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"Disgraceful": Government red tape causes funeral to be cancelled

<p>A local council has cancelled a funeral just 24 hours before it was set to take place due to government red tape. </p> <p>Ever since Shellharbour local Judy passed away, her brother Ron had been working hard to give her a decent send off. </p> <p>However, less than one day before her planned funeral, the Shellharbour Council cancelled the service over an unpaid burial fee. </p> <p>Ron had been liaising with two government agencies to get payment to council for the burial, which <a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/sydney-council-cancels-funeral-after-government-fails-to-pay-burial-fee-on-time/60cfa883-6a45-4ff7-badd-1a2e4c52b6aa" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>A Current Affair</em></a> said was a matter of one government organisation waiting for a simple sign off from another government agency.</p> <p>Confirmation of the payment came through just one day after the funeral should have gone ahead.</p> <p>Ron was left heartbroken over the cancellation and said the council was "very disrespectful" in their dealings, and said he is owed an apology. </p> <p>"Disgraceful in fact. Low-life mongrels to do that to any family in this sort of situation," Ron told <em>ACA</em>.</p> <p>He says the most devastating part was calling family one by one, including Judy's intellectually disabled son, to deliver the news, as he recalled, "He was in tears. I had to get his support worker over just to calm him down."</p> <p>Shellharbour City Council told <em>A Current Affair</em> via email it was "unable to grant interment rights which are legally required before a burial because the fee hadn't been paid".</p> <p>They went on to say in a statement, "Shellharbour City Council acknowledges the complexity of the burial process and apologises for the hurt the family has experienced."</p> <p><em>Image credits: A Current Affair </em></p>

Legal

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"Lots of NDAs": Channel Nine could face class action

<p>Channel Nine could face a class action over <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/damning-report-exposes-toxic-workplace-culture-at-channel-nine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">allegations of bullying</a>, sexual harassment and inappropriate conduct, according to one of Australia's leading employment lawyers Josh Bornstein. </p> <p>Bornstein told<em><a href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/media/channel-nine-could-face-class-action-over-allegations-of-bullying-sexual-harassment-and-inappropriate-conduct/news-story/7e7f5979007ae16ae81621e48e48acab" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> news.com.au</a></em> that a class action might be an option for men and women who were the victims of a "hostile workplace". </p> <p>“There is a provision of the Sex Discrimination Act that is relatively recent and was introduced as a result of the Respect At Work changes,” he said.</p> <p>“It is a new provision that says that it’s a breach of the Act for an employer to maintain a workplace that is hostile for women.</p> <p>“So in light of the report, which indicates widespread bullying, sexism, punishment, sexual harassment, and favouritism of male reporters over female reporters getting access to stories, there is at least the basis on which to start considering whether a class action could be brought.”</p> <p>Bornstein is the principal lawyer at Maurice Blackburn, a law firm that has won more than  $4.3 billion in settlements for clients since their inception in 1998. </p> <p>“If the report is right, it’s systemic, which means many women have been impacted, and they’ve been subjected to an environment that’s hostile to them because of their gender, and if they’ve been harmed by that, a class action could give them some form of redress," he added. </p> <p>However, one of the complications would be the nondisclosure agreements some of the women may have signed before leaving the companies. </p> <p>“I’m aware there’s lots of NDA, particularly at Nine, and lots of releases as well.</p> <p>“A class action just requires a sufficiently large enough group of affected people who come together to lodge a case that says, ‘This is the sort of workplace environment we’ve been subjected to’.</p> <p>“They have to show that they’ve been subjected to the sorts of behaviours that are dealt with in the report and that or that adverse conduct was based on their gender, and then if they were able to show that the law had been breached, then compensation would be based on individual harm.”</p> <p>He added that in his opinion, while it might be better "for women to band together to pursue a collective case" it may be a bit more difficult as "there’s a fear that if you take on commercial networks, that’s the end of your career," which he said is a "well founded" fear. </p> <p><em>Image: FiledIMAGE / Shutterstock.com</em></p>

Legal

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Qantas faces the music for selling seats on cancelled flights

<p dir="ltr">Qantas has been fined a whopping $120 million for purposefully misleading customers on flight bookings for several years. </p> <p dir="ltr">After being sued by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) over dishonest conduct relating to the sale of tickets on cancelled flights, the airline admitted they were deceiving travellers by continuing to sell tickets on flights that had already been cancelled. </p> <p dir="ltr">On Tuesday, Justice Helen Rofe formally ordered Qantas to pay a $100 million fine for their conduct, and another $20 million to travellers who were affected. </p> <p dir="ltr">Qantas agreed to pay $225 to affected customers on domestic flights and $450 on international flights.</p> <p dir="ltr">"This is a substantial penalty, which sets a strong signal to all businesses, big or small, that they will face serious consequences if they mislead their customers," ACCC chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said in a statement following the court orders.</p> <p dir="ltr">Earlier this year, Cass-Gottlieb described Qantas’ conduct as “egregious and unacceptable”, after data showed that between May 2021 and August 2023, the airline sold tickets on cancelled flights to more than 86,000 customers.</p> <p dir="ltr">In addition to cancelling the flights, the airline also failed to inform travellers that their flights were no longer going ahead as scheduled. </p> <p dir="ltr">ACCC barrister Christopher Caleo claimed that some senior airline managers knew about different aspects of the issue, including the fact that cancelled flights were not removed from booking pages or that customers could still book those flights, but no single manager was aware of the severity of the issue. </p> <p dir="ltr">"Qantas was aware of deficiencies in their systems," Caleo said. "Despite their awareness, it persisted over an extended period of time and affected a large number of consumers."</p> <p dir="ltr">Caleo added that the sizable fine presented to Qantas was required in order to deter them from any further devious conduct. </p> <p dir="ltr">"A penalty must send a signal to other companies in Australia, particularly to other large companies, that contraventions of Australian consumer law will not be tolerated," he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It must sting and must not be an acceptable cost for Qantas for failing to have systems in place."</p> <p dir="ltr">Qantas said it has made changes to its systems and agreed to notify customers of cancelled flights no longer than 48 hours from cancelling a flight and stop selling tickets for those journeys within 24 hours, with these changes also taking effect with subsidiary Jetstar.</p> <p dir="ltr">"The fact that Qantas made these changes makes it clear that Qantas wants to avoid the matter from occurring again," barrister Ruth Higgins said.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p> </p>

