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"I know what you've done": Doctor who first treated Erin Patterson speaks out

<p>The doctor who first treated triple-murderer Erin Patterson after she arrived at hospital suffering symptoms from her own poisonous mushroom meal says he knew she was guilty from the beginning.</p> <p>Dr Chris Webster was the first medical professional to speak with Patterson when she presented to Leongatha Hospital around 8am on July 31, 2023 – the day after the fatal beef Wellington lunch that killed three members of her extended family and left a fourth critically ill.</p> <p>Patterson stayed just five minutes before self-discharging against medical advice, prompting Dr Webster to call emergency services. That triple zero call – along with dozens of other exhibits – has now been publicly released.</p> <p>“This is Dr Chris Webster calling from Leongatha Hospital. I have a concern regarding a patient that presented here earlier but has left the building and is potentially exposed to a fatal toxin from mushroom poisoning,” Webster told the operator. “I've tried several times to get hold of her on her mobile phone.”</p> <p>Dr Webster explained that Patterson left the hospital before a nurse could begin observations. “I had a brief chat with her about where the mushrooms were obtained and after that, while I was attending to the other patients, the nurse informed me she had discharged herself against medical advice,” he told the operator.</p> <p>Speaking out for the first time, Dr Webster said something about Patterson's arrival set off alarm bells. “My heart skipped a beat,” he said. “I bypassed all of the usual triage protocols and just brought her straight in and sat her down and just looked her straight in the eye directly and said ‘the people at Dandenong suspect death cap mushroom poisoning, where did you get the mushrooms?’</p> <p>“That’s when she said ‘Woolworths’. She was fairly impassive, wasn’t loud or hysterical, wasn’t crying. She just answered the question in a pretty matter-of-fact way.</p> <p>“After that I was like: 'OK, I don’t want to talk to you anymore, I know what you’ve done'.”</p> <p>At the time, Ian and Heather Wilkinson were also in hospital, gravely ill. But Patterson, he said, showed no sign of concern.</p> <p>“She wasn’t shaking, Erin was sat in a chair, I don’t even remember her looking at Ian and Heather,” he said. “She’s evil. She wanted people out of her life and rather than using normal channels she snuffed out their lives and attempted to snuff out another.”</p> <p>Dr Webster’s call to emergency services was the first step in a chain of events that would ultimately lead to Patterson’s arrest, trial, and conviction for three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder.</p> <p>“When she didn’t respond in a way that would instantly explain it was a tragic accident, from that moment in my mind she was guilty. She was evil, and she was very smart to carry it all out but she didn’t cross the Ts and dot the Is,” he said.</p> <p>Recalling the moment he saw Patterson again, this time in the courtroom, Webster said the atmosphere was unmistakable.</p> <p>“When I looked at her, when I found the opportunity to sneak a peek, it was visceral, I felt the intensity, the hostility, the negativity, it was an intense gaze,” he said.</p> <p>“She’s evil and she had a problem, she had a dilemma, and the solution that she chose is sociopathic.</p> <p>“If you don’t like your in-laws there are other things you can do besides snuffing out a family.”</p> <p><em>Images: Victoria Supreme Court / Nine News</em></p>

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Family speaks out after teen found guilty of murdering Melbourne doctor

<p>The grieving family of Melbourne doctor Ash Gordon has spoken of their bittersweet relief after the teenager who stabbed him to death was found guilty of murder.</p> <p>A Supreme Court jury convicted the 17-year-old boy following a harrowing trial in which the youth had already pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated burglary.</p> <p>Dr Gordon was killed in the early hours of January 13 last year after waking to find intruders in his Doncaster unit, in Melbourne’s north-east. He chased the two 16-year-olds into the street, but was fatally stabbed less than a kilometre from his home.</p> <p>The brutal and senseless loss of the much-loved doctor sent shockwaves through his community – and left his family shattered.</p> <p>Speaking to <em>A Current Affair</em>, Ash’s sister Nat said the guilty verdict brought some measure of justice after what she described as a long, “gut-wrenching” legal process.</p> <p>"To get a guilty verdict was a huge relief for the family,” she said. “It will never bring him back but it cements for us that we have everyone behind us."</p> <p>Their father, Glen Gordon, described the emotional toll the trial had taken – and the quiet moment of comfort that came with the jury’s decision.</p> <p>"It's been a struggle, but after the verdict today, it just felt like a big weight has been lifted off our shoulders," he said. "It's still a sad situation, but at least the person got what he deserved."</p> <p>Since Ash’s death, the family has channelled their grief into a push for reform – advocating for tougher bail laws and stronger sentencing for youth offenders.</p> <p> </p> <p>"It definitely doesn't get any easier, nothing will ever bring him back, but a small win was had today – not only by us but the wider community and the justice system,” Nat said.</p> <p>Determined not to let her brother’s death be in vain, she issued a heartfelt plea for change. "At the end of the day, if there is no verdict and no consequences, they will continue to do this,” she said. “It won’t be just my family – it will be every family within the country feeling the pain that we’re feeling, and I never, ever want to inflict that pain on any other family."</p> <p>"I don’t want my brother’s memory to be in vain."</p> <p><em>Images: A Current Affair</em></p>

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Lauren Zonfrillo speaks on husband Jock’s sudden death

