased an outpouring of community spirit, especially as local businesses have had a tough 18 months due to the pandemic. With thousands of votes from all over the country, it's clear to see that Aussies are passionate about their homegrown customs, and supporting their local communities along the way. Image credit: Getty Images

Food & Wine

Iconic 130-year-old Aussie pub hits the market

After serving drinks in Queensland’s far north for over 130 years, The Lions Den Hotel has been listed for sale. The hotel is one of Australia’s most iconic pubs and one of the oldest continuously operating hotels in Queensland. Its current owner, Judy Fry, has run the pub since 2005 but has said it’s time for her to retire. “It’s become a bit too much for me,” the 70-year-old said. “I don’t want to sell it - I really love it, but I have to be realistic about it.” Sitting on almost three hectares of land along the Bloomfield Track that cuts through the Daintree Rainforest, the pub has seen a long list of adventure seekers exploring Cape York. The pub is still housed in the original building, and boasts the signatures of tin miners and other visitors on the walls and ceilings dating back to the 1800s “I love that it’s not in a town - the people that come here are genuine people that like to come here to learn a little bit about the history and spend a few days,” she said. “It’s part of Australian history and I would really like to see it preserved. “The building is still original, the floors are still original and the place still tells a story.” The sale includes the pub - which also houses a museum and a shop - as well as a caravan park and camping grounds. After running the place for so many years, Ms Fry hopes the new owners can keep up the hotel's storied traditions. “I really hope whoever takes it on keeps the history going and keeps it the way it is,” she said. “It’s a fair bit of work and ideally it would be suited to two couples to run it.” The property is being sold by Harcourts International, with agent Shaun Bishop describing the Lions Den as a “genuine slice of history with a loyal following”. Images: Harcourt International

Real Estate

Handyman builds his wife a pub in their garage for just $300

After eight weeks in lockdown, one Sydney man has had enough. Unable to visit the pub due to COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, Daniel Rule decided to bring the pub to him. His wife Kaylyn told Sunrise that she had mentioned to her husband that lockdown was making her miss going to her local pub for a cold one. Agreeing with her, Daniel pulled his resources and decided to build a pub in the garage of their Sydney home. “I honestly didn’t think it would happen as fast as it did - it was all done within a couple of hours,” Kaylyn told the Channel Seven breakfast show. The impressive set-up features a bar bench made out of wooden pallets, flashing lights and bar stools. Daniel purchased all the materials at a cost of $300, after browsing Bunnings Warehouse and local businesses on Facebook Marketplace. Kaylyn decided to document the construction process on her TikTok account, and the video has been viewed over half a million times. In the video, Daniel creates the bar by nailing together wooden pallets before sanding down the surface and applying varnish. He also mounts two shelves to the back bar to hold alcohol and a television for watching their favourite sports. Kalyn said the reaction to the video has been “crazy”. <div class="hide-print ad-no-notice css-qyun7f-StyledAdUnitWrapper ezkyf1c0"> “I just wanted to make the video so I could show our friends and family - we honestly didn’t think it would blow up like this.” <div class="hide-print css-drbrjk-StyledCardContainer e148s7sr3"> <div class="e148s7sr1 Card-Media css-m8orbs-StyledMedia-StyledCardMedia e1m2h3dd6"> <div class="Card-Media-Content css-1kaoam0-StyledMediaContent e1m2h3dd7">Image credit: TikTok @kaylyn.rule</div> </div> </div> </div>

Home & Garden

The Aussie businesses offering a vaccine incentive you won't be able to turn down