Travel Trouble

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Police commissioner faces his son's killer in court

<p>The South Australian police commissioner has faced the young man accused of killing his son in a hit and run in an Adelaide court, sharing an emotional statement about his family's grief. </p> <p>Randhawa, 19, was behind the wheel when he struck Charlie Stevens, 18, who was out celebrating schoolies with his friends. </p> <p>Randhawa has pleaded guilty to aggravated driving without due care and leaving an accident scene after causing death, as Charlie died from his irreversible brain injuries following the crash. </p> <p>“Not a single day goes by when we don’t talk about Charlie, when we don’t talk about him together, there is not a day when we don’t shed a tear thinking about our son and how much we miss him,” Commissioner Grant Stevens said. </p> <p>“Charlie would have been 19 on the 28th of April this year, but instead of celebrating it, it took all our efforts just to get through the day. And we know that that grief is with us for the rest of our lives.”</p> <p>Mr Stevens then addressed Randhawa directly as he said, “We acknowledge you have taken responsibility for what you have done and we are sure this has been difficult for you.”</p> <p>“But you get to move on and the people close to you still have you in their lives. We don’t have Charlie and we want you to remember that.”</p> <p>Charlie’s sister Sophie Tregloan also addressed Randhawa, saying, “Do I hate you? Yes, I absolutely do – but what I hate most is what you’ve taken from myself and my family.”</p> <p>“You have taken so much from us in a split second dumb decision. It’s Charlie’s heart I will miss the most. He was kind, inclusive of all, a pillar of strength.”</p> <p>Randhawa then delivered an emotional apology to the Stevens’ family, saying, “You’re always on my mind and so is Charlie and you will be forever.”</p> <p>“There’s so much I’d like to say but mostly I want to say I’m sorry, and I’m sorry Charlie.”</p> <p>Judge Joanne Tracey is still considering an appropriate sentence for Randhawa, who is out on bail.</p> <p><em>Image credits: SA Police / Facebook</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Offering end of life support as part of home care is important – but may face some challenges

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jennifer-tieman-378102">Jennifer Tieman</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/flinders-university-972">Flinders University</a></em></p> <p>Earlier this month, the government announced <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-government-has-a-new-plan-for-residential-aged-care-heres-whats-changing-238765">major changes</a> to aged care in Australia, including a A$4.3 billion <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-the-governments-home-care-changes-mean-for-ageing-australians-238890">investment in home care</a>.</p> <p>Alongside a shake up of home care packages, the Support at Home program will include an important addition – an <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-09/support-at-home-fact-sheet.pdf">end of life pathway</a> for older Australians.</p> <p>This pathway will allow access to a <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/support-at-home/features">higher level</a> of in-home aged care services to help Australians stay at home as they come to the end of their life. Specifically, it will provide an extra A$25,000 for palliative support when a person has three months or less left to live.</p> <p>This is a positive change. But there may be some challenges to implementing it.</p> <h2>Why is this important?</h2> <p>Older people have made clear their preference to remain in their homes as they age. For <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0269216313487940">most people</a>, home is where they would like to be during their last months of life. The space is personal, familiar and comforting.</p> <p>However, data from the <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/research/classifying-place-death-australian-mortality-statistics">Australian Bureau of Statistics</a> shows most people who die between the ages of 65 and 84 die in hospital, while most people aged 85 and older die in residential aged care.</p> <p>This apparent gap may reflect a lack of appropriate services. Both palliative care services and GPs have an important role in providing medical care to people living at home with a terminal illness. However, being able to <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/815-dying-well.pdf">die at home</a> relies on the availability of ongoing support including hands-on care and assistance with daily living.</p> <p>Family members and friends often provide this support, but this is not always possible. Even when it is, carers may <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38533612/">lack confidence and skills</a> to provide the necessary care, and may not have enough support for and respite from their carer role.</p> <p>The palliative care funding offered within Support at Home should help an older person to remain at home and die at home, if that is their preference.</p> <p>Unless someone dies suddenly, care needs are likely to increase at the end of a person’s life. Supports at home may involve help with showering and toileting, assessing and addressing symptoms, developing care plans, managing medications, wound dressing, domestic tasks, preparing meals, and communicating with the person’s family.</p> <p>Occupational therapists and physiotherapists can assist with equipment requirements and suggest home modifications.</p> <p>End of life supports may also involve clarifying goals of care, contacting services such as pharmacists for medications or equipment, liaising with organisations about financial matters, respite care or funeral planning, as well as acknowledging grief and offering spiritual care.</p> <p>But we don’t know yet exactly what services the $25,000 will go towards.</p> <h2>What do we know about the scheme so far?</h2> <p>The Support at Home program, including the end of life pathway, is scheduled to start from <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-09/support-at-home-fact-sheet.pdf">July 1 2025</a>.</p> <p>We know the funding is linked to a prognosis of three months or less to live, which will be determined <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-15/new-payment-aims-to-make-it-easier-for-people-to-die-at-home/104347984">by a doctor</a>.</p> <p>Further information has indicated that an older person can be referred to a <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/support-at-home/features">high-priority assessment</a> to access the end of life pathway. We don’t know yet what this means, however they don’t need to be an existing Support at Home participant to be eligible.</p> <p>The pathway will allow 16 weeks to use the funds, possibly to provide some leeway around the three-month timeline.</p> <p>Although more details are coming to light, there are still some things which remain unclear.</p> <p>Home care providers will be looking for details on what can be covered by this funding and how they will work alongside primary care providers and health-care services.</p> <p>Older people and their families will want to know the processes to apply for this funding and how long applications will take to be reviewed.</p> <p>Everyone will want to know what happens if the person doesn’t die within three months.</p> <h2>Some challenges</h2> <p>Ready availability of appropriate supports and services will be crucial for older people accessing this pathway. Home care providers will therefore need to assess how an end of life pathway fits into their operational activities and how they can build the necessary skills and capacity.</p> <p>Demand for nurses with palliative care skills and allied health professionals is likely to increase. Providing end of life care can be <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33096682/">especially taxing</a> so strategies will be needed to prevent staff burnout and encourage self-care.</p> <p>How pathways are implemented in rural and remote areas and in different cultural and community groups will need to be monitored to ensure all older people benefit.</p> <p>Effective coordination and communication between home care, primary care and specialist palliative providers care will be key. Digital health systems that connect the sectors could be helpful. Family engagement will also be very important.</p> <p>Escalation pathways and referral pathways should be established to enable appropriate responses to emergencies, unexpected deterioration, and family distress.</p> <p>Finally, <a href="https://bmcpalliatcare.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12904-023-01155-y">accurately determining</a> when someone will die can be difficult. Knowing when the last three months of life starts may not be easy, particularly where frailty, cognitive issues and multiple health concerns may be present.</p> <p>This might mean some people are not seen as being ready for this pathway. Others may not be willing to accept this prognosis. An older person may also be expected to live with a terminal illness for many months or years. Their palliative care needs would not be met under this pathway.</p> <p>Despite these challenges, the announcement of an end of life pathway within the home care program is timely and welcome. As a population we are living longer and dying older. More details will help us be better prepared to implement this scheme.<!-- 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/239296/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/jennifer-tieman-378102">Jennifer Tieman</a>, Matthew Flinders Professor and Director of the Research Centre for Palliative Care, Death and Dying, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/flinders-university-972">Flinders University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </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/offering-end-of-life-support-as-part-of-home-care-is-important-but-may-face-some-challenges-239296">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Retirement Life