<p>In a moment that has resonated with grief across Australia and beyond, Lauren Zonfrillo has spoken publicly for the first time about the devastating loss of her husband, celebrated chef and <em>MasterChef Australia </em>judge Jock Zonfrillo.</p> <p>Zonfrillo, just 46 years old, was found dead in a Melbourne hotel room in May 2023. The suddenness of his passing left his family shattered – his wife Lauren and their two young children were on the other side of the world in Italy when they received the unimaginable news.</p> <p>Since then, many questions have lingered, especially around the cause of his death. But Lauren has now made it clear: those details will remain private.</p> <p>Speaking in an emotional interview with Liz Hayes for <em>7NEWS Spotlight</em>, Lauren shared how she and the coroner agreed not to make Jock’s cause of death public – a decision made out of respect, protection and love.</p> <p>“We spoke to the coroner multiple times because the inquest took a while,” she said. “It was just sort of agreed that for the privacy and safety of our family... that it wouldn’t be in the public’s best interest or our best interest, and that was determined well before the report was finalised.”</p> <p>In Victoria, coronial findings are not always made public, and discretion can be used if deemed to be in the public interest. Earlier this year, it was confirmed that the investigation into Zonfrillo’s death was concluded in August 2024, with no report to be released.</p> <p>While some sources close to the family have said the beloved chef died of natural causes, Lauren said it was her desire to shield her family from further public scrutiny – and to preserve some part of the man who, to them, was far more than a television personality.</p> <p>“Up until Jock’s death, yes, he was a public figure,” she said. “But, since we lost Jock, I’d been trying to reclaim some of his privacy… to give him some peace as much as I can. To us, he’s Dad, Papa, husband – and he’s not a public figure to us anymore.”</p> <p>As tributes to Jock continue to pour in, the grief of his family remains raw – and the privacy they seek a small comfort in the shadow of profound loss.</p> <p><em>Images: 7NEWS Spotlight</em></p>

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"She was my everything": Audrey Griffin's heartbroken mother speaks out

<p>What began as an ordinary night out with friends ended in a tragedy that shattered a family, stunned a community, and prompted a determined mother to fight for answers no one else seemed to be asking.</p> <p>Audrey Griffin, 19, was <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/beloved-aussie-athlete-found-dead-at-just-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener">found dead in Erina Creek</a> on the Central Coast of New South Wales last month. Her fully clothed body was discovered partially submerged in the water on March 23, just hours after she was reported missing. Initially, police deemed her death non-suspicious, possibly a tragic accident. But her mother, Kathleen Kirby, refused to accept that explanation.</p> <p>“It’s like you can’t breathe, it’s like you don’t want to breathe,” <a href="https://7news.com.au/news/mother-speaks-of-heartbreaking-loss-after-alleged-murder-of-teen-audrey-griffin-on-nsw-central-coast-c-18457494" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kirby told 7NEWS</a>, speaking publicly through her grief. “But I needed to find the strength because I wasn’t satisfied with what the outcome was, so I kept going.”</p> <p>Kirby’s instincts proved tragically accurate.</p> <p>On Monday, NSW Police arrested 53-year-old Adrian Torrens and <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/murder-charge-laid-after-death-of-19-year-old-ironwoman" target="_blank" rel="noopener">charged him with Audrey’s murder</a>. Torrens, who police say had no prior connection to Audrey, is also facing 11 unrelated domestic violence charges. Authorities now allege a violent altercation occurred between the two as Audrey was walking home. Torrens’ lawyer appeared in court on his behalf Tuesday; he did not apply for bail. His case has been adjourned until next month.</p> <p>Superintendent Darryl Jobson said that while early forensic and post-mortem findings did not initially indicate foul play, the case remained open due to “unusual circumstances”.</p> <p>“Getting answers for the family was front of mind,” Jobson said. “New information from other sources led us to reconsider and launch a full homicide investigation.”</p> <p>Kirby, driven by a mother’s intuition and unrelenting love, was at the centre of that push for the truth. “My head and my gut were telling me different,” she said. Now, as police pursue justice, a mother mourns the unimaginable loss of her only child.</p> <p>“She was more than my world, she was my everything,” Kirby said through tears. “She’s just everything that you’d ever imagine, or want, for a child.”</p> <p>Audrey was much more than a statistic or a headline. She was a triathlete, a teammate, a leader and a beloved friend. Just weeks before her death, she competed in New Zealand’s ANZCO Foods Half Ironman, finishing 23rd in her age group. She played water polo for Gosford, patrolled beaches with the Terrigal Surf Life Saving Club, took to the field with the Terrigal Sharks, and once served as vice-captain of Central Coast Sports College.</p> <p>“She touched the hearts of so many people and always had a smile,” one friend wrote on social media. “Her laugh was contagious and her goofy self always made us laugh. Audrey, you are truly loved by so many people.”</p> <p>Now, those same people are left grieving a life stolen too soon, and honouring a young woman whose courage, kindness and spirit made the world brighter – if only for a short time.</p> <p>For Kirby, the fight for answers has turned into the deeper, longer journey of navigating life without her daughter. “I will never feel whole again,” she said.</p> <p><em>Images: 7NEWS</em></p>

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Parents whose newborn died at Northern Beaches Hospital speak out

