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"Unfair": Pauline Hanson's tearful pledge after court ruling

<p>Pauline Hanson has made an emotional pledge after the court <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/judge-rules-against-pauline-hanson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ruled</a> she made racist remarks towards a fellow senator. </p> <p>Justice Angus Stewart found that the One Nation leader engaged in "seriously offensive" and intimidating behaviour when told Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi to "piss off back to Pakistan" in a tweet, with the judge saying the message constitutes "strong racism". </p> <p>After the ruling, Hanson spoke to <em>Sky News</em> in a teary interview in which she called the Federal Court ruling “unfair and unjust”, lamenting that Australia was “not the country I grew up in”.</p> <div> </div> <p>“I just feel that the country’s changed so much in such a way that people can’t say what they think anymore. The thought police is out there, everyone’s shut down for having an opinion,” she said between sobs.</p> <p>“It’s not the country I grew up in."</p> <p>“People may criticise my comment, but I’ve never changed since the first day of politics nearly 30 years ago."</p> <p>“But I think the decision made I think was unfair, unjust and a bit hard, but I’m not going to give up, I’m going to appeal against it, I’m going to fight this.”</p> <p>Handing down his the decision on Friday, Justice Angus Stewart labelled the post as “an angry ad hominem attack”.</p> <p>He ruled the post was “reasonably likely in all the circumstances” to “offend, insult, humiliate and intimidate the applicant and groups of people, namely people of colour who are migrants to Australia or are Australians of relatively recent migrant heritage and Muslims who are people of colour in Australia”.</p> <p>Justice Stewart found that Senator Hanson’s post was motivated by “the race, colour or national or ethnic origin” of Senator Faruqi, and her response was not made in good faith as a fair comment on a matter of public interest.</p> <p>“Senator Hanson’s tweet was merely an angry ad hominem attack devoid of discernible content (or comment) in response to what Senator Faruqi had said,” Justice Stewart said. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Sky News</em></p>

Legal

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Outrage as Paralympian gets disqualified for "unfair" reason

<p>Elena Congost, had just finished the T12/B2 run in third place, but was disqualified and had the bronze medal taken from her, for this one simple move. </p> <p>The 36-year-old was running in the vision-impaired category with guide Mia Carol Bruguera. When her guide faltered with a cramp in the final metres before the finish line, Congost instinctively helped him from falling over and let go of the rope that binds them together.</p> <p>This is not allowed within Paralympic rules as all runners must be connected to their guide via a tether. </p> <p>As a result, Japan’s Misato Michishita was elevated to the bronze medal after finishing fourth.</p> <p>In a heartbreaking interview after the race, a devastated Congost said: “It’s unfair, surreal.” </p> <p>“The next athlete was three minutes behind me. It was just a reflex action that any human being would have done – holding on to someone who is falling.”</p> <p>“But that doesn’t mean that there is any kind of benefit or help. In fact, it is clear that I stop dead.</p> <p>“I can’t find any explanation for this. It’s sad because, in addition, I had just been without a scholarship. And I’m not going to get one now. They will leave me out of everything again when I have shown everything I can do.</p> <p>“I have not been disqualified for cheating, but for being a person, for helping someone.”</p> <p>In a separate interview with Spanish outlet Marca, she said that despite being disqualified, she is proud of her actions. </p> <p>“I would like everyone to know that I have not been disqualified for cheating, but rather I have been disqualified for being a person and for an instinct that comes to you when someone is falling and is to help or support them,” she said.</p> <p>“I’m devastated, to be honest, because I had the medal. I’m super proud of everything I’ve done and in the end they disqualify me because 10 metres from the finish line I let go of the rope for a second because a person next to me fell face first to the ground and I grabbed the rope again and we crossed the finish line.</p> <p>“The next athlete is three minutes away from me, so it was a reflex action of any human being to hold on to a person who is falling next to you.”</p> <p>Fans around the world were outraged at the disqualification verdict and have called for officials to overturn it. </p> <p>“Shame on you. Give the medal back to Elena Congost,” one fan wrote on X, formerly Twitter.</p> <p>“Where is the Olympic spirit? Elena Congost was disqualified after running 42km and helping her guide not to fall to the ground. She has lost the bronze medal and her sports scholarship. Disgusting," another wrote. </p> <p>"Give the medal to Elena Congost. This decision ruins the paralympics. How can you be called inclusive if you can’t help a person from falling?” a third added. </p> <p><em>Image: X</em></p> <p> </p>

Caring

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Major banks hand over millions in refunds over unfair fees

<p>Four major Australian banks are set to cough up close to $30 million in refunds to low-income customers after the Federal corporate watchdog revealed a pattern in high fees. </p> <p>A new report from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission revealed ANZ, Commonwealth Bank, Westpac, as well as mid-tier Bendigo and Adelaide Bank kept at least two million low-income customers in high-fee accounts.</p> <p>Many of these low-income earners rely on Centrelink payments, and were unfairly slapped with unreasonably high fees. </p> <p>The report followed an ASIC review which focused on improving financial outcomes for First Nations customers by addressing avoidable bank fees.</p> <p>“We focused in this project on the banks who were most likely to have First Nations consumers on low incomes trapped in high-fee accounts,” ASIC commissioner Alan Kirkland said.</p> <p>ASIC said the four banks have committed to moving more than 200,000 customers into low-fee accounts, saving them about $10.7 million a year, with the financial institutions also committed to refunding over $28m in fees to these customers over the next 12 to 18 months.</p> <p>This includes $24.6 million to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and apprentices receiving ABSTUDY payments, and customers in areas with significant First Nations populations.</p> <p>“At any time ASIC, and the community, expects that the banks will treat their customers fairly,” Mr Kirkland said.</p> <p>“But that’s particularly important for people on low incomes and for people who are struggling to make ends meet, the last thing they need is to have the very little income that they have being eaten away in unnecessary bank fees.”</p> <p>Mr Kirkland added that the implications of ASIC’s latest review applied to all banks across the country.</p> <p>“We’re expecting all of them to read the report and make improvements to their practices to stop other people being trapped in high-fee accounts that they can’t afford,” Mr Kirkland said.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p>

Money & Banking

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"Unfair" parking fines could soon be a thing of the past