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Red tape threatens to remove a man with Down's syndrome from his elderly mother

<p>An elderly mother and her disabled son are at risk of being separated over the woman's aged care home's red tape. </p> <p>Anne Deans, 81, moved into an aged care facility in July and hoped that she would be able to bring her son, Mark, who suffers from Down's syndrome with her. </p> <p>Mark, 56, has always lived with his mother, and despite his disability, has lived a full life and has dabbled in acting, appearing on Aussie TV hit <em>Blue Heelers</em>.</p> <p>But now, the mother and son have been left in limbo by a bureaucratic battle. </p> <p>Despite the family's history and Mark's disability, the government refuses to fund a place for Mark at Anne's aged care home, stating that aged care is "not an appropriate service for people aged under 65".</p> <p>"People with Down's syndrome have a life expectancy of 60 years. That's if we're lucky. So Mark is experiencing all of the age issues that my Mum is," Mark's sister Sharon said.</p> <p>Sharon and her sister Michelle have been lobbying on Mark's behalf, with Michelle saying, "I don't know why it's so hard. There's so much red tape."</p> <p>"There's so many hills to jump, just to have a mum and a son together. It doesn't make any sense."</p> <p>Anne is digging in and appealing to the Minister for Aged Care Anika Wells for help. </p> <p>"I brought him up all these years, and all of a sudden someone's going to walk in and take him out," Anne told <a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/victoria-red-tape-threatens-to-tear-man-with-disability-from-his-mum/df4ef75b-6df1-4507-8a73-dfae0b258e08" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>A Current Affair</em></a>.</p> <p>"It is damn ridiculous. They should open up their eyes and see what it's doing. He's not going anywhere. I don't know how I'm going to stop it, but I will."</p> <p>In a statement, Ms Wells said, "While Aged Care is generally not suitable for people under the age of 65, we recognise there are exceptional circumstances where people may need to enter aged care before this age, including when there is no suitable accommodation for them."</p> <p>"The New Aged care Act includes exceptional circumstances for people to enter Aged Care before they turn 65, including when they would otherwise be at risk of homelessness."</p> <p>"There are processes in place to support people to explore their options and ensure they have safe and appropriate accommodation."</p> <p>"We encourage Mark to continue to work with Ability First Australia and the Aged Care Assessment Teams to explore all the options."</p> <p><em>Image credits: A Current Affair </em></p>

Family & Pets

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"Never been seen before": Fergie reveals new details from 9/11 near miss

<p>Sarah Ferguson, affectionately known as Fergie, has taken to Instagram overnight to share new details of her 9/11 near miss. </p> <p>24 years on, the Duchess of York, who has previously revealed that she was meant to be in the World Trade Centre's North Tower when the plane struck the building, has shared more details of the day.</p> <p>Fergie recalled how her friend, billionaire businessman Howard Lutnick, gave her an office on the 101st floor of the World Trade Centre at the time, for her charity Chances for Children. </p> <p>The charity's logo had a mascot called Little Red, which was eventually made into a doll for a child named PJ who survived the 1995 Oklahoma City Bombings.</p> <p>On the day of the 9/11 attacks Fergie was due to attend a meeting in the office, but was running late because of an earlier engagement, so she was still on route to the building when the terrorists struck. </p> <p>"I was driving in the car and I was late for work... and Little Red was found in the rubble," she said in the video. </p> <p>Fergie opened a box to reveal her own Little Red doll that survived the attacks. While she has previously talked about the doll, this is the first time she revealed what it looked like. </p> <p>"A fireman picked her up, carried her out, like the fireman that picked up PJ all those years ago in the Oklahoma City Bombing," she continued. </p> <p>"And CNN filmed it and said, 'Look, a child's doll.' And Larry King said, 'That's no child's doll. That's Fergie's Little Red' and she stands for children's rights all over the world and she's a sign of hope for children.</p> <p>"What no one has ever seen before and I would like to share this with you is the actual doll that survived in 9/11.</p> <p>"So here, I have it at home. Normally I talk about Little Red and here is the actual doll that survived.</p> <p>"You can see the dust from the building — that's never been seen before.</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/C_xjdvMKSCn/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_xjdvMKSCn/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Sarah Ferguson (Fergie) (@sarahferguson15)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>"And I hope Little Red will be talked about all over the world because she's just a very strong, stoic little person."</p> <p>She also shared that on the day, Little Red "sat on her desk overlooking Manhattan on that fateful day when the towers came down."</p> <p>"She came down through the rubble and landed fully intact," she wrote.</p> <p>"Little Red was carried out of the rubble in the fireman's hat exactly as PJ, a child burn victim, was carried years earlier in the Oklahoma City bombing, where the doll was first inspired to bring hope during difficult times and raise money for aid.</p> <p>"Little Red now sits in the 9/11 memorial museum and serves as a reminder of hope within the darkness. We will #neverforget," she continued before encouraging her followers to donate to the Cantor Relief Fund, to support families affected by disaster. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p> <p> </p>