<p>The grieving parents of a newborn who died following a series of medical delays at Sydney’s Northern Beaches Hospital say their daughter’s death was “completely avoidable” – and are calling for the facility to be returned to full public control.</p> <p>Harper Atkinson died in February, a day after experiencing severe complications at birth at the 488-bed hospital, which operates under a controversial public-private partnership model. Her parents, Leah Pitman and Dustin Atkinson, believe she could have been saved if urgent care had been available when it was needed most.</p> <p>“She should be here. She should be in our arms,” Leah <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04-16/harper-atkinson-death-northern-beaches-hospital-parents-speak/105180276" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told ABC’s 7.30</a>. “But she’s not – and it’s because there was no urgency. No theatre ready. No proper staffing. And now we’ve lost her.”</p> <p>Harper’s death is the second tragedy in recent months to put Northern Beaches Hospital under scrutiny. In September 2024, toddler Joe Massa collapsed and later died after a three-hour wait in the hospital’s emergency department. Healthscope, the private operator of the facility, admitted that was an “unacceptable failing”.</p> <p>The NSW government has since vowed never to repeat the public-private model used at the hospital, which serves around 350,000 people on Sydney’s northern beaches.</p> <p>Leah was initially sent home from the hospital on a Friday due to staff shortages. She returned the next evening after going into labour at home. Though her midwife had prepared a bath for a water birth, things quickly went wrong.</p> <p>“I felt this intense pain in my lower back, and then my waters broke – with blood,” Leah recalled. “I looked down and just thought, ‘Oh God, is that normal?’”</p> <p>By 9:30pm, concern was mounting. But it wasn’t until around 10:30pm that an obstetrician arrived and diagnosed a suspected placental abruption – a life-threatening condition for both mother and baby. He immediately called for a Category One caesarean section, the most urgent level of surgical intervention.</p> <p>But despite the emergency, Leah was left waiting.</p> <p>“They kept saying, ‘Theatre’s not ready. Theatre’s not ready,’” she said. “I assumed it was busy. We later found out there is no 24/7 theatre.”</p> <p>Northern Beaches Hospital operates its operating theatre using an on-call model on weekends. Staff must be within 30 minutes’ reach – a delay Leah and Dustin believe cost their daughter her life.</p> <p>“I was on the operating table 33 minutes after the call,” Leah said. “Harper wasn’t delivered until nearly an hour after the emergency was declared.”</p> <p>When she was born at 11:52pm, Harper was unresponsive. It took 21 agonising minutes before she drew her first breath.</p> <p>The following day, Leah and Dustin were told Harper would not survive. They made the heartbreaking decision to turn off her life support.</p> <p>“I should be holding her for the rest of my life, not just once,” Leah said through tears. “Once isn’t enough.”</p> <p>The family says they were told during a hospital debrief that it was not “economically feasible” to run a 24/7 theatre service. For Dustin, that explanation only deepened their pain.</p> <p>“Prioritising profit over healthcare. That’s what went wrong,” he said.</p> <p>Northern Beaches Hospital has launched a review into Harper’s death. But her parents say the issue is already painfully clear. “Time delays,” Leah said. “Things weren’t urgent enough.”</p> <p>The couple is now calling for the hospital to be brought fully back under public control – and for systemic change in how emergency obstetric care is delivered across the state.</p> <p>“I feel incredibly angry,” Leah said. “Her death, we feel, was completely avoidable.”</p> <p>“We’re sharing this because Harper deserves to be more than just another sad story,” she added. “We want change – so this never happens to another family.”</p> <p><em>Image: YouTube / ABC</em></p>

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"It's not our way": Young Indigenous woman speaks out against Acknowledgment of Country

<p>A young Indigenous woman has sparked controversy by criticising the Acknowledgement of Country, claiming the practice is 'made up' and not representative of Indigenous Australian culture.</p> <p>Kiescha Haines Jamieson was asked on social media whether the formal observation is an 'actual traditional practice' or a 'modern white saviour thing'.</p> <p>'It is a made up protocol by Reconciliation Australia,' she claimed. 'It's not culture. It's not our way.'</p> <p>The Acknowledgement of Country is a relatively recent practice, emerging in the 1990s during what the Keating Government called 'the Reconciliation Decade'. It was formalised as part of efforts to improve Indigenous-state relations, with former Labor senator and Yawuru man Pat Dodson playing a key role in its establishment.</p> <p>'The work of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation encouraged strangers to recognise country, then, as people got stronger, the welcome developed,' Dodson explained.</p> <p>The practice is distinct from a Welcome to Country, which is a ceremony performed by a traditional owner to formally welcome visitors to their land. Acknowledgement of Country, by contrast, is often delivered by non-Indigenous people or organisations to recognise traditional owners.</p> <p>Ms Jamieson argued that the practice has now been 'institutionalised to make people think that it is our culture'. Her comments resonated with some social media users, who agreed that the protocol was 'made up'.</p> <p>'Finally someone with the guts to tell the truth,' one user wrote. However, others pushed back, arguing that acknowledging country has deep cultural significance for some Indigenous groups.</p> <p>'It's a traditional thing for our mob, but not as grand as it's shown on TV,' one commenter noted. 'It's not really a welcome, it's more like a way to notify the spirits and ancestors that mob are travelling.'</p> <p>Another person added: 'You don't speak for all mobs and you don't speak for mine.'</p> <p>Yawarllaayi/Gomeroi elder Barbara Flick Nicol has previously stated that welcoming and acknowledging visitors has existed for thousands of years in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.</p> <p>'It's always been something that we did as a people, understanding and observing the fact that when you are in somebody else's country, that you acknowledge them,' she told NITV in 2020.</p> <p>Ms Flick Nicol said that formal acknowledgments began appearing in New South Wales after the landmark Mabo decision in 1992, with councils raising Aboriginal flags and formally recognising traditional owners at meetings and conferences.</p> <p>Former federal politician and Wiradjuri woman Linda Burney, who was involved in the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation, defended the practice, saying it evolved organically. 'It wasn't strategised or planned. Once it got out to civic life it was something that people saw as an important way to tell the truth of the Australian story,' she said.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

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"Outrage should not be selective": Wombat snatcher speaks out