<p>In recent years, road users in one Australian state have found themselves at the receiving end of unwelcome surprises in their mailboxes.</p> <p>An experimental parking fine process, initiated with the aim of streamlining administrative procedures, has instead garnered significant backlash from unsuspecting motorists.</p> <p>However, relief seems to be on the horizon as the New South Wales Government steps in to rectify the situation.</p> <p>The issue revolves around the introduction of ticketless parking fines, a system that was implemented with the intention of simplifying the issuance of penalties for parking violations. Under this scheme, parking officers could send details of fines directly to Revenue NSW, which would then dispatch infringement notices either by post or through the Service NSW app.</p> <p>However, what was meant to be a simple and streamlined modernisation effort has led to a surge in revenue from fines and a subsequent erosion of trust in the system.</p> <p>Concerns about the fairness and transparency of ticketless fines have been mounting, prompting action from the NSW government. Reports indicate that Finance Minister Courtney Houssos has written to all 128 local councils in the state, urging them to halt further adoption of the ticketless parking fine system. Instead, councils have been instructed to revert to traditional ticketing methods and ensure that drivers are promptly made aware of fines at the time of the offence.</p> <p>The move comes in response to a range of issues highlighted by critics of the ticketless system. One major concern is the lack of immediate notification, which diminishes the deterrent effect of fines and makes it difficult for motorists to contest them effectively.</p> <p>Without receiving timely notification, drivers may struggle to gather evidence or address issues such as inadequate signage, hidden signs, or other circumstances that could warrant a review of the fine.</p> <p>Organisations like the National Roads and Motorists' Association (NRMA) have been vocal opponents of the ticketless scheme, labelling it as "unfair" and criticising its impact on transparency.</p> <p>According to NRMA spokesperson Peter Khoury, the system reduces the ability of drivers to contest fines, thereby undermining their rights and contributing to a loss of community trust in the administration of fines.</p> <p>The NSW government's intervention signals a recognition of these concerns and a commitment to restoring confidence in the fines system. By prioritising immediate notification for drivers, authorities aim to address the shortcomings of the ticketless parking fine process.</p> <p>The decision to reverse the experimental system comes amid staggering revenue figures, with nearly $140 million generated from ticketless fines in 2023 alone. While the financial gains may be substantial, they come at the expense of public trust and fairness, prompting a much-needed course correction.</p> <p>As Minister Houssos asserts, providing immediate notification to drivers is not only the right thing to do but also a crucial step towards rebuilding community trust. By ensuring that drivers are promptly informed of fines and have the opportunity to contest them, authorities can strike a balance between effective enforcement and procedural fairness in managing parking violations.</p> <p>As road users await the reinstatement of traditional ticketing methods, they can take solace in the prospect of a fairer and more transparent fines system in the future.</p> <p><em>Images: City of Sydney</em></p>

Legal

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Women and low-income earners miss out in a superannuation system most Australians think is unfair

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/antonia-settle-1019551">Antonia Settle</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em></p> <p>Most Australians think the superannuation system is unfair, with only one in three agreeing the retirement savings scheme is fair for most Australians, according to a survey conducted for the University of Melbourne.</p> <p>In fact, only about half of those <a href="https://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/publications/research-insights/search/result?paper=4630688">surveyed</a> agreed superannuation works well for them.</p> <p>These results contradict a conventional view based on earlier studies and held by academics and many in the personal finance sector, that Australians give little thought to superannuation.</p> <p>A 2013 survey found Australians have <a href="https://search.informit.org/doi/abs/10.3316/INFORMIT.285049750322819">poor knowledge</a> of how the superannuation system works, while another study in 2022 highlighted <a href="https://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/4382057/HILDA_Statistical_Report_2022.pdf">low financial literacy</a> in general.</p> <p>Australians also showed <a href="https://behaviouraleconomics.pmc.gov.au/sites/default/files/projects/retirement-planning-saving-attitudes_0_0.pdf">little interest in superannuation</a>, according to a 2020 Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet survey, with few Australians showing interest in reading their superannuation statements, choosing their fund or making voluntary contributions.</p> <p>With Australian households seen as uninformed and uninterested, their opinions tend to be left out of the public debate. We hear much about the gender pension gap, for example, but little about what women actually think about superannuation.</p> <p>Similarly, the distribution of tax advantage in superannuation is hotly debated by economists but survey data tends to refrain from asking households what they think about equity in the superannuation system.</p> <p>The University of Melbourne survey of 1,003 Australians was undertaken by Roy Morgan Research in April.</p> <p>Its results show women and low-income households are widely seen as disadvantaged in the superannuation system.</p> <p>In fact, only one in five Australians see the superannuation system as well suited to the needs of women and of low-income households, while 70% believe super favours wealthy households.</p> <p><iframe id="5VX3K" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/5VX3K/1/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe></p> <p>This suggests although Australians may show little interest in the management of their super accounts and may report they find the system confusing or even <a href="https://www.professionalplanner.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Attitudes-to-Super-Report-May-2016.pdf">boring</a>, they are surprisingly aware of how superannuation is distributed.</p> <h2>Women, singles and low-income earners miss out</h2> <p>The federal government’s 2020 <a href="https://treasury.gov.au/publication/p2020-100554">Retirement Income Review</a> documents these gaps. Renters, women, uncoupled households and those on low-incomes fare poorly in the retirement income system.</p> <p>With little super to supplement the public pension, these groups are vastly over-represented in elderly poverty statistics, which are among the <a href="https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/sites/d76e4fad-en/index.html?itemId=/content/component/d76e4fad-en">highest in the OECD</a>.</p> <p>Mirroring the gaps in the superannuation system reported by the review, the University of Melbourne survey shows that it is outright homeowners and those who are married who believe the superannuation system works well.</p> <p>Concerns the system works poorly for women and low-income households are strongest among women and low-income households. Only one in three renters believe the superannuation system meets their needs.</p> <p><iframe id="N9GO6" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/N9GO6/1/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe></p> <p>This suggests individuals’ concerns about fairness in the superannuation system are driven by their own experiences of disadvantage, regardless of financial literacy.</p> <p>This is consistent with my own <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13563467.2023.2195159">research</a> into household attitudes to superannuation, which showed some resentment among women who were well aware their male partners had substantially higher superannuation balances than them.</p> <p>This all matters for policymakers.</p> <h2>Why public perceptions are important</h2> <p>In the short term, these results suggest public support for making super fairer is likely to be stronger than previously thought. Recent government changes to tax concessions on large balances, for example, could have gone much further without losing support from the 70% of households that think the system favours the wealthy.</p> <p>But it matters for the longer term too.</p> <p>Public perceptions of fairness, effectiveness and efficiency are crucial to policy sustainability. This is well established in the academic literature from <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/spol.12683">B Ebbinghaus</a>, 2021 and <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1911-3838.12171">H Chung et al.</a>, and accepted by the Retirement Income Review.</p> <p>The review assessed the public’s confidence in the system to both “deliver an adequate retirement income for them(selves) and (to) generate adequate outcomes across society”.</p> <p>As the review makes clear, the system must avoid a loss of public confidence from perceptions of unfairness.</p> <p>Yet perceptions of unfairness are exactly what the University of Melbourne results suggest. This would have been clearer to policymakers if they asked earlier.<!-- 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/207633/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/antonia-settle-1019551">Antonia Settle</a>, Academic (McKenzie Postdoctoral Research Fellow), <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/women-and-low-income-earners-miss-out-in-a-superannuation-system-most-australians-think-is-unfair-207633">original article</a>.</em></p>

Retirement Income

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"Unfair and unbearable": Jock Zonfrillo's widow shares emotional family milestone