Caring

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Paul Hogan's grandson facing jail over airport robbery

<p>Paul Hogan's grandson is facing charges after breaking into a secure room at Sydney Airport, just months after avoiding jail on other charges. </p> <p>Police have alleged that Jake Paul Hogan had housebreaking tools in his possession on August 10th when he broke into a secure employee bike rack room in the carpark of the Sydney International Airport.</p> <p>It was there he allegedly stole a custom bike worth $5,000, before returning just three days later with the same housebreaking tools and two black mountain bikes which are suspected to have been stolen.</p> <p>Mr Hogan was charged with six offences related to the break-ins on August 28th, when he was already in custody on remand over separate allegations of breaking and entering.</p> <p>The charges come just three months <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/turn-his-life-around-paul-hogan-s-grandson-set-to-be-released-from-prison" target="_blank" rel="noopener">after</a> the 34-year-old was released from prison after 57 days behind bars. </p> <p>At the time of his release, Hogan broke down in court after learning that his father has moved to Sydney to support him in living a life without crime when he leaves jail.</p> <p>His father Todd Hogan, who is the son of the Crocodile Dundee star, flew back from New Zealand to support his son at the sentencing, in which he was sentenced for breaking into apartment buildings to fund his “high-level drug habit” and for breaching a court order against an ex-girlfriend in May. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images / Facebook</em></p>

Legal

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Veteran Seven journalist faces fresh allegations of inappropriate behaviour

<p>Veteran journalist Robert Ovadia is facing allegations from another 13 women of inappropriate conduct after claiming he was unlawfully <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/veteran-seven-reporter-sacked-over-misconduct-allegations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sacked</a> from Network Seven.</p> <p>Ovadia was let go from Seven on June 21st after working with the network for 23 years, when he was fired with immediate effect after it was revealed he was part of an investigation by the ABC’s <em>Four Corners</em> program into the alleged <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/bombshell-allegations-of-toxic-channel-seven-workplace-aired" target="_blank" rel="noopener">toxic</a> culture at the Seven Network.</p> <p>After he was let go, the <em>7News Sydney</em> journalist launched civil legal action against his former employer saying he was fired unlawfully. </p> <p>On Thursday, Network Seven’s lawyer Vanja Bulut told the Federal Court that the Network terminated Ovadia’s employment because of a “number of images sent to a former colleague”, who was a graduate news producer. </p> <p>Ms Bulut said the termination was also due to the “sending (an image) of a man’s genital to a colleague”.</p> <p>The Network is defending the decision to “summarily terminate” Mr Ovadia without notice, with Ms Bulut noting further allegations had arisen supporting that decision.</p> <p>“Subsequent to (Mr Ovadia’s) dismissal, 13 more females have come forward with complaints in regard to his conduct and they are subject to that investigation,” Ms Bulut told the court.</p> <p>“He has been written to setting out the additional allegations that have come out subsequent to the dismissal, and to the extent that those allegations are reported in documents. Even if they (Seven) didn’t have a basis to primarily terminate the applicant’s employment at that time, the conduct that has come to light subsequently does provide a basis,” she said.</p> <p>In a statement made after court, Mr Ovadia denied the claims against him, saying, “The claims are baseless and Seven has never provided evidence despite repeated requests.”</p> <p>“Even today, no evidence to support any of this - just a dirty tactic to try to bully me away from defending myself.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Seven </em></p>

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Your legacy. Their future. Will you be the difference in an uncertain world?