<p>After Sam Jones, the US tourist and influencer with a penchant for questionable decision-making, managed to unite Australians in collective outrage by <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/wombatgate-explodes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">snatching up a baby wombat</a> and posting it to Instagram, she <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">has since fled the country and is now broadcasting her redemption arc from an undisclosed overseas location. </span></p> <p>“I will learn from this moment, and move forward. I accept accountability for my own actions, yet refuse to be used as a scapegoat for a far greater, far more uncomfortable reality,” she said in a video statement. </p> <p>And to be honest, she may have a point. While Australians were busy sharpening their pitchforks, Jones decided to flip the script. But instead of doubling down on her wombat-related blunder, she’s turning the outrage into a broader conversation about Australia’s wildlife management.</p> <p>“If this situation has proven anything, it’s that Australians care deeply about their wildlife – and that is something I intensely admire,” she said, presumably while updating her LinkedIn profile to include “Wombat Awareness Advocate”.</p> <p>Jones highlighted that in 2023 alone, over 1.2 million native animals were legally culled in Australia, including 3,558 wombats, 580,695 native birds, and 419,120 kangaroos and wallabies. Suddenly, her temporary wombat custody battle seems downright insignificant.</p> <p>And she’s not wrong - Australia’s track record with wildlife is complicated. We have a long history of government-sanctioned animal culls, from the infamous emu war (which the emus won, by the way) to the more recent permits allowing landowners to eliminate endangered species deemed inconvenient. Five years ago, a South Australian landholder was granted permission to kill 200 rare hairy-nosed wombats before having a change of heart. Meanwhile, New South Wales’ most crucial population of koalas is being displaced by development, and even Tasmania’s black swans aren’t safe from culling laws.</p> <p>“Consider applying the same momentum used to condemn me toward examining the laws that allow for the legal slaughter of the very species and wombats people so deeply wish to protect,” Jones urged. “Outrage should not be selective.”</p> <p>Again, she has a point. Outrage shouldn’t be selective – though, ideally, neither should common sense. So while Sam Jones may have momentarily confused a wombat for a TikTok prop, she’s also inadvertently shone a light on a bigger issue. Whether we are willing to pivot our anger from one rogue tourist to an entire government policy, however, remains to be seen.</p> <p>One thing is certain: that baby wombat will grow up with an incredible story to tell.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Sam Kerr speaks out after jury delivers verdict

<p>Sam Kerr has been found not guilty on charges of racially-aggravated harassment in a London court after a days-long <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/sam-kerr-s-defence-in-harassment-trial-revealed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">trial</a> into the 2023 incident.</p> <p>After the judge delivered the not guilty verdict and missed the court, Kerr told the dock officer “hope to never see you again”.</p> <p>While Kerr chose not to address those waiting outside the courtroom, she soon issued a statement on social media. </p> <p>“Following today’s not guilty verdict, I can finally put this challenging period behind me,” she wrote on her Instagram story. </p> <p>“While I apologise for expressing myself poorly on what was a traumatic evening, I have always maintained that I did not intend to insult or harm anyone and I am thankful that the jury unanimously agreed."</p> <p>“I would like to thank my partner Kristie, my family, friends and all the fans for their love and support, especially those who attended court each day."</p> <p>“I am fully focused on getting back on to the pitch and look forward to an exciting year ahead for me and my family.”</p> <p>The Metropolitan Police also released a statement about the verdict, saying, “Our officers perform a challenging job and are often subjected to various forms of abuse as they discharge their duty."</p> <p>"We will continue to support all officers involved in this incident The matter was fully investigated with evidence presented to the Crown Prosecution Service who made the decision to charge."</p> <p>“A jury has found Kerr not guilty and we respect their verdict.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: TOLGA AKMEN/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Editorial </em></p>

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Nova radio star speaks out on "shameful" paparazzi photos

<p><em>Nova </em>radio host Kate Ritchie has issued a public statement on Monday morning announcing that she will be taking a break from the<em> Fitzy and Wippa with Kate Ritchie </em>program to focus on her mental health. </p> <p>The announcement comes days after the<em> Daily Mail </em>published invasive paparazzi photos that showed Ritchie appearing distressed while answering a phone call in a park. </p> <p>In a statement released to Instagram, Ritchie slammed the paparazzi for their "relentless stalking".</p> <p>“The images of me taken last week show that I wasn’t OK on that day. My struggle is not helped by the relentless stalking of the paparazzi, in fact they are making it much worse,” she wrote.</p> <p>“Due to their constant harassment, they significantly add pressure and make my recovery that much more difficult.”</p> <p>"To those profiting from invading my privacy, a simple question - would you treat your sister, mother or daughter the same, if they had similar challenges?” she continued. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DFltgAPSlyj/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DFltgAPSlyj/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Kate Ritchie (@kateritchieofficial)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>She admitted that her mental health issues were “deeply personal” and had “proven to be a bigger challenge than I imagined". </p> <p>Ritchie did not disclose how long her break from the show will be, but thanked listeners for their support. </p> <p>The<em> Daily Mail </em>received backlash for their story about Ritchie with paparazzi photos and video showing her crying while on the phone. </p> <p>The publication posted the video on to their social media, with many slamming the footage for intruding on her privacy. </p> <p>“The Daily Mail’s video of Kate Ritchie is f**ked. You don’t post that,” one person wrote. </p> <p>“What a horrible intrusion on her privacy when she is obviously going through a tough time. Have a heart and back off,” another commented. </p> <p>“She is clearly going through something and struggling. Instead of calling authorities or asking her if she needed help or was OK, they recorded her. horrible,” another person wrote.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

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Parents of Laos poisoning victims speak out

<p>Melbourne teenagers Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles, were on a the trip of a lifetime backpacking through Southeast Asia on their gap year when they fell seriously ill. </p> <p>The 19-year-old friends were staying at the popular Nana Backpacker Hostel in Vang Vieng last November, when they were rushed to hospital after a night out with suspected <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/travel-trouble/two-aussie-teens-poisoned-in-laos-identified" target="_blank" rel="noopener">methanol poisoning</a>. </p> <p>The teens were among six tourists who died in the mass poisoning. </p> <p>The backpacker hostel has since shut down, and while the Laos government said it was "profoundly saddened" by the deaths and vowed to prosecute those responsible, months later, the girls' families are still searching for answers. </p> <p>In an exclusive interview with <em>60 Minutes </em>journalist Tara Brown, their parents – Mark and Michelle Jones alongside Sam and Shaun Bowles – said the Laos government has refused to meet with them since the teenagers’ deaths.</p> <p>“We’ve heard nothing,” Mark said in the interview on Sunday. </p> <p>"For them not to reach out is, that's just not good enough."</p> <p>When it came to the Laos government's response, both families felt there was a lack of empathy and accountability. </p> <p>After the backpacker hostel was shut down and eight staff were <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/eight-people-detained-over-laos-methanol-poisoning" target="_blank" rel="noopener">detained and released</a>, the investigation has seemingly stalled. </p> <p>"It seems like a complete cover-up," Mark said, claiming there was a lack of transparency in the investigation. </p> <p>"We haven't heard anything from the Laos government. Not a thing," Shaun added. "It's appalling."</p> <p>"The Laos government sent their condolences via the federal police, and that to us means nothing, nothing at all," Shaun continued.</p> <p>The parents hope that by speaking out about the dangers of methanol poisoning, others will be able to avoid suffering similar tragedies in their own families. </p> <p>“I cannot have my daughter’s passing not mean anything," Mark said. </p> <p>"If this gets parents to have a conversation with their kids if they're off travelling, then that's something," Shaun added.</p> <p>All four parents said they had no confidence the truth could ever be revealed, but they still want justice and answers. </p> <p>"We want some form of closure," Mark said.</p> <p>"We want to understand that people who have done wrong by our daughter and Holly and the other people are going to be brought to justice."</p> <p><em>Images: Nine/ 60 Minutes</em></p>