<p>Jock Zonfrillo's widow has shared another first for their grieving family, as she told of Jock's "unbearable" absence at their child's birthday party. </p> <p>Lauren Fried, Jock's wife who now runs his Instagram account, posted a series of photos from her daughter Isla's first birthday without her "Papa". </p> <p>Lauren reflected on the emotional day, and the reality of her late husband not being there with their family.</p> <p>In a lengthy caption, she wrote, "We had Isla’s first birthday party without her Papa." </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/p/Cx6RTwCvnIP/?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/Cx6RTwCvnIP/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Jock Zonfrillo (posts by Loz) (@zonfrillo)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>She went on to explain what previous birthdays were like before Jock's sudden passing, writing, "Jock would have been up all night the day before, the first one out of bed in the morning. Menu planning for weeks."</p> <p>"Then I would have fallen asleep on Jock’s chest after the party, talking through how it went, if Isla had a good time, did people eat and drink enough, would she remember any of it."</p> <p>Lauren then explained how this year's party looked to their grieving family, explaining, "This year I did a BBQ and the rest of the food was outsourced to my sister and Mark. [Ava Zonfrillo] blew up the balloons. Uber delivered the cake. I cried as I dressed the kids. I fell asleep without Jock."</p> <p>She went on to share how bittersweet the day was, saying, "For Jock to miss these days seems unfair and unbearable, and another of the firsts we are pushing through as a family."</p> <p>Despite their grief, Lauren said their family is slowly starting to heal.</p> <p>"Our little ones are finding joy again, they are being the happy and cheeky children they always were, and I’m grateful that life keeps dragging us forward day by day."</p> <p>Commenters shared their support for the family, with one writing, “Firsts are the hardest, it’s like losing them all over again 😔. Keep being strong for you, your family and the gorgeous children you had with Jock.”</p> <p>Jock Zonfrillo was <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/shattered-hearts-culinary-world-mourns-tragic-death-of-jock-zonfrillo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">found dead</a> in a hotel room in the Melbourne suburb of Carlton on April 30th after police were called for a welfare check.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

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“A little bit unfair”: Hard-working tradies blast age pension increase

<p dir="ltr">A group of tired tradies have rallied against the “unfair” decision to increase the age of eligibility for the age pension.</p> <p dir="ltr">The tradesmen, all in their 60s, simply said their bodies “can’t handle” working in manual labour until they’re 70, which may be in their future if the eligibility age continues to rise.</p> <p dir="ltr">The age to qualify for the pension was raised from 66 years and six months to 67 on July 1st with the move impacting any Australian born after December 31st, 1956.</p> <p dir="ltr">Experts predict the age could rise even further to 70 by the year 2050 with the news sparking backlash among hardworking Aussies.</p> <p dir="ltr">One man, a concreter in his mid-60s named Steve, said working the manual labour job was already taking a toll on his body and that the new retirement age was “unfair” on those working physically demanding jobs.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Now I'm starting to feel it more in my knees, I've got arthritis in my hands, I've had two back surgeries,” he told <em><a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/australian-tradies-outraged-over-decision-to-raise-pension-age-to-67/5b5c6dda-c995-44ad-bb29-98c625e9d276" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A Current Affair</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It does seem a little bit unfair that you have to work all your life.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Peter, who cuts down trees in the Gold Coast for a living, compared the raising of the pension age to the harsh realities of his job.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It's just like climbing a tree,” he said. “The injuries are just climbing all the time, it's getting harder, worse, sorer all the time.”</p> <p dir="ltr">He described what was happening as “very scary”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Unfortunately I thought 65 would be a nice time to retire and get on a pension but now we are talking 67,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Is it going to go up to 68, 69, 70?”</p> <p dir="ltr">Macquarie University Professor Hanlin Shang believes the pension age will need to rise to 70 or government spending will spiral out of control.</p> <p dir="ltr">He and other researchers estimate that the retirement age will rise to 68 by 2030, 69 in 2036 and 70 by 2050.</p> <p dir="ltr">“As Australians live longer than before, it presents a challenge to the government to fund retirees through a pension scheme,” Professor Shang said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite these challenges, Peter said politicians don't understand the burden that working physical jobs has on older bodies.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It would be nice to be a politician sitting on a nice comfortable chair all day in an air conditioned room or office,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“They need to come out and see what it's like to do some physical work. That would make them change their mind in trying to stretch this pension out to 67, 68, 69, 70.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: A Current Affair</em></p>

Retirement Income

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Meghan Markle hits back at unfair nickname

<p dir="ltr">Meghan Markle has hit back at her nickname, which she says is “really a codeword for the B-word”.</p> <p dir="ltr">In her latest podcast episode T<em>o ‘B’ or not to ‘B’?</em>, the Duchess of Sussex said her nickname “Duchess Difficult” is a way of gaslighting women.</p> <p dir="ltr">“What these people are implying when they use that very charged word, is that this woman: ‘Oh, she’s difficult’,” she said in the episode on <em>Archetypes</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Which is really just a euphemism or is probably not even a euphemism. It’s really a codeword for the B-word.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Meghan was given the nickname back in 2018 when she was accused of displaying “dictator” style behaviour towards her staff members - which led to one of them quitting.</p> <p dir="ltr">“My friend said to me, there’s a certain point when you come to terms with the fact that not everyone is going to like you,” Meghan continued.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The goal can’t be for everyone to like you, but the goal can be for them to respect you.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Meghan has also been called the “Princess of Montecito” because of her bizarre requests when it comes to booking restaurants.</p> <p dir="ltr">“If she’s going into Beverly Hills or West Hollywood for lunch or dinner, she’ll generally call ahead and request a table that is completely secluded,” a source told the UK’s Closer magazine.</p> <p dir="ltr">The source alleges that Meghan’s favourite restaurants aren’t well known but when she goes to high-end places, she ensures the place is perfect for her arrival.</p> <p dir="ltr">“But, generally speaking, these days she likes higher-end hangouts like Cecconi’s, Sunset Tower, Sugarfish or Lucky’s steakhouse in Montecito, which was recommended by Oprah,” the magazine reported.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s become their favourite, and they’re waited on hand and foot.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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"She didn't add any smiley faces!" Woman fired for not using emojis

<p>A Queensland woman has won an unfair dismissal case, after the ex-wife of the business owner demanded she was fired immediately over sending a text message that didn’t include any smiley face emojis.</p> <p>According to the Fair Work Commission (FWC), Phoebe Wang who was overseeing her ex-husband’s Sens and Goya cafes on the Gold Coast had smashed her phone on the counter, jumped up and down while screaming “Kristen Gordon must be fired” immediately after receiving messages from her about a staffing issue.</p> <p>Ms Gordon had been employed by the business for about 14 months and was a casual working full-time hours. Part of her job included rostering staff and time sheets.</p> <p>Her colleague, who was there at the time of the incident, told the FWC she asked to see the messages to understand why Ms Wang was so angry however, she found the messages to be normal.</p> <p>Allegedly, Ms Wang said that Ms Gordon was arguing with her because there were no emojis included.</p> <p>Ms Gordon told the FWC that she had been told Ms Wang repeatedly stated she “didn’t add any smiley faces! There are no emotions!”.</p> <p>Ms Gordon went on to say she was unaware her “completely reasonable text message” had caused so much upset.</p> <p>The next day after working a full shift, Ms Gordon was told by a manager they were forced to dismiss her. Fair Work Commissioner Chris Simpson concluded that Ms Gordon was dismissed at this point, despite any attempts for it to appear otherwise.</p> <p>Commissioner Simpson ordered Sens Catering Group Pty Ltd to pay Ms Gordon $5357.80, plus 9.5% superannuation.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Legal