A group of Aussie businesses are planning a unique way to encourage people to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Josh Landis, CEO of Clubs NSW, is backing nation-wide vaccine incentives and is planning to offer free beers to customers who are fully jabbed, once NSW is out of lockdown. Most of Landis' clubs are currently closed due to the Greater Sydney lockdown, and he says the incentive works for both Australians and for his business. "If you're one of those people who gets vaccinated, you've done the right thing, gotten a couple of jabs for Australia, then we want to reward you," he told A Current Affair. <img style="width: 500px; height: 280.44871794871796px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842861/aca-screenshot.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/dff6d57c53f74ef5a37c2c0404edb1aa" /> He also plans to work with other businesses around the country to have similar incentives offered to those in other states. Paul Zahra from the Australian Retailers Association said he would like to see other Australian retailers do their part to boost the amount of jabs in arms. "We now have three states in lockdown, we can't continue to survive like this the actual economic cost is building," he said. Shops such as Bunnings could soon become vaccination hubs, and he said other businesses are ready to offer incentives once more vaccines are available to the public. The incentive program has been inspired by the US, who have been offering food, alcohol, million dollar lotteries and even college scholarships to those who are fully vaccinated. Paul Zahra went on to say, "Here in Australia the airlines have actually announced free frequent flyer points so we know incentives work and we're watching this space very closely." Image credits: Getty Images

Caring

"We're COVID-safe": The VIC pub defying police orders and staying open

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post-body-container"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> The Pastoral Hotel in Echuca is defying lockdown orders and police action by keeping its doors open to customers. "We've opened up as of Monday," publican Trevor Andrews said. "We've had people in the bar all yesterday, had some people in the bistro." Customers have been warned to come in at their own risk, despite police coming in and handing Andrews an official notice. "Police came in yesterday and gave me a notice saying these people aren't meant to be here," Mr Andrews said. "I believe they're going to get a fine." Pub goers believe it's not fair they're going to be fined. "I think it's like $1600, but no one here can afford that," customer Scott said. "We could be breaking actual laws like home-invading ... this is a human right," another pubgoer said. Andrews is committed to keeping his pub open as there are bills he needs to pay and he's been financially crippled by the lockdowns. "We're COVID-safe, and we've been that way since day one ... we should be allowed to open." "Our bills here ... you're looking at a $3000 a month power bill, a $1000 a month gas bill, let alone the insurance, wages and everything else," Mr Andrews said. "The ultimate thing is they can probably end up taking my licence away," Mr Andrews said. "And then I've got no pub - the beer but no pub - but there's ways around those things too." Victoria Police told <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/victorian-pub-remains-open-despite-beiing-prohibited-amid-lockdown/c7c8dedb-3c9c-4122-9c6a-0987e99eb85a">Nine News</a> that they won't be commenting on the incident. </div> </div> </div> </div>

Travel Trouble

"This is so wrong": Scott Morrison blasted over "tone deaf" photo

A photo of Scott Morrison posing with employees at a UK pub has sparked intense backlash from frustrated Australians. The Jamaica Inn in Launceston, England, posted a photo of the smiling PM to Facebook on Monday. “Pleasure to have the Australian Prime Minister [and] his 20+ personal team for lunch this weekend. You never know what you might find at Jamaica Inn!” it was captioned. Morrison flew to the UK last week to attend the G7 summit as a guest. However, Aussies are not impressed by his pit stop at the pub after being told by the government overseas travel won't be possible until 2022. Hundreds of people took to the Facebook post to vent their frustration, calling the picture "tone deaf". <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FJamaicaInnCornwall%2Fposts%2F10158795209417800&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="609" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe> “I can’t decide if I’m more angry or sad over this post. So many of us would give anything to see our UK families. Where’s the compassion?” one woman commented under the image. “What a joke. End off. He should have to quarantine when he gets back,” one man said, adding that he and his wife may move back to the UK so they can visit family. “He is laughing at us. This is above ridiculous. He continues posting photos that go against what he preaches,” another woman said. “I can’t believe the audacity of this man! Double standards,” a third woman chimed in. “This is so wrong. He keeps fellow Australians locked in while enjoying lunches overseas at taxpayers' expense,” one man wrote. Currently, any Australian who is granted an exemption to travel overseas must pay for mandatory hotel quarantine upon their return. Unlike most people, Morrison will quarantine at The Lodge in Canberra, News.com.au reported.