Caring

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Erin Molan speaks out after abrupt axing

<p>Erin Molan has broken her silence after her show on Sky News Australia was abruptly cancelled, just two months after her 2GB radio show was also axed. </p> <p>Molan presented her final current affairs show on Sky News on Friday, before taking to Instagram to discuss her departure with her dedicated followers. </p> <p>In a video posted to social media, Erin said, "Well, first of all, hi. Wow, what a few days, I'm so grateful to everyone who has reached out and shared messages of support. You are all absolutely phenomenal. It's meant so so much to me, so thank you, my mind is seriously blown."</p> <p>She continued, "You've seen the news by now, clearly, that I finished up with Sky. I loved every second of my time with Sky, my show there became my purpose, my passion, and aside from my little girl, basically my entire existence, which is very sad, I know. And yes, I need to get out more."</p> <p>Erin then shared that while she is "done" with Sky now, she is "just getting started".</p> <p>"So, I'm sorry to those who had hoped otherwise," she said, jokingly adding, "I'm somewhat surprisingly much harder to kill off than you think."</p> <p>She added that her problem is that she cares "too much" about people, and "about the world, about a peaceful existence for every single child, about the safety of women everywhere".</p> <p>Erin revealed she's received job offers from other networks, admitting it would be nice to have "fewer death threats, more stability, a simpler life", however, she feels compelled to use her platform to shed more light on issues she is passionate about, such as the ongoing war in Gaza. </p> <p>"I won't ever accept what the world is dishing up right now, and nor should you," she said. "I will never bury my head in the sand, because that is not how I was raised."</p> <p>She finished by telling her followers to "watch this space".</p> <p>Erin's time at Sky News draws to a close just months after her radio show, co-hosted by Dave Hughes and Ed Kavalee, was also <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/entertainment/music/beloved-breakfast-radio-show-pulled-off-air" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pulled off the air</a> after three years. </p> <p><em>Image credits: for AWAPAC/Shutterstock Editorial</em></p>

TV

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"Speaking up saved my life": Jelena Dokic's inspiring speech

<p>Jelena Dokic delivered a heartfelt address at the National Press Club on Wednesday, the first tennis player to speak there since John Newcombe 40 years ago. </p> <p>The 41-year-old tennis great reflected on her journey from enduring the abuse at the hands of her father to inspiring others with her resilience. </p> <p>Dokic spoke from her heart, without using a teleprompter she recalled the story of her life, saying: “He took from me the time with my country, with my people, with my home." </p> <p>“Even when I came back a few years later, it was not the same. I was embraced but it was not the same up until my books and now the documentary where people can really see the power of it on screen.</p> <p>“But I don’t hate him. There is no hate, bitterness or resentment towards the media, even the trolls. I am not a hateful, bitter, resentful person. I went through what I went through, but I survived and I’m thriving today for a reason.”</p> <p>Dokic also revealed that after her tennis career ended, she hit rock bottom, battling severe depression and a lack of confidence. </p> <p>"Eleven years ago, I was in bed, unable to get up, deep in depression. I couldn’t string two sentences together. I couldn’t look people in the eye," she said.</p> <p>But with the help of a few people who believed in her, she managed to rebuild her life, writing her first book, <em>Unbreakable</em>, which gave her a platform to share her story.</p> <p>Over time, she built her confidence and transitioned to commentary, speaking engagements and now public advocacy. </p> <p>"Today, I can’t shut up," she joked. "At Channel 9, they say I can talk under water, and I’m proud of that because I couldn’t even form a sentence 11 years ago. Belief from others helped me get here, and now I want to be that person for someone else."</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DDbZT-bpILa/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DDbZT-bpILa/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by JELENA DOKIC 🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺 (@dokic_jelena)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Dokic, who is now a tennis commentator, said she strives to remain positive saying: "You will never hear me say a bad word about a player who loses 6-0, 6-0. I’ll always find something constructive to say."</p> <p>“I’ll say, ‘Not their day, it didn’t work out, got to look forward’. Always something like that, never criticise," she added. </p> <p>Her authentic and kind approach has helped her master her craft and connect with her interviewees on a deeper level. </p> <p>Dokic then went on to explain that she contemplated holding back from sharing parts of her trauma, but decided against it, saying: “I want that you see a person who has gone from victim to survivor, most importantly thriver." </p> <p>"Maybe another 13-year-old girl will think, ‘She did it. I can do it too.’"</p> <p>“I stood in the face of fear from my father to society to media. To come out and tell my story. I want to leave a legacy behind that I turned something bad into good, negative into positive, pain into power. And not even just for myself. But the ability to maybe help someone else."</p> <p>She urged the audience to create safe spaces and reject shame, stigma, and judgment, adding, "Speaking out saved my life. No silence, no shame, no judgment."</p> <p>Dokic concluded with a powerful plea for Australians to combat domestic violence and foster support for vulnerable individuals.</p> <p>“Most importantly the day that we stop talking about the most important issues in our society and we turn our backs to them, that’s when our world and our society ends.</p> <p>“So, if I could leave you with one thing — sharing my story, telling the truth, not being silent, and speaking up saved my life. No shame, no judgement, no stigma, but also no silence.”</p> <p>Dokic received a standing ovation at the end of her hour-long speech. </p> <p><em>Images: Jelena Dokic/ Instagram</em></p>