<p>Connection. Safety. Friendship. Family. When you <a href="https://www.redcross.org.au/donate-funds/bequest/pass-it-on/will-planning-checklist-social/?utm_medium=digital&utm_source=edm&utm_campaign=bequests&utm_content=over60s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">leave a gift in your Will for Australian Red Cross</a>, there’s no end to the difference you can make.</p> <p>Just ask Elsie. At 95 years old, Elsie has been transformed by weekly visits from Fiona, her Red Cross volunteer. For Fiona, her visits to see 95-year-old nursing home resident Elsie quickly turned into a family affair. </p> <p>"My children, Tom and Meg, have become very attached to her and vice versa. They're like, 'Are you going to see Elsie, can we come too?' They see how lovely it is to be kind to someone like Elsie," says Fiona. "Elsie tells me, 'You're my special family.'"</p> <p>Fiona's dog, Mia, is even a regular visitor at the Tasmanian nursing home. "Mia's like a celebrity. All the residents love her."</p> <p>The family marks all the big milestones with Elsie, like Christmas Day when they brought her home for a special morning tea. "When she turned 95 in December, we took her to a café. She said that was the best birthday she'd had for a long time."</p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2024/08/RedCross_01.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p><em>Elsie celebrating her birthday with Fiona's children, Tom and Meg. </em></p> <p>It is very much a two-way friendship, says Fiona. "I wasn't expecting it to be like that. I thought it was going to be more me doing lots of things for Elsie. But she gives back a lot."</p> <p>Like when Fiona's daughter, Meg, didn't pass her driver's license test. "Meg was quite upset. Elsie goes to her, 'That's why they invented pencils with rubbers at the end. They are there for you to rub out your mistakes, and then you can have another go.' </p> <p>"She's wise. She gives them little bits of advice and words of wisdom, and they listen to what she says … I can't believe she's 95 years old. Her mind is so unbelievably sharp."</p> <p>Fiona says that, lately, Elsie has not been as mobile as she was, and so they often spend their time together at the nursing home. "We find a nice spot and have a cuppa … She likes telling stories about her life. She talks a lot about her husband, her upbringing, people she's met.</p> <p>"Often, I'll bring her some magazines, or she will have asked me to get some stamps. And my kids have been great with her with technology, how to do this and how to do that. </p> <p>"We chat with other residents as well. Even though Elsie's our person, there are other people we've got to know. She introduces us as 'This is my family.'" </p> <p>Fiona says the first time they met, she and Elsie discovered they had much in common. They both grew up in the same country town and had travelled around Australia managing hotels.</p> <p>They care a lot about each other, she says. "I think it's given her more of a will to live. That sounds pretty deep, but I know how much she looks forward to seeing us; it's giving her more purpose in life.</p> <p>"Elsie always says, 'You make me feel so happy. I love seeing you, it's such a highlight.' I say it back to her because it's the same for me, 'I get so much joy out of seeing you.'"</p> <p>Fiona says she hopes her story inspires other people to volunteer, too.</p> <p>Your generosity, captured in your Will, can help fund programs like our Aged Care Volunteer Visitors Scheme and foster social connections like Elsie and Fiona’s. The program supports more than 1000 participants across the country with the majority between the ages of 78 and 89.</p> <p>Everybody deserves the warmth of kindness and friendship, and your Will can help Australian Red Cross share that with people for generations to come.</p> <p><a href="https://www.redcross.org.au/donate-funds/bequest/pass-it-on/will-planning-checklist-social/?utm_medium=digital&utm_source=edm&utm_campaign=bequests&utm_content=over60s" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2024/08/RedCross_02_wQRCode.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="638" /></a></p> <p>If you would like a free <a href="https://www.redcross.org.au/donate-funds/bequest/pass-it-on/will-planning-checklist-social/?utm_medium=digital&utm_source=edm&utm_campaign=bequests&utm_content=over60s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Will Planning Checklist</a>, or more information, our <a href="mailto:litran@redcross.org.au" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gifts in Wills Specialist</a> would love to help.</p> <p>You <a style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;" href="mailto:litran@redcross.org.au" target="_blank" rel="noopener">get in touch here</a><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;"> or call 1800 733 276.</span></p> <p><em>All images: Supplied.</em></p> <p><em>This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with Australian Red Cross.</em></p>

Caring

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Samantha Murphy's accused murderer faces court

<p>The man accused of murdering Samantha Murphy has faced court to an "unprecedented" amount of evidence.</p> <p>Patrick Orren Stephenson, 22, has been charged with the murder of mother-of-three Murphy, 51, at Mount Clear, after she went missing on February 4th.</p> <p>Stephenson was arrested in March, as the police investigation into the location of Murphy's body continued to no avail. </p> <p>Appearing before the Ballarat Magistrates’ Court via video link from prison, Stephenson was told he will wait behind bars for another three months before his case returns due to the "unprecedented" brief of evidence against him.</p> <p>Prosecutors asked the court to adjourn the committal mention for 12 weeks in order to allow them to go through a brief of evidence which contains "extensive" CCTV footage.</p> <div>"We appreciate that is a significant period of time," prosecutor Daniel White told the court. "The brief is extensive and involves an extensive amount of CCTV footage."</p> <p>Stephenson's barrister Moya O'Brien agreed to the three-month delay as she said the evidence brief had only recently been served on defence and was "described as unprecedented in terms of size".</p> <p>Magistrate Mark Stratmann said three months was "a long time" for Stephenson and the community to wait, although agreed to allow the adjournment.</p> <p>Stephenson was remanded back into custody until the case returns to the Ballarat court on November 14.</p> <p>Stephenson's court appearance comes just days after Samantha Murphy’s loved ones marked six months since she vanished.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Nine / Facebook </em></p> </div>

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Championing confidence at the salon for those facing cancer

<div title="Page 1"> <div> <div> <p>When it comes to facing cancer, it's can often be hard to find support and understanding from people when your physical appearance can be changing. A salon day can do the world of good for anyone, especially for people going through a hard time. But for those dealing with cancer, their wants and needs at the hairdresser can be different than other clientele.</p> <p>Thankfully, <a href="https://lgfb.org.au" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Look Good Feel Better Australia</a> are here to support those on their cancer journey to look their best in the face of their health battle, </p> <p>From August 1st, the team at Look Good Feel better Australia have launched their latest initiative; <a href="https://www.styleforcancer.org.au" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Style For Cancer</a>. Created to unite the beauty, grooming and styling industry as a force for good, the initiative will help raise vital funds for the Look Good Feel BeIer program while giving service providers the opportunity to build their knowledge and position as part of an invaluable support system to those undergoing treatment for cancer.</p> <p>The new initiative caters to both the consumer, or the “Style Seeker”, and the expert, known as the “Style Maker”.</p> <p>Style Makers who sign up to take part in Style For Cancer will be provided with materials to help them better understand the common side effects of cancer treatment, and advice on language to use and avoid, in order to more sensitively and compassionately support their clients as they navigate diagnosis and treatment. </p> <p>The directory of participating Style Makers will be available to all Style Seekers, allowing them to choose salons and service providers who have a better understanding of what they may be experiencing if they are undergoing cancer treatment, while also knowing they are choosing a business who is consciously supporting the important work of the Look Good Feel Better program.</p> <p>General Manager of Look Good Feel Better, Carol Kavurma, shares the passion and excitement around the launch of Style For Cancer which will provide a way for the industry to feel more empowered while further connecting with their local communities.</p> <p>“Having 34 years of incredible knowledge behind us, when looking at the Australian beauty, grooming and style industries, we saw an opportunity to make salon appointments less daunting and more comfortable for those undergoing life altering treatments,” said Carol.</p> <p>“Everybody deserves to feel excited and uplifted after a trip to the hairdresser, nail salon or when sitting in the makeup chair – it’s the whole premise of the Look Good Feel Better program – and those undergoing cancer treatment are no different."</p> <p>“To help service providers – or Style Makers - feel the same excitement and confidence when working with their clients makes the Style for Cancer initiative even more important, and one we hope will be welcomed with open arms within the industry and the broader community,” she said.</p> <p>Look Good Feel Better program participant and Style Seeker, Jodie Strong, who underwent an array of cancer treatments says the physical and mental sensitivities during treatment are challenging, and while there is some support for mental recovery, the information and resources available for physical recovery are far less abundant.</p> <p>“During treatment, particularly chemo, I didn’t have the confidence to book in any services. After my active treatments were complete, while most service providers were sensitive and careful in the way they approached me and their language with me, I was usually the one to share what worked and didn’t work for me in my recovery rather than the salon or styling professional. I think that’s from a lack of awareness in the industry around this area, so as I was never quite sure what the right thing to do or not to do was,” explains Jodie.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div title="Page 2"> <div> <div> <p>“An important part of recovery from cancer is your feelings of self-worth and being able to take care of your body both mentally and physically. There are a lot of resources in the area of mental recovery, however not as much is available on the physical side of things."</p> <p>“Style For Cancer is an important initiative to bring awareness and some education to the physical side of recovery and help patients both during and post-treatment access services to help them feel more comfortable in their recovery.”</p> <p>Michael Kelly, Founder and Creatvve Director at Salon HER believes there is room for industry professionals to improve conversation and bolster skills for listening, empathising and creating a safe environment for clients trying to navigate cancer diagnosis and treatment.</p> <p>“I think language and the wholistic therapy side of the conversation could definitely improve. Not everyone has the resources to be able to hold space for another human in a very vulnerable stage of their life."</p> <p>"Style For Cancer is an obvious cause for me to be part of as I have lost family members I love to cancer, I’ve had family members recover from cancer, and I’ve supported clients who I care for deeply through some of their darkest days. It’s an initiative close to my heart.”</p> <p>Style For Cancer fundraising activities will take place in participating businesses Australia-wide during the month of August, however the Style Maker directory and registration in the initiative are available year-round.</p> <p>All funds <a href="https://donorbox.org/styleforcancerdonations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">raised</a> through the Style For Cancer initiative will directly support the Look Good Feel Better program, with each $100 raised allowing one participant to benefit from the program, free-of-charge.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> </div> </div> </div>