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Australia’s temporary visa system is unfair, expensive, impractical and inconsistent. Here’s how the new government could fix it

<p>The election of the Albanese Labor government brings an opportunity to end one of the most detrimental elements of Australian refugee law and policy in the past decade: the use of temporary visas. </p> <p>Temporary protection has been the only option available for asylum seekers who arrived by boat a decade ago and were recognised as refugees. Known as the “legacy caseload”, these people are caught in a system of law and policy that keeps them in a state of perpetual limbo. </p> <p>As the new government committed to end temporary protection, we have <a href="https://www.kaldorcentre.unsw.edu.au/news/new-kaldor-centre-policy-brief-proposes-reforms-australia%E2%80%99s-temporary-protection-system">just published a policy brief</a> with the Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law outlining how this could be achieved.</p> <p>Our report sets out practical reforms that can be implemented relatively simply, within existing legislative provisions and with only minimal changes to policy and regulations.</p> <p>The 17 recommendations were produced in consultation with refugees and asylum seekers living on temporary protection visas and bridging visas. We also consulted civil society, including former and current temporary protection visa holders and legal groups working with refugees.</p> <p>The impact of temporary protection and the fast-track system on refugees and asylum seekers has left many <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/inm.12325">depressed and suicidal</a>. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jun/29/the-new-government-gives-me-hope-that-the-cruel-limbo-of-temporary-protection-visas-might-end">Expectations</a> from those living on temporary visas and the wider refugee advocates are high and there is significant apprehension about the transition.</p> <p>The new government understands it will need to approach reforms carefully. Our recommendations are accompanied by a trauma-informed strategy to help reduce mental distress, deterioration and retraumatisation of asylum seekers, while also increasing community engagement.</p> <h2>The current system is damaging</h2> <p>Australia’s temporary protection system is <a href="https://www.kaldorcentre.unsw.edu.au/news/new-kaldor-centre-policy-brief-proposes-reforms-australia%E2%80%99s-temporary-protection-system">unfair, expensive, impractical and inconsistent</a> with our international human rights obligations.</p> <p>In 2014, the Coalition government reintroduced a Howard-era three-year Temporary Protection Visa (TPV) and a five-year Safe Haven Enterprise Visa (SHEV) for the more than 30,000 people who arrived by boat between August 13 2012 and January 1 2014. </p> <p>However, unlike the earlier Howard policy, the temporary visas this time provided no realistic prospect of applying for permanent protection. </p> <p>The number of people in this “legacy caseload” as <a href="https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/research-and-stats/files/uma-legacy-caseload-may-2022.pdf">of May 2022</a> is 31,256. </p> <p>They come from many countries. The largest number are from Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The majority – around 19,500 people – have been found to be refugees and have been granted TPV and SHEV. </p> <p>The 10,000 who have been refused a visa were assessed through a “fast-track” process that has <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-the-biloela-tamil-family-deportation-case-highlights-the-failures-of-our-refugee-system-123685">been neither fair nor fast</a>. </p> <p>People who have been refused have been living in the Australian community for ten years or more while awaiting the outcome of appeals. </p> <p>Some (<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-biloela-family-are-going-home-but-what-will-labor-do-with-thousands-of-other-asylum-seekers-in-limbo-in-australia-183621">such as the Nadeselingham family</a>) are working or have had children in Australia.</p> <p>There are also many asylum seekers from Afghanistan who have been refused visas but who cannot return due to the reemergence of the Taliban in August 2021. </p> <p>In other words, some of those refused visas may well be refugees or have other ties to the Australian community. However, the current legal system does not allow them to apply for other visas without going through cumbersome, expensive appeals and ministerial intervention processes. </p> <p>People who hold TPVs and SHEVs are allowed to work but not to reunite with family or travel freely overseas.</p> <p>Others live on precarious short-term bridging visas, some without the right to work. Many are without access to income support. In either situation, the uncertainty is damaging people’s mental health and well-being.</p> <h2>Key recommendations</h2> <p>The focus of the policy brief was to set out reforms either within the current legislative and policy framework, or with minimal changes. </p> <p>This means changes can occur within a relatively short time frame. </p> <p>Key recommendations include: </p> <ul> <li> <p>refugees on TPVs and SHEVs should be moved onto permanent visas known as Resolution of Status visas. People who have not yet been assessed or who have previously been refused protection should also be able to apply for a permanent visa that does not require another assessment of their protection claims</p> </li> <li> <p>restrictions on travel for TPV and SHEV holders should be removed, pending the grant of a permanent visa and includes specific recommendations in relation to travel documents. Travel is essential for re-establishing links to separated family</p> </li> <li> <p>family reunion, particularly partners and children, should be prioritised. Granting people permanent visas allows them to begin the process of family reunion through the family or humanitarian programs</p> </li> <li> <p>the government should establish a specialised team in the Department of Home Affairs to work closely with migration agents, lawyers and refugee communities. This group could identify other options for allowing reunification of close relatives and children who, under current law, may not fall within the definition of “member of a family unit”. Families have been separated for at least 10 years; many left children at home who have now reached ages where they will no longer be considered dependent.</p> </li> </ul> <p>In 2014, the new minister for immigration, citizenship and multicultural affairs Andrew Giles <a href="https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/genpdf/chamber/hansardr/a275472e-b699-46e7-ac29-bcf2fb8ee942/0018/hansard_frag.pdf;fileType=application%2Fpdf">said, "</a>Labor has a longstanding policy of opposing TPVs, for good reason. They do not provide a sustainable solution for refugees. The uncertainty exacerbates real mental health issues and denies people the capacity to live full lives. As well as significant international law concerns with these provisions, they put people in limbo. There is no deterrence value here, even if you accept that to be a valid policy objective – they only place vulnerable people in a place of uncertainty."</p> <p>He now has significant power to put those words into action.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/australias-temporary-visa-system-is-unfair-expensive-impractical-and-inconsistent-heres-how-the-new-government-could-fix-it-185870" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>

International Travel

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“It’s stupid”: Kochie blasts unfair blood donation rule