Mind

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"Rot in hell": Family of murdered paramedic speak out over ruling

<p>The man charged with murdering New South Wales paramedic Steven Tougher has been found not criminally responsible due to a mental health impairment, with Tougher's family "appalled" by the decision. </p> <p>In April 2023, Tougher, 29, was stabbed in a McDonald’s carpark by Jordan Fineanganofo, 23, in a frenzied attack at 5am in the Sydney suburb of Campbelltown. </p> <p>The father-to-be had been eating with a colleague when he was approached by Fineanganofo, who stabbed him 55 times and leaving 24 incised wounds. </p> <p>“I am going to f**king kill you,” Fineanganofo said to Mr Tougher, according to the agreed facts and court documents. </p> <p>Mr Tougher was rushed to hospital after the attack, but suffered a cardiac arrest and died at the hospital shortly after he arrived. </p> <p>Both the defence and the Crown prosecutor agreed the court could find Fineanganofo was not responsible because of his mental health issues, with Justice David Davies stating on Friday that he cannot be held criminal responsible. </p> <p>“I am satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused committed the psychical acts,” he said.</p> <p>“(I) find the accused was suffering from a mental impairment at the time he committed the acts”. </p> <p>Justice Davies found Fineanganofo had been suffering from a mental health impairment at the time of the attack and did not know the wrongness of his actions because of his illness.</p> <p>The court was told Fineanganofo experienced auditory hallucinations, increasing paranoia, and suicidal ideation before the deadly attack, as the 23-year-old told psychiatrists that he heard voices telling him to harm himself and others in the weeks leading up to the offences, and believed he was surrounded by malignant demons.</p> <p>As Justice Davies handed down his decision, Tougher's friends and family broke down in court. </p> <p>“You chose not to take your medication, you’re the demon,” one person shouted at Fineanganofo as he was taken into custody, while another person yelled, “Rot in hell, you dog.”</p> <p>Outside court, Mr Tougher’s father Jeff said the family were “appalled” with the outcome.</p> <p>“It is neither what we wanted nor what we expected,” he said. “Stephen has been lost in this deeply flawed and broken process.”</p> <p>The heartbroken father said the family “strongly oppose” the court's decision to agree to a finding of not criminally responsible, and they were “deeply offended” they were not consulted before the decision was made.</p> <p>Mr Tougher’s father said the family would be pushing for an inquest into the “deplorable” circumstances surrounding his son’s death. </p> <p>“We are damaged today, but we’re not broken. The system is broken, and as a family, we will be fighting for change,” he said. “My son will not be forgotten, nor will his death be dismissed.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p>

Legal

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"I thought I was Bear Grylls": Woman speaks out after being trapped upside-down for 7 hours

<p>A young woman who spent hours stuck upside-down between two boulders has spoken out about her horrific <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/travel/travel-trouble/woman-rescued-after-getting-stuck-in-between-two-boulders" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ordeal</a> as she was reunited with her rescuers. </p> <p>Matilda Campbell, a 23-year-old from Newcastle, was on a trip away with friends in Laguna, about a 30-minute drive from Cessnock, when she dropped her phone between two huge rocks.</p> <p>The young woman climbed down to retrieve her phone, and when she got stuck upside-down, her friends called 000 for help. </p> <p>Paramedics had to move the boulders using a specialist winch to reach Matilda, before facing the tricky task of “navigating” her out from her precarious position.</p> <p>After suffering minor injuries from the ordeal, Matilda has spoken out about how she ended up in the sticky situation. </p> <p>“We wanted to see nature ... and we saw these beautiful rocks so we sat there ... and then my friend had my phone and it slipped off the rock,” she told <em>7News</em>.</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/DBsj-x1CYI2/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBsj-x1CYI2/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by 7NEWS Sydney (@7newssyd)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“And I thought oh no I’m still paying off that phone I need it ... so I ventured down and thought I was Bear Grylls ... and I slipped head first into the crevice where I was stuck for seven hours."</p> <p>“I didn’t freak out at the start ... it took me about half an hour to realise I was fully stuck and then I started to have a big cry."</p> <p>“I’m very thankful I was with my friends, otherwise it would have been a very different story.”</p> <p>Campbell has since been reunited with her rescuers, to whom she says she owes her life, as she said, “I’m just thankful to see them again ... I wouldn’t be here today without them. So, I’m really thankful.”</p> <p>Specialist rescue paramedic Peter Watts said the rescue was “challenging but incredibly rewarding”, saying after the rescue, “In my 10 years as a rescue paramedic, I had never encountered a job quite like this.”</p> <p>In total, the woman spent seven hours hanging upside-down before she was freed, with only minor scratches and bruises but still without her phone, which could not be retrieved.</p> <p><em>Image credits: 7News</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Commissioner speaks out after son's killer avoids jail