Beauty & Style

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"Double the joy": Red Wiggle welcomes twin daughters

<p>Caterina Mete has finally welcomed her "two little miracles" into the world. </p> <p>The Red Wiggle announced the arrival of her twin girls in a statement shared on Thursday morning. </p> <p>"Double the joy, double the love!", she said. </p> <p>"I am so thrilled to announce the arrival of my precious twin girls, Dolly and Gigi."</p> <p>"My heart is overflowing with happiness as I welcome to the world my two little miracles," she concluded her statement. </p> <p>She also took to Instagram to share a series of photos straight from the hospital, of her holding both girls in her arms. </p> <p>The new mum also shared a video of the twin bond, with the two girls cuddling up to each other. </p> <p>Fellow Wiggles also shared a statement, saying: "We are absolutely thrilled for Caterina and the arrival of her beautiful twin girls."</p> <p>"Her journey to motherhood has been truly inspiring, and we can't wait to meet these adorable new additions to The Wiggles' family." </p> <p>Mete welcomed her twin girls month's after revealing her <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/two-little-miracles-wiggles-star-announces-pregnancy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pregnancy via IVF</a> to her fans in February. </p> <p>Fellow Wiggles and fans took to the comments to congratulate the new mum. </p> <p>"Congratulations Kitty! Can’t wait to meet Dolly and Gigi soon," wrote Red Wiggle Simon Pryce. </p> <p>"Yahhhh Kitty……. How beautiful. Double happy," added Purple Wiggle Lachy. </p> <p>"CONGRATULATIONS!! MORE MEMBERS OF THE WIGGLES FAMILY" wrote one fan. </p> <p>"MASSIVE congratulations Caterina! Welcome to the world Dolly and Gigi! Wishing you a smooth recovery and great start to raising your precious girls," added another. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Cafe providing free meals to families faces shutdown

<p>Kirsty Parkes spends a lot of her time providing food and clothes to those in need amid the cost-of-living crisis by running a community cafe. </p> <p>But now, her beloved cafe may close if she doesn't receive urgent financial help. </p> <p>"We need to pay our bills in order to keep this going and if we don't pay our bills, people don't eat," Parkes, who has a big family of her own, told <em>A Current Affair</em>. </p> <p>Community Cafe in Sydney's south-west became a safe haven for dozens of men, women and children, with over 100 people showing up every day. </p> <p>The cafe is a place where people can get food, clothes and toiletries for free, as well as connect with others. </p> <p>"We want to help people restore their value and restore their dignity," Parkes said.</p> <p>"Our currency is just a little bit different. So instead of using money, we use manners. Because manners and kindness are free."</p> <p>However, with an increase in costs and a lack of donations, the beloved cafe may soon be forced to close. </p> <p>"Whether there's a rate rise, whether there's a petrol hike, all of these little things affect us tremendously and affect the numbers here," she said.</p> <p>"We need to come up with some funds really desperately before then just to keep us open," she added. </p> <p>She said that at this stage they require "around about $20,000. Our electricity bill alone is almost $10,000."</p> <p>She added that  Cabravale Diggers, who have been paying the cafe's rent, and Liverpool City Council, who have also been providing financial assistance, can't continue to hold responsibility for all of the bills. </p> <p>"We've had fantastic sponsorship, we have fantastic people that back us ... but they can't carry the burden of this," Parkes said.</p> <p>"This is something that the whole community needs to get behind and support."</p> <p>The cafe provides invaluable support for customers like Ted and Lola, who find it hard to find a similar community. </p> <p>"I go to church. Not even a church will help me," Lola said.</p> <p>"These people - I don't even know them and out of nowhere they're taking rich and poor, whoever turns up."</p> <p>"It's hard living on a pension. It's very hard," Ted added. </p> <p>Parkes added that as things are starting to run out, she has had to impose rations, which has been difficult for her. </p> <p>"We've had to then turn around and say 'look today, sorry we can only give you two loaves of bread because we just don't have enough for everyone that's going to come through the door'," Parkes said.</p> <p>"That stuff breaks my heart. It absolutely kills me because people are hungry."</p> <p>From Friday, customers may have to be turned away.</p> <p>"It's terrible. How can we close? We see over 120 people a day. It's terrible," one of the volunteers at the community cafe said. </p> <p>"The community needs it. We can't close. We absolutely cannot close."</p> <p> Those who would like to help the cafe stay open have been encouraged to visit their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Communitycafe.inc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Facebook page</a>.</p> <p><em>Image: A Current Affair</em></p>