Travel Trouble

NSW outbreak: Sydney pub-goers ordered to self-isolate

All the people who visited a pub in Sydney’s southwest over an eight-day period have been told to self-isolate regardless of their COVID-19 test result after authorities confirmed nine coronavirus cases linked to the establishment. An 18 year-old staffer from the Crossroads Hotel in Casula and a close contact in her 50s, along with a woman in her 40s and a Victorian man in his 20s, are the latest to test positive for the virus. NSW Health has urged anyone who entered the Crossroads Hotel in Casula between July 3 and 10 to self-isolate for 14 days. “Even if you get a negative test, that does not mean you are out of the woods and hence we are asking that you isolate yourself for 14 days since you were last at the Crossroads Hotel,” said NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant. “A negative result does not mean you can breach self-isolation.” About 1,600 customers have been tested at the pop-up testing clinic at the hotel since Friday, <a href="https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/health-wellbeing/8-day-infection-period-pub-goers-told-to-self-isolate-regardless-of-covid-test-result-c-1160653">7News</a> reported. Federal Labor MP Anne Stanley was among the patrons who dined at the pub. In a Facebook post, she said she has been tested for coronavirus and is entering self-isolation for 14 days. The outbreak highlighted <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jul/12/crossroads-hotel-thousands-told-to-isolate-for-two-weeks-as-sydney-cluster-grows">the importance of businesses recording the contact details of sit-down customers</a>, Chant said. “When you do go into cafes, restaurants and other facilities, there is a reason we ask you for those details,” she said. “Please use correct numbers [and] write legibly because this will be in your best interest.” The Planet Fitness Gym, which is located hundreds of metres from the pub, has also closed its doors after one of its employees tested positive for the virus. Anyone who visited the gym on July 9 or 10 has been advised to be tested for coronavirus immediately. On Sunday, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced travellers returning to the state will be charged for their fortnight hotel quarantine starting next week. The first adult in each party will be charged $3,000. Additional adults will be billed a further $1,000 and children over three years old $500. “Cost hasn’t been the main challenge for us, it has been making sure we get the logistics right,” Berejiklian said. “New South Wales is still processing more than six or seven times what other states are processing and, on that basis, we want to make sure we are putting resources where they are needed.” The premier said the next four weeks would be critical in the fight to contain COVID-19. “We have the chance now to really clamp down on community transmission or else unfortunately we’ll go down the track of what Victoria is going through.”

News

Our Partners

Over 60

News

Shop

Catalogues

Contests

Entertainment

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Property

Games

Information

Keep up to date

Search

Family of Hannah McGuire make heart-wrenching decision

Man restores mate's dream pub after tragic death

One humble Sydney pub's big plans for Princess Mary's coronation

Aussies brave flood waters for a drink at the pub

“There were bodies everywhere”: Five people dead in horror pub crash

Iconic Crocodile Dundee pub hits the market

"Is it even legal?": Outrage over pub's "sneaky" surcharge

Pub trivia baffles the internet

“I'm really upset about the schnitty”: Karl tees off on outrageous price hike

Pubs and clubs – your friendly neighbourhood money-laundering service, thanks to 86,640 pokies

Melbourne pub under fire for tasteless posts about Queen Elizabeth

Chloé: how a 19th-century French nude ended up in a Melbourne pub – and became an icon for Australian soldiers

Afterpay enters Aussie pubs, experts warn of “debt spiral”

Winners of the Wotif Uniquely Aussie Awards crowned

Iconic 130-year-old Aussie pub hits the market

Handyman builds his wife a pub in their garage for just $300

The Aussie businesses offering a vaccine incentive you won't be able to turn down

"We're COVID-safe": The VIC pub defying police orders and staying open

"This is so wrong": Scott Morrison blasted over "tone deaf" photo

NSW outbreak: Sydney pub-goers ordered to self-isolate

Our Partners