<p>Police Commissioner Grant Stevens has shared an emotional statement outside of court after the young man accused of killing his son had his sentence suspended. </p> <p>Dhirren Randhawa, 19, was sentenced at Adelaide District Court to 13 months in prison for driving without due care and leaving the scene of an accident after crashing into 18-year-old Charlie Stevens in 2023.</p> <p>Charlie was celebrating schoolies with his friends, before being struck and suffering irreversible brain damage, as he died in hospital just days later. </p> <p>Judge Joanne Tracey suspended the sentence with a two-year good behaviour bond and a 10-year suspension of his license, citing many reasons why he should not be placed behind bars. </p> <p>Justice Tracey said Randhawa’s youth, lack of prior offending, the circumstances of the offending, his genuine remorse and his guilty pleas were all factors in her decision. </p> <p>“You have accepted there was more you could have done to avoid this tragic outcome,” she said on Tuesday. “It is, of course, the case you had no intention to harm anyone that night."</p> <p>“It is an offence any one of us as road users may commit if we do not take proper care or drive without proper attention.”</p> <p>Speaking after the sentence, Commissioner Stevens he and his family were “grateful” the court process had finished.</p> <p>“The judge said in summing up today … no matter what happens in the courtroom today, it’s not going to change anything for our family, and I think that’s a very true statement,” he said alongside his wife Emma.</p> <p>“We’re grateful this part of the entire process is over. Each court date that has come up has been difficult, stressful and emotional for our family."</p> <p>“We’re grateful Dhirren chose to plead guilty to his offence because that brought this part of it to a conclusion much more quickly."</p> <p>“It is one of those things, we are continuing to learn how to live with every single day without Charlie. It’s not getting any easier, as I’m sure people who have lost a child would appreciate."</p> <p>“We’re very grateful for the support and the sympathy we’ve received from the South Australian community … there’s no way we can acknowledge or repay that in any other format other than thanking people for their support.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: SA Police / Facebook</em></p>

Caring

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"Police have done nothing": William Tyrrell's foster mother speaks out

<p>William Tyrrell's foster mother has issued a rare statement, slamming the police investigation into the disappearance of the toddler. </p> <p>In her first public comments in two years, the woman - who cannot be identified - has been insistent on denying any involvement in William's disappearance despite being at the centre of a dedicated Strike Force team.</p> <p>She claimed police had “gone to great lengths to blacken my character in the media” as they built a case against her, since she was publicly outed as the current person of interest for Strike Force Rosann detectives in 2021.</p> <p>As <a href="https://www.news.com.au/national/crime/done-nothing-william-tyrrells-foster-mother-issues-statement/news-story/0503f8940a3bad2bb2648c38bc44e288" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>news.com.au</em></a> continue their investigative podcast into William's disappearance and the subsequent investigation, the foster mother has slammed the authorities for the way they have handled the high-profile case. </p> <p>She said, “I believe that if the police had properly investigated this case, instead of persecuting me, they may well have found the person responsible for William’s disappearance.”</p> <p>She went on to reiterate she believes the three-year-old was taken from her mother’s yard in Kendall in September of 2014 and that she has “no idea who took William, or what happened to him”.</p> <p>“For the past five years, the police have done nothing to try to discover who took William, and what has happened to him," she said.</p> <p>“Instead, they have concentrated all their efforts on trying to build a case that I was in some way to blame for his death, and the disposal of his precious little body."</p> <p>“They have gone to great lengths to blacken my character in the media.”</p> <p>She went on to say she loved William “as much as any mother could love her child … if not more”.</p> <p>She said, “It did not matter one bit that he was not connected to us biologically. William made my life complete; I loved him fiercely. I just loved being his ‘mummy’.”</p> <p>“Never ever for a moment did I regret becoming a foster mother”, she said, adding the family was “and still are … connected as one”.</p> <p>“It’s challenging to have hope and build plans for the future when our hearts remain shattered and in pieces,” she said. “All I can hope for is that some person who knows something comes forward.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: NSW Police</em></p>

Legal

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"We let you down": Karl Stefanovic speaks out on Nine report

<p>Karl Stefanovic has spoken out about the report into toxic workplace culture at the Nine Network, calling out the “perpetrators” of bad behaviour.</p> <p>On Thursday, a <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/damning-report-exposes-toxic-workplace-culture-at-channel-nine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> conducted by independent investigators revealed that Nine has “has a systemic issue with abuse of power and authority; bullying, discrimination and harassment; and sexual harassment”, with several employees sharing their own horror stories of working for the network. </p> <p>During Friday's episode of the <em>Today Show</em>, Karl took a moment to discuss the findings of the report, saying "many people are hurting" over the shocking allegations. </p> <p>Echoing the concerns of Nine stars including Deb Knight and Dimity Clancey who raised concerns at a meeting on Thursday, the Today show host said he understood concerns that the report didn’t “name names.”</p> <p>“They feel like what was the point of speaking out if perpetrators are not called out? I asked the same question yesterday and it’s my understanding several investigations are now underway and we have to be patient for the process of all that,’’ he said.</p> <p>“It’s essential and it’s critical. I want to say it’s not about us, but there are good men who do work here at Nine who find what happened absolutely intolerable, who struggle to understand how we didn’t know more and do something, how it grieved you." </p> <p>“I feel like we have all in a way, let you down. I love my work colleagues here. Women I have the honour to present with women on the floor of this great show."</p> <p>“Women behind the scenes who make us all better. I’m grateful women are this company and they are the way forward. They will show the way. We just have to listen and act.”</p> <p>"I genuinely, genuinely feel for the women who have given testimony, I can't imagine how hard that was and the courage that it took," Karl said.</p> <div> <div id="adspot-mobile-mobile-3-above"></div> </div> <p>"It's going to be up to all of us now to do better, to say enough - this stops now."</p> <p><em>Image credits: The Today Show</em></p>

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William Tyrrell's biological grandmother speaks out