<p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px 0px 5px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;font-size: 16px;vertical-align: baseline;color: #323338;font-family: Roboto, Arial;background-color: #ffffff"><em style="margin: 0px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;vertical-align: baseline">Sunrise</em> co-host David “Kochie” Koch has <a style="background: transparent;margin: 0px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;vertical-align: baseline" href="https://thewest.com.au/entertainment/sunrise-presenter-david-kochie-koch-takes-aim-at-stupid-blood-donation-rule-c-5521999" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dubbed</a> a blood donation rule as “stupid”, revealing he is one of the thousands prevented from rolling up their sleeves as a result.</p><p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px 0px 5px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;font-size: 16px;vertical-align: baseline;color: #323338;font-family: Roboto, Arial;background-color: #ffffff">The Channel 7 presenter shared that he was one of the many people who lived in the UK between 1980 and 1996 who aren’t allowed to give blood in Australia due to fears of mad cow disease.</p><p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px 0px 5px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;font-size: 16px;vertical-align: baseline;color: #323338;font-family: Roboto, Arial;background-color: #ffffff">“I’ve never been able to give blood since working and living in the UK in the ‘90s,” Kochie said on Tuesday’s episode.</p><p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px 0px 5px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;font-size: 16px;vertical-align: baseline;color: #323338;font-family: Roboto, Arial;background-color: #ffffff">“It was a long time ago. It’s stupid.”</p><p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px 0px 5px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;font-size: 16px;vertical-align: baseline;color: #323338;font-family: Roboto, Arial;background-color: #ffffff">Kochie added that even his children are affected because they lived overseas.</p><p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px 0px 5px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;font-size: 16px;vertical-align: baseline;color: #323338;font-family: Roboto, Arial;background-color: #ffffff">His comments come after a news story about the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, which is considering lifting the ban due to severe shortages in blood banks.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">A ban on people who lived in the UK during the mad cow epidemic from giving blood in Australia could soon be lifted due to a major donor shortage. <a href="https://t.co/LF4dStY3N2">pic.twitter.com/LF4dStY3N2</a></p>— Sunrise (@sunriseon7) <a href="https://twitter.com/sunriseon7/status/1488241425162838016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2022</a></blockquote><p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px 0px 5px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;font-size: 16px;vertical-align: baseline;color: #323338;font-family: Roboto, Arial;background-color: #ffffff">The organisation has called for more people to donate after many people cancelled or didn’t attend their bookings due to the Omicron wave of COVID-19.</p><p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px 0px 5px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;font-size: 16px;vertical-align: baseline;color: #323338;font-family: Roboto, Arial;background-color: #ffffff">According to the charity’s website, Lifeblood currently doesn’t accept donations from anyone who lived in the UK - including England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Island, the Isle of Man, and both the Channel and Falkland Islands - for six months or more between January 1 1980 and December 31 1996.</p><p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px 0px 5px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;font-size: 16px;vertical-align: baseline;color: #323338;font-family: Roboto, Arial;background-color: #ffffff">During this period, the UK experienced one of the highest numbers of a variant of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (or ‘mad cow disease’) called variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD). It was thought that people contracted this disease by eating products from cows infected with the ‘mad cow disease’.</p><p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px 0px 5px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;font-size: 16px;vertical-align: baseline;color: #323338;font-family: Roboto, Arial;background-color: #ffffff">“A small number of people also contracted vCJD through blood transfusions, which is why we can’t take blood donations from anyone who has received a transfusion in the UK since 1980,” the website <a style="background: transparent;margin: 0px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;vertical-align: baseline" href="https://www.lifeblood.com.au/blood/eligibility/donating-after-travelling/UK" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reads</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px 0px 5px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;font-size: 16px;vertical-align: baseline;color: #323338;font-family: Roboto, Arial;background-color: #ffffff">“We have recently prepared a submission proposing a change to this. Our submission is currently being reviewed, and we look forward to having more to say soon.”</p><p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px 0px 5px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;font-size: 16px;vertical-align: baseline;color: #323338;font-family: Roboto, Arial;background-color: #ffffff"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/koch-0.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="338" /></p><p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px 0px 5px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;font-size: 16px;vertical-align: baseline;color: #323338;font-family: Roboto, Arial;background-color: #ffffff"><em style="margin: 0px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;vertical-align: baseline">David ‘Kochie’ Koch has called out a rule that prevents him from donating blood to the Red Cross. Image: @sunriseon7 (Twitter)</em></p><p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px 0px 5px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;font-size: 16px;vertical-align: baseline;color: #323338;font-family: Roboto, Arial;background-color: #ffffff">With about 4500 planned donations falling through each day, Lifeblood executive director of donor services Cath Stone said now was the time to review the rule restricting donations.</p><p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px 0px 5px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;font-size: 16px;vertical-align: baseline;color: #323338;font-family: Roboto, Arial;background-color: #ffffff">“The peak of (mad cow cases) we saw in 2000. We haven’t seen any cases since 2010,” she told <em style="margin: 0px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;vertical-align: baseline">Sunrise</em>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px 0px 5px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;font-size: 16px;vertical-align: baseline;color: #323338;font-family: Roboto, Arial;background-color: #ffffff">“That is why now is the opportune time for us to review that based on the latest evidence. We are looking forward to the outcomes of that submission.”</p><p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px 0px 5px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;font-size: 16px;vertical-align: baseline;color: #323338;font-family: Roboto, Arial;background-color: #ffffff"><em style="margin: 0px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;vertical-align: baseline">Image: @sunriseon7 (Twitter)</em></p>

News

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Samantha Armytage claims unfair treatment

<p><span>Samantha Armytage has said not having children or being married has affected the way she gets treated at work, claiming women can often feel “trodden” on.</span><br /><br /><span>The <em>Sunrise</em> TV host revealed to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=DTWEB_WRE170_a&amp;dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailytelegraph.com.au%2Flifestyle%2Fstellar%2Fsam-armytage-losing-your-mother-changes-you%2Fnews-story%2F562b19d8bd014c56cec6fe739716ad24&amp;memtype=anonymous&amp;mode=premium" target="_blank"><em>Stellar Magazine</em></a> that she believed her bosses gave her more work simply because she was unmarried and didn’t have kids.</span><br /><br /><span>"Bosses don't ask as much of you if you're a wife or mother," she said.</span><br /><br /><span>"I've never shied away from hard work, but there was an expectation that Sam would do it because she's got nothing else going on.</span><br /><br /><span>“[Sometimes I'd think] 'Well, actually, I'd get something else going on if you didn't make me do this'," she added.</span></p> <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CLz8B-0r8bn/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <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> <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;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CLz8B-0r8bn/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Stellar (@stellarmag)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>Samantha married husband Richard Lavender on New Years Eve of 2020.</span><br /><br /><span>The pair started dating in April 2019 and announced their engagement in June 2020.</span><br /><br /><span>The TV host went on to say that women can often feel "trodden" on by showing "common female traits".</span><br /><br /><span>"It’s a very masculine world so women go into their masculine when they’re in these environments and if you show any common female traits such as vulnerability, emotion or empathy you get trodden on. But I’ve just gone out and done my thing," she said.</span><br /><br /><span>Sam recently went on to admit to the <em>Kyle and Jackie O Show</em> that she had thought about retirement and giving up her big city life for a quiet one in the Southern Highlands.</span><br /><br /><span>"I get the feeling, Sam, that you're going to give this up next contract or something. Do you ever see yourself doing that?" Jackie 'O' Henderson asked.</span><br /><br /><span>"Oh yeah, I think down the track I could, easily," Sam said.</span><br /><br /><span>Sam and Richard managed to plan their wedding in just a mere three days.</span><br /><br /><span>"We did it, we got it done, it was a little bit stressful for me but Rich was very relaxed," Sam said after returning to work earlier this year.</span><br /><br /><span>"It was dad, my dad, we were all sitting around, at Christmas time as you do, having a champagne and beer on the verandah, and dad said because of Covid and everyone's in lockdown…dad said ‘just do it, for god’s sake, just do it,’ so we did it!”</span><br /><br /><span>“It was nice, there was 12 of us there, we organised it in three days and it was fun.”</span></p>