Caring

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Boomers vs. Bikers: Teens and elderly residents face off over bike rules

<p>A tense intergenerational argument has broken out in Sydney's Northern Beaches, as a group of seniors stopped two teenagers from riding their electric bikes on a footpath. </p> <p>The incident was captured on camera by a bystander and uploaded to social media with the caption, "Battle of the beaches. E-bikes vs. elderly", before quickly going viral. </p> <p>The video shows elderly man and woman standing outside a dental centre in the suburb of Mona Vale, stopping the youths from riding any further and are seen holding the bike as the teens appear to argue for their release.</p> <p>After the video garnered much attention, hundreds of people shared their thoughts on who was in the right. </p> <p>Many appear to have taken the side of the senior citizens, but in this case, with the teen’s ages not immediately clear, both parties could have a case. </p> <p>According to the<a title="www.nsw.gov.au" href="https://www.nsw.gov.au/driving-boating-and-transport/roads-safety-and-rules/bicycle-safety-and-rules/cyclist-road-rules#:~:text=Riding%20on%20a%20footpath,under%20the%20age%20of%2016"> New South Wales Government</a>, cyclists (on both pedal or electric bikes) are not allowed to ride on a footpath. However, children under 16 can ride on the footpath unless there is a “NO BICYCLES” sign. </p> <p>In the comment section, plenty of arguments backed the case of the seniors. </p> <p>“Elderly are right; it’s a footpath, it’s dangerous. Annoying they drive fast,” one wrote.</p> <p>Another said: “Look I don’t know what happened, but yesterday (kids) similar to these guys were zooming on an E-bike at a dog park, almost hit us, no bells or anything and off the path. If you have these, just stay on the road.”</p> <p>Others, however, were quick to side with the teens, as one person wrote, “Entitled old people thinking they are the police.”</p> <p>Another added, “Boomers need to admit they are bored and have nothing to do.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: TikTok</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Donald Trump facing jail after guilty verdict

<p>Former US president Donald Trump is facing the possibility of jail time after being found guilty on all 34 counts of a hush money trial in New York. </p> <p>Trump was found to be unanimously guilty by the jury on Thursday afternoon, making him the first former US President with a criminal conviction.</p> <p>In the New York courtroom, he was accused of 34 counts of fraud by falsifying business records to cover up payments of $200,000 ($US130,000) to adult star Stormy Daniels.</p> <p>It was reported that Mr Trump wanted to buy her silence about an alleged extramarital sexual encounter which was in danger of becoming public knowledge in the run up to the 2016 US Presidential election.</p> <p>While paying hush money to cover up a potentially damning story isn't illegal, Trump's falsifying of business records to bury the payments is a criminal offence in the state of New York. </p> <p>Mr Trump, 77, denied a sexual encounter with Ms Daniels took place and denied all the charges.</p> <p>After the guilty verdict was handed down, Trump spoke to reporters outside the courtroom, saying the trial was “rigged” and a “disgrace”.</p> <p>“This was a rigged trial by a conflicted judge who is corrupt,” he said.</p> <p>“The real verdict is going to be November 5 by the people and they know what happened here and everybody knows what happened here.”</p> <p>He insisted “we didn’t do anything wrong”.</p> <p>“I’m a very innocent man and it’s OK, I’m fighting for our country, I’m fighting for our Constitution,” he said.</p> <p>A sentencing hearing has been set for July 11th, just four days before the Republican National Convention, when the party will officially nominate him for President ahead of the election in November.</p> <p>He faces a minimum of probation and a maximum of up to four years in prison.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-46607c99-7fff-4305-1a14-3fd4a2e9d2b3"><em>Image credits: Justin Lane/UPI/Shutterstock Editorial</em> </span></p>

Legal

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Do red bags get loaded onto a plane first? Travel hack goes viral

<p>One TikTok user has racked up over 75 million views for their hack which warns travellers against buying red suitcases.</p> <p>The reason behind it? He claims that red suitcases are always loaded onto a plane first - meaning that they will be the last ones to come out at the baggage carousel. </p> <p>The <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@airportlife_/video/7359248989134327072" target="_blank" rel="noopener">viral video</a> showed a plane's cargo being loaded, with all the red bags being loaded first. </p> <p>Many commenters have shared their theories on why this might be the case. </p> <p>"If the red are at the back then they are less likely to get left behind when unloading," one wrote. </p> <p>"So that it's easier to check if there is any bag left at end corner of loading area and prevent missing out black bags at dark corners, maybe," another added. </p> <p>However, a spokesperson for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has debunked this theory and claimed that the video is "nonsense" and "was made purposefully to mislead or provide false information".</p> <p>They also said that there was simply not enough time for their baggage handlers to sort suitcases out by colour. </p> <p>The question of "Do red bags get loaded onto a plane first?" also made its way to Reddit, after the video went viral, and one user who claimed to be a ramp worker denied the theory. </p> <p>"If we had taken the time and brain power to load bags based on colour I'd still be loading flights from 2015." </p> <p><em>Image: TikTok</em></p>

Travel Tips

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Singer Kamahl faces stalking charges