<p>William Tyrrell's biological grandmother has spoken out about the child's first disappearance, two years before he disappeared without a trace in 2014, and how she was the "mastermind" behind the plan. </p> <p>Natalie Collins, whose three-year-old grandson was last seen alive on 12th September 2014, said she orchestrated for William to be hidden away when a court ordered William to be taken from his parent's custody. </p> <p>“So I hid them,” Ms Collins told the second episode of <a href="https://www.news.com.au/national/crime/i-hid-him-william-tyrrells-biological-grandmother-speaks/news-story/49b7f2998daf1d13035a794622e9a463" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>news.com.au</em></a>’s investigative podcast into William's disappearance. </p> <p>“I hid them for three months after I knew (state government officials) were going to take William … I arranged it all.”</p> <p>When asked if that made her the mastermind of William’s first disappearance, which caused police to set up a dedicated strike force to find him, Ms Collins said “Yeah, that’s right”. </p> <p>“I should have taken him myself … Then no one would have been able to take him off me. That’s what I should have done,” she said.</p> <p>The court order for William to be removed from his biological parents' care came in 2012, when he was jut seven months old. </p> <p>The NSW government Department of Family and Community Services (FaCS) had raised concerns about domestic violence and substance abuse between William's parents Brendan Collins and Karlie Tyrrell, the court heard.</p> <p>The court ordered for William to be taken by officials and placed into government care, but when the officers arrived to take William, he was gone. </p> <p>A police strike force, codenamed Duncraig, was set up to find William, with officers making repeated visits to various addresses over the coming weeks, without success.</p> <p>In 2012, William was ultimately found in the custody of Ms Collins and taken by authorities, who placed him with foster parents.</p> <p>Ms Collins said the government made the wrong decision to re-home William in 2012, and their actions directly led to William's 2014 disappearance.</p> <p>“These (FaCS) people didn’t do their job,” she said. “They failed to do their job properly."</p> <p>“Because this shouldn’t happen these days with foster care children. What it’s done to my family from day one has stuffed all of us up,” she continued.</p> <p>“I’ve got one son in rehab, I’ve got one in jail and my family has been stuffed up. I lost my son and I lost myself on the way.”</p> <p>The podcast also spoke to one of the officials who was present when William was first taken from his biological family, as the man claimed he constantly wonders if he made the right decision about William's care. </p> <p>“We take kids off … families all the time,” the man said, breaking down in tears. “You do it. It is part of the job. </p> <p>“The thing I get upset about is … we took William off Karlie to protect him. I can still see myself walking into that bloody unit … And there was William, on the floor."</p> <p>“And I just think … did we do the right thing? Would he still be alive? Maybe.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: NSW Police</em></p>

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Charlise Mutten's grieving mother speaks out about her daughter's killer

<p>The heartbroken mother of Charlise Mutten has spoken out about her "amazing little girl", and how she will never forgive herself for starting a relationship with the man who would go on to kill the nine-year-old. </p> <p>In her first TV interview, Kallista Mutten revealed what the final days were like between her, Charlise and Justin Stein - Kallista's partner - who was jailed for life in August after being found <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/unspeakably-vicious-judge-hands-down-verdict-to-justin-stein" target="_blank" rel="noopener">guilty</a> of Charlise's murder. </p> <p>In the days before the young girl's death in January 2022, the trio were celebrating Christmas in the Blue Mountains. </p> <p>Kallista revealed that during their holiday, Stein had asked Charlise to call him "daddy", saying he was “always going to be a father figure”. </p> <p>“That was a very touching moment for both of us because she’s always longed for a dad,” she told <em>60 Minutes</em>. </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/DBDz4pqhG4e/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBDz4pqhG4e/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by 60 Minutes Australia (@60minutes9)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Kallista and Justin met in 2018 in prison and formed their relationship on wanting to build a better life together, but Kallista now says she will always hate herself for trusting him. </p> <p>“I am forced to live with the fact that I trusted someone with my daughter and that because of my trust in someone, I put my daughter in harm’s way,” She said. </p> <p>"I hate myself for it. I really do. It’s taken this for me to wake up and realise that I already had someone that loved me … He’s a monster, pure evil.”</p> <p>The grieving mum opened up about the nature of her relationship, admitting that her time with Stein had been erratic, in no small part due to their drug use, but she never believed he was capable of what happened. </p> <p>“The thought of what she had gone, would’ve gone through, that’s … that’s what breaks me,” Ms Mutten said. “There is just not enough justice that will make it better for me and my family.”</p> <p>Ms Mutten said she understands why she was judged by those who blamed her for her daughter's death and now knows “Charlise deserved more”. </p> <p>“I do take accountability of the things that I have done,” she said. “I wish I had been there more for her and, like, I see that now and I’ve got to live with that.”</p> <p>While Kallista continues to mourn the loss of her daughter, she hopes Charlise is remembered as a bundle of joy with a kind soul. </p> <p>“We just had this amazing connection and that she just absolutely, she was my number one fan,” she said. “She just was just the most incredible amazing little girl.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: 60 Minutes / NSW Police / Facebook</em></p>

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Australia tops life expectancy among English-speaking nations

<p>A recent study has revealed that Australians outlive their peers in five other high-income English-speaking countries, including the UK and US, by one to four years. </p> <p>The paper published in the medical journal<em> BMJ Open</em> last month, analysed the average life expectancies in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States between 1990 and 2019. </p> <p>They found that Australians' life expectancy surpassed that of Canadians in the early 1990s - and it has remained in the top spot ever since. </p> <p>The average life expectancy for an Australian born in 2019 was 83.24 years, which is two years longer than the average Brit, and four years longer than the average American. </p> <p>"Australia is clearly the best-performing Anglophone country," the paper said.</p> <p>"While Australian men and women have lower mortality at nearly all ages, their mortality advantage at ages 45–84 accounts for the bulk of Australia's life expectancy advantage."</p> <p>The Irish came in second with an life expectancy of 82.39 years, followed by the Canadians with 82.28, and the Kiwis with 81.83.</p> <p>Australia's long life expectancy could be credited to it's high migrant population and low death rates from drug and alcohol misuse, screenable/treatable cancers, and cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. </p> <p>The nation's "strong public health efforts", such as the 1996 gun law reforms and buyback programs following the Port Arthur massacre, and the creation of Headspace, the national youth mental healthcare service, could also play part in our longevity. </p> <p>Australia also had the lowest level of "geographic inequality", meaning that the gap in life expectancy between rich and poor regions was narrower than other countries. </p> <p>However, the life expectancy for  Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people continues to be significantly lower than the average Australian, with males born between  2020 and 2022 expected to live for just 71.9 years, and females for 75.6 years. </p> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

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