TV

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Peter FitzSimmons and Stan Grant's falling out over “unfair” chapter

<p><span>Peter FitzSimons and his former mate, Stan Grant, have had a major fall out over his portrayal of the Wallabies player turned author and his wife Lisa Wilkinson in a new book.</span><br /><br /><span>Grant contributed to <em>The Australian’s</em> serialised murder mystery, <em>Oh Matilda : Who Bloody Killed Her?</em> – and mentioned “Fitzy and Lisa’s Australia Day barbecue at their grand house overlooking Sydney Harbour”.</span><br /><br /><span>What unfolded was an unflattering description of FitzSimons and his wife, which in result reignited a deep-seated rift between the pair.</span><br /><br /><span>The former friends publicly fell out in April of 2020 over a disagreement about Captain James Cook’s legacy, and traded barbs in the pages of <em>The Sydney Morning Herald.</em></span><br /><br /><span>In an opinion piece at the time, Grant, who is a Wiradjuri man, accused FitzSimons of making Cook “the prototypical Aussie good bloke”.</span><br /><br /><span>He added that his description of the explorer as being far from “an enthusiastic imperialist” was “ludicrous”.</span><br /><br /><span>However, FiitzSimons defended his work and said that it had been meticulously researched by his team over the course of four years.</span><br /><br /><span>Grant’s <em>Oh Matilda</em> chapter set their relationship on fire again, with reports claiming it resulted in a terse text message exchange and “the complete collapse of their relationship”.</span><br /><br /><span>FitzSimons’ and Wilkinson’s annual Australia Day party has been renowned as one of Sydney’s most prestigious socialite events of the year and was also the backdrop of Grant’s piece of fiction.</span></p> <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CKEI28dl5PB/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <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> <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;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CKEI28dl5PB/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Lisa Wilkinson (@lisa_wilkinson)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>“It’s like one of those ‘end of year cartoons’ you see in the newspapers: every time you turn around, you bump into somebody more famous than the last person,” one former guest told The Australian today.</span><br /><br /><span>In Grant’s piece of work, he described one of the characters as “what a woke leftie love-in that was”.</span><br /><br /><span>“Journos, actors, writers, a couple of ex-Wallabies (well it was the north shore), a few washed up politicians, even a couple of Liberals (small 1 of course) and a former managing director of the ABC for good measure,” the chapter reads.</span><br /><br /><span>“Everyone there voted yes for same-sex marriage – the year before last, they’d all tearily applauded their first gay married couple guests – they hated the Catholic Church and had cried when Kevin Rudd said sorry.”</span><br /><br /><span>When referring to FitzSimons and Wilkinson, jet said they “adored Indigenous culture. There were dot paintings on the wall, a photo with their arms around Cathy Freeman at Sydney Olympic Stadium and a framed copy of Paul Keating’s Redfern Statement signed by the last great Australian Prime Minister himself.”</span><br /><br /><span>Things “did get a bit weird” for the novel’s character, Indigenous woman Matilda Meadows, “when Fitzy excitedly gave her a copy of his latest book, a biography of Captain Cook”.</span><br /><br /><span>“Apparently Cookie was actually not a bad bloke once you got past his order to open fire on the blacks at Botany Bay,” the character said.</span><br /><br /><span>Woke Grant told the paper he was trying to “be a bit silly and have a crack about race, political correctness, left-lovey society”, it may have just hit a little too close to home for FitzSimons.</span><br /><br /><span>“It’s always been Chatham House (rules) – nobody takes photos or tweets or hashtags; it’s private hospitality, and I think what’s put Pete out is he invited Stan into his home, and three years later got sideswiped,” the former party guest said.</span><br /><br /><span><em>The Australian</em> has reported that FitzSimons felt Grant’s words were unfair.</span><br /><br /><span>He was also reportedly concerned that many of the details – like him owning a framed copy of the Redfern Speech or a picture of himself with Cathy Freeman – were completely untrue.</span><br /><br /><span>But Grant has maintained the chapter was obviously and clearly fictional, telling <em>The Sydney Morning Herald</em>: “I mock myself as much as anyone else in it”.</span><br /><br /><span>The 57-year-old told friends “there are more important things to worry about in the world” than FitzSimons’ reaction to the piece.</span><br /><br /><span>“People who can’t laugh at themselves aren’t one of them,” he also said.</span></p>

Books

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“Unfair and greedy”: Furious Woolies customer lashes out at shopper

<p><span>A Woolies shopper has lashed out at a customer, after describing her as a “hoarder” for her “enormous” grocery shop at a grocery store in Victoria.</span><br /><br /><span>The disgruntled customer took to the Woolies Facebook page on Sunday to write they were “disappointed” and “angry” when a woman spent about $1200 at a store in Highett, in Melbourne’s southeast.</span><br /><br /><span>“Her items included about 15 trays of mince. So, so selfish,” the customer said.</span><br /><br /><span>The shopper was able to buy these items just before the supermarket reinstated purchase limits in the state.</span><br /><br /><span>The post was joined alongside by an image of the grocery belt that included several packets of mince, eggs and other groceries.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7837401/woolies-masked-singer-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/81545298162343ca86c1824df8a27187" /><br /><br /><span>“I was the only person who challenged her. Manager was ‘not in yet’,” the customer went on to say.</span><br /><br /><span>The upset shopper urged Woolworths to “stand up to these disgusting individuals” and went on to describe the customer as “unfair and greedy”.</span><br /><br /><span>The post bought in a number of comments - many of which did not agree with the original poster’s opinion.</span><br /><br /><span>“How does this affect you?” one person wrote.</span><br /><br /><span>“I’m concerned for others who do miss out due to selfish hoarders,” the original poster responded.</span><br /><br /><span>Another commented: “I think it’s sad that there are ‘disgusting individuals’ who think it’s their job to ‘challenge’ and criticise complete strangers on their grocery purchases while knowing nothing about their situation.”</span><br /><br /><span>Several other commenters agreed and suggested that perhaps the woman doing the large grocery shop may have a fair explanation for buying so many groceries.</span><br /><br /><span>“She may shop for a daycare centre or group home,” one said.</span><br /><br /><span>“I thought the same thing, that person could be getting things for elderly neighbours, could also be for a small business, or they may have a huge family – who knows,” another added.</span><br /><br /><span>The original poster replied to followers and said she felt there should have been a purchase limit on the items but people continued to reply and said there were a number of reasons for someone to make such a large purchase.</span><br /><br /><span>“Some people shop for one month at time and live a long way from a Woolworths,” a person suggested.</span><br /><br /><span>“This is a normal shop in my mum’s household, I dare you to say something to her,” another wrote.</span><br /><br /><span>People with large families responded and defended the “enormous” shop.</span><br /><br /><span>“I have eight kids plus myself and hubby, and we shop fortnightly. I know people are going to judge and comment, this is the reason why most people like myself have anxiety attacks because of the judgement we get for shopping for larger families,” a woman said.</span><br /><br /><span>Another woman took to the comments to defend big bulk purchasing, and urged the original poster not to make assumptions.</span><br /><br /><span>“My work provides meals for people with disabilities and more often than not our shop looks like this,” she said.</span><br /><br /><span>“I get your assumption and do understand your frustration as it has made it hard for us to continue our service. But we must alway remember an assumption is just that,” she said.</span><br /><br /><span>Yahoo News Australia has contacted Woolworths for comment.</span></p>