<p>Singer Kamahl is facing stalking charges, after a woman 50 years his junior said she was stalked and harassed by the entertainer. </p> <p>The woman who has not been named, has applied for an apprehended violence order (AVO) against the 89-year-old singer.</p> <p>The accusations include one count of stalking with intent to cause fear, with the matter set to be heard at Sutherland Court in Sydney next month.</p> <p>The accusations stem back to May 2023, when Kamahl was invited to the woman's house to discuss business funding. </p> <p>As a result of their meeting, Kamahl deposited $2,000 into her account, and the woman allegedly agreed to repay this amount in $5 weekly instalments.</p> <p>The dispute arose when the woman began labelling her online banking transactions as "to the molester", despite Kamahl denying any inappropriate misconduct. </p> <p>Following the transaction, a series of text messages were sent between the pair, where the woman claims she was threatened by Kamahl. </p> <p>In one of the texts, the woman warned Kamahl about his behaviour being unacceptable, suggesting would go to the police if it were to continue.</p> <p>“I just wanted you to know that your behaviour is unacceptable and you’re lucky I haven’t gone to the authorities,” a text from the woman to Kamahl read.</p> <p>“You are a liar, and a failure, and most of all an ungrateful b****. The best is yet to come!” Kamahl responded.</p> <p>Kamahl has denied any misconduct, blaming his furious response on not taking his medication and said his actions were a response to provocation rather than unkindness.</p> <p>“I’m an 89-year-old man... I was not being unkind I was responding to a situation without all of my faculties,” Kamahl told <em>9News</em>.</p> <p>“I’m not worried, meaning that it is what it is, any publicity is better than no publicity, I’m sure about that.”</p> <p>Despite the allegations and upcoming court date, Kamahl seemed unfazed about the public issue.</p> <p>“Any publicity is better than no publicity,” he said.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Nine News</em></p>

Legal

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Samantha Murphy's alleged killer faces fresh new charges

<p>The man accused of murdering Samantha Murphy has been hit with fresh charges over a drug and alcohol-fuelled bender.</p> <p>Patrick Orren Stephenson, 22, who has been charged with murdering Ms Murphy, has been slapped with several drink and drug driving charges after he allegedly crashed a motorbike into a tree on the night of October 1st. </p> <p>He has also been also charged with careless driving.</p> <p>A former friend of Stephenson told the <a href="https://www.heraldsun.com.au/truecrimeaustralia/police-courts-victoria/accused-samantha-murphy-killer-patrick-stephenson-charged-with-driving-offences/news-story/1ce6e68acdb7575b876f9e7f9100f285" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Herald Sun</em></a> the crash occurred following an AFL Grand Final gathering that kicked off in the afternoon and ran late into the night.</p> <p>Stephenson was first arrested in connection with the Ballarat mother's disappearance on March 7th, weeks after the 51-year-old was last seen alive. </p> <p>Samantha Murphy was last seen by her loved ones on the morning of February 4th when she went to go on her daily morning run in the Canadian State Forest. </p> <p>Stephenson has been charged with one count of murder, and is said to not be cooperating with police in efforts to find her body. </p> <p>The new charges come after police have continued their gruelling search for Ms Murphy, three months after she went missing. </p> <p>Despite numerous searches, Victoria Police detectives appear no closer to finding  her body despite having her alleged killer in custody. </p> <p>A Victoria Police spokesperson told <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/melbourne/article-13374863/Alleged-killer-Samantha-Murphy-fresh-charges-Victoria.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Daily Mail Australia</em></a> this week that the investigation remained "very much active and ongoing". </p> <p>"We are continuing to do all we can to locate her," the spokesperson said.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Nine </em></p>

Legal

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Woolies faces up to $10b fine after pleading guilty to 1000 charges

<p>In what seems like a cascade of misfortune for Woolworths, the retail giant has found itself embroiled in yet another controversy.</p> <p>A week fraught with bad press took a turn for the worse when outgoing CEO Brad Banducci <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/last-chance-mr-banducci-woolies-ceo-threatened-with-jail-time" target="_blank" rel="noopener">faced the threat of jail time</a> for his refusal to address questions in a Senate inquiry probing supermarket price gouging. Now, the company is grappling with the repercussions of admitting to underpaying over a thousand former Victorian employees for their long service leave entitlements.</p> <p>The admission, made in a Melbourne court, revealed that Woolworths fell short in compensating at least 1,235 former workers, amounting to a staggering $1.24 million in underpayments spanning from November 2018 to January 2023. While some employees were owed only modest sums, others were deprived of significant entitlements, with figures reaching up to $12,000 in the most severe cases.</p> <p>The Melbourne Magistrates' Court learned that Woolworths, alongside its related company Woolstar, breached Victoria's Long Service Leave Act on a startling 1,227 occasions. The revelation came to light during an internal audit of the company's IT systems, prompting Woolworths to self-report the discrepancies to Victoria's Wage Inspectorate.</p> <p>Woolworths' barrister, Saul Holt KC, highlighted the company's commitment to rectifying the situation, after discovering the discrepancies during an audit of its IT systems and self-reporting it to Victoria's Wage Inspectorate. "That's just the right thing to do," he said.</p> <p>However, the gravity of the breaches places Woolworths at risk of facing a potentially astronomical fine, with a theoretical maximum exceeding $10.25 billion. While such a penalty could spell financial catastrophe for many, including a corporate behemoth like Woolworths, legal experts suggest that a more realistic figure would be capped at approximately $480,000, in line with typical penalties in Victorian magistrates courts.</p> <p>The magistrate presiding over the case, Nahrain Warda, has deferred her decision until Wednesday, April 24, leaving Woolworths in a state of uncertainty. In addition to the impending financial penalty, Kathleen Crennan, representing the Wage Inspectorate of Victoria, advocated for Woolworths to be convicted, denouncing the underpayments as inexcusable. "There's really no excuse for this to have happened in the first place," she said.</p> <p>In the face of mounting legal challenges and public scrutiny, Woolworths' reputation as an employer is under scrutiny. Despite assertions of being an "exemplary employer", founded on principles dating back to 1924, the company's track record is marred by repeated instances of underpayment scandals. </p> <p>As Woolworths awaits the magistrate's verdict and braces for the fallout from its legal battles, the spectre of underpayment casts a long shadow over the company's corporate governance and raises broader questions about accountability within the retail industry.</p> <p><em>Images: Woolworths</em></p>

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