Food & Wine

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Outrage over neighbour’s “unfair” letter to family working from home

<p>A mother in Victoria has vented her frustrations after receiving an anonymous note from her neighbours complaining about the noise that her children make in the backyard.</p> <p>The woman shared the note in a private Facebook group, which led to hundreds of people saying that the letter was “passive aggressive” and “unfair”.</p> <p>“As if life isn’t hard enough at the moment with work and home schooling,” the mother wrote.</p> <p>“But now I can’t let my kids in the back yard because they will make noise.”</p> <p>The letter was addressed to “residents at this address” and was signed by “your neighbours”.</p> <p>“Due to the current climate of COVID-19, I and a few other family members have been working from home,” the note reads.</p> <p>“This involves multiple phone calls, Zoom meetings and corresponding with colleagues in the day.”</p> <p>“We (myself and other neighbours) have found it difficult to be able to conduct our workday as per usual, due to the screaming and noise that your children make in the yard throughout the course of the day,” the letter said.</p> <p>“I know that it is great for children to be outside, and we praise you for the time that yours do spend outside, but it is extremely difficult when my colleagues on the other side of the screen are asking me to mute my microphone as they can hear your children in the background.</p> <p>“There is no need for the screaming to be so loud.”</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7835767/note-from-neighbours.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/9791766bcce542db820f4c26bf71ae2a" /></p> <p>The mother quickly clarified in the post that her children get 15 minutes outside for recess and half a hour for lunch when they learn from home.</p> <p>The letter asks if the noise can be avoided between the hours of nine to five so that the neighbours can “continue to be productive”.</p> <p>“We are all living together in this space and it is best if it works for all of us.”</p> <div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> <p>Not many people were sympathetic to the neighbours who wrote the letter.</p> <p>“Our kids can’t be held prisoners in their own homes more than they already are,” one woman said, pointing out the sun has usually set by 5 pm and most kids aren’t out of bed by 9am.</p> <p>“That is very unfair of them!” another person wrote.</p> <p>“If they are asking you to understand their current situation, then they should understand yours! I'd write back telling them to refrain from having conferences during recess and lunch time.”</p> <p>One woman wrote: “Full passive aggressive bulls**t excuse for communication”.</p> <p>“So sorry you’ve had to deal with this. Regardless of what you do, it must be so uncomfortable knowing that there is someone out there who would write this.”</p> <p>One woman explained that she was in a similar situation to the neighbours who wrote the note, saying that she can hear children “houses away” screaming.</p> <p>“Sorry, but it’s annoying,” she said.</p> <p>“I agree, it’s great that kids are outside, and I understand noise, but screaming continually is just not necessary.”</p> <p>Another woman added: “You can let you kids in the backyard, just teach them some common courtesy and keep the noise down”.</p> <p><em>Photo credits: <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/mum-outraged-by-complaint-letter-from-neighbours-042500619.html" target="_blank">Yahoo! News</a>  </em></p> </div> </div> </div>

Home & Garden

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Unfair fines: Victorian teacher to take EPA to court over $330

<p>A Victorian teacher is planning to pursue legal action against the state’s environmental protection watchdog, after she claims they falsely accused her of littering on the road.</p> <p>The move comes as top infringements lawyers issued a warning to the government authority that it could be liable to refund scores of fines if it’s found to have acted illegally.</p> <p>Speaking to<span> </span><em>A Current Affair</em>, Sonia McDonald revealed that she was hit with a $330 fine after another driver reported her to the Environment Protection Authority (EPA).</p> <p>When Ms McDonald lodged an enquiry into the infringement, they showed her a blurry photo of her car.</p> <p>The image showed neither her number plate nor Ms McDonald littering.</p> <p>She said EPA investigators advised her they did not require photographic evidence to issue infringements.</p> <p>“It’s not a fair situation where you get blamed for something you didn’t do and get a huge fine.</p> <p>“It’s one of those things that’s just taken from someone else’s word and that’s not good enough,” said Ms McDonald.</p> <p>“The photo was supposedly taken in a particular location but the photo they have given me is in a completely different location,” she added.</p> <p>“It’s about 15 minute drive down the road.”</p> <p>Adam Cockayne, a lawyer who helps his clients fight unfair fines, said the conduct of the EPA was “reprehensible”.</p> <p>“In one [unrelated] case, after much complaining, the EPA provided a copy to me of the so-called witness statement.</p> <p>“It wasn’t provided by the witness – it was the witness’ spouse. It wasn’t signed and it identified the alleged offender by their gender only,” said Mr Cockayne.</p> <p>He said this amounted to illegal conduct.</p> <p>“If [the EPA] has failed to comply with its own legislation and collected fines that are illegal, then it’s required under the Infringements Act to refund every single fine.”</p> <p>When<span> </span><em>A Current Affair<span> </span></em>asked the EPA questions, they refused to answer.</p> <p>“Victorians generate more than 14,000 tonnes of litter every year,” read the statement.</p> <p>“Thirty-nine per cent of all litter is found in car parks and highways.</p> <p>“You can report a person littering cigarette butts or other types of rubbish from a vehicle to EPA.</p> <p>“When someone reports littering from a vehicle, our enforcement officers will investigate and take action.</p> <p>“If a person didn’t commit the offence, they can dispute a vehicle littering fine and the details on how to do that are readily available on the EPA website,” the authority’s statement continued.</p> <p>Ms McDonald has already disputed her fine and provided an affidavit to the EPA – but her appeal was rejected.</p> <p>She is now considering legal action.</p> <p>“I’m not going to pay it,” she said.</p>

Travel Trouble

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Hospital car parking slammed as unfair as woman pays up to $200 a week

<p>Jessica Jones was forced to dip into money saved for her honeymoon to visit her sick husband in hospital.</p> <p>It was the only way she could cover his lost earnings and what she calls the "unfair" price of hospital car parking in Auckland, New Zealand.</p> <p>The cost to park the car while she was at his side in Waitākere – a city west of Auckland – and Auckland City Hospitals was up to $200 a week, she said.</p> <p>"It was just so upsetting, but I mean you had no choice but to just pay for it."</p> <p>The fees were so high partly because she would sometimes visit him several times a day – but also due to a cost of up to $20.40 a time.</p> <p>Hospitals say their fees are similar to parking at other Auckland hospitals.</p> <p>Gareth and Jessica Jones got married in April 2018, but due to his heart condition saw their savings dwindle and their dream of a honeymoon fade.</p> <p>"I just think it's ludicrous, it's really upsetting," she said of the cost of parking.</p> <p>"The prices that they charge for people who are obviously visiting sick relatives. It's a really rough time."</p> <p>Jones said her husband had used all his sick leave from work after being in hospital on and off since October.</p> <p>This made it harder to deal with the high cost of car parking.</p> <p>Jones said she asked about a parking subsidy from Auckland City Hospital but was refused on the grounds that she could catch public transport.</p> <p>She said she understood it was an option for her but the cost of public transport was similar to the cost of car parking.</p> <p>"I don't understand how elderly people do it, and people with very low income. It's really sad and just really unfair."</p> <p>Waitākere Grey Power president Mate Marinovich said he often fielded complaints about parking costs at the hospital. </p> <p>"To go in and visit the sick, and after two hours having to pay $8 to $12, that's really impacting upon everyone."</p> <p>Marinovich said for those living on superannuation, or a low income, paying for parking on a daily basis adds up quickly. </p> <p>Seven days of a full-day visit at Waitematā hospitals would cost $142.80.</p> <p>He said people often had to forgo something else so they could afford to visit the sick.</p> <p>An Auckland District Health Board spokesperson said the fees at Auckland City Hospital was similar to fees at many central Auckland public car parks. </p> <p>"When travelling to our hospitals, we encourage our patients and whānau to look at other transport options."</p> <p>She said the DHB understood parking could be difficult for patients and loved ones who experienced financial pressure. If they were staying for an extended period, the hospital may be able to help financially, she said.</p> <p>Middlemore Hospital spokesperson Mere Martin said its pricing was also comparable to other hospitals and high-demand locations around Auckland. </p> <p>"We have procedures in place to subsidise parking for visitors based on assessed financial need and length of stay."</p> <p>A Waitemata District Health Board spokesperson said they recognise the cost of hospital parking can be a challenge for some people. </p> <p>She said it was necessary to ask the public to pay for parking to pay for and maintain the existing facilities.</p> <p>"We strive to do this in a fair and balanced way that minimises financial impacts."</p> <p>PARKING COSTS (AUD)</p> <p>Waitematā District Health Board - North Shore and Waitākere hospitals</p> <p>0-20 minutes - Free</p> <p>20 minutes - 1 hour - $3.60 </p> <p>1 hour - 2 hours - $7.40</p> <p>2 hours -3 hours - $11.00</p> <p>3 hours - 4 hours - $14.90</p> <p>Over 4 hours - $18.50</p> <p>Lost ticket - $18.50</p> <p>Maximum daily charge - $18.50</p> <p>Counties Manukau Health - Manukau SuperClinic, Middlemore hospital, Pukekohe Hospital, Botany SuperClinic</p> <p>0 - 15 minutes - No charge</p> <p>15 minutes - 1 hour - $3.60</p> <p>1 hour - 2 hours - $7.40</p> <p>2 hours - 3 hours - $11.00</p> <p>3 hours - 4 hours - $14.90</p> <p>4 hours plus - $18.50</p> <p>Lost ticket $36.99</p> <p>Between the hours of 2 pm - 8 pm - 30 minutes free parking</p> <p>Auckland District Health Board - Auckland City Hospital, Greenlane Clinical Centre</p> <p>0 - 15 minutes - Free</p> <p>15 - 30 minutes - $2.70</p> <p>30 minutes - 1 hour - $3.60</p> <p>1 hour - 2 hours - $5.40</p> <p>2 hours - 3 hours - $7.30</p> <p>3 hours - 4 hours - $8.20</p> <p>4 hours - 5 hours - $9.10</p> <p>5 hours - 6 hours - $10.90</p> <p>6 hours - 7 hours - $13.60</p> <p>7 hours - 8 hours - $16.30</p> <p>Lost ticket - $18.10</p> <p><em>Written by Hannah Ross. Republished with permission of <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/106215905/hospital-car-parking-slammed-as-unfair-as-woman-pays-up-to-200-a-week" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz.</a></em></p>

Money & Banking

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Shoppers complain about "unfair" tactics at Aldi's chaotic snow gear sale

<p>Customers who braved Aldi on Saturday morning encountered the chaos and frenzy of the annual snow gear sale.</p> <p>Customers ready for a jaw-dropping bargain lined up in the cold in the early hours of the morning just to get a chance to buy one of the slashed products.</p> <p>At an Aldi supermarket in Melbourne’s northern fringe, just before the doors opened an employee announced that there was enough stock for all those lined up, encouraging them to “be respectful and patient”.</p> <p>However, when the doors opened, all politeness was forgotten as customers frantically dashed around the store to get the hands on the sizes they were after.</p> <p>Customers were not keen to relive the disappointment of last year, when some left the store empty-handed and frustrated.</p> <p>In the middle of every store, giant baskets filled with jackets, pants, goggles, boots and underlayers were up for grabs.</p> <p>Men’s and women’s snow jackets were sold for an affordable $40, goggles from $14.99 and gloves for only $5.</p> <p>“This is nuts,” a customer told <a href="http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/fashion/long-lines-and-bargains-at-typically-chaotic-aldi-snow-gear-sale/news-story/6df5af41916d658fae74393bc5779739" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">news.com.au</span></strong></a> about the special buys sale. “I’ve never been in a line like this for anything before.”</p> <p>Another customer said, “It’s not as bad as I thought it would be. I was worried about the line so got here super early.”</p> <p>Customers at the Aldi store in Preston South raved about the organisation of the store and the controlled crowd.</p> <p>“Well done to the Mornington Peninsula store,” Mishie Ivy wrote on Aldi’s Facebook page.</p> <p>“They were fantastic ... shop was set out in an easy to find way. No issues. No fighting. Especially dealing with a crowd that was over 100 people.”</p> <p>But not all customers had a similar experience.</p> <p>Emily Wood and her mum arrived at the Aldi store in Maroochydore in Queensland hoping to purchase snow gear for their trip to New Zealand.</p> <p>“We arrived at Aldi at 7.45 and the line had already filled the car park,” she said.</p> <p>“We sat in the car for a while debating whether we should even bother trying and decided we may as well. We saw lots of kids and mothers with trolleys looking ready to fight it out to the death.</p> <p>“There was at least 100 people in front of us and when the doors opened we were expecting to hear running and screaming but it was so relaxed.</p> <p>“My mum and I managed to score everything we wanted which included thermals, boots, gloves and ski jackets. We decided to try them on in the different aisles with a bit of space.</p> <p>“I started to notice a lot of trolleys being filled to the brim with things and I saw people going through their trolleys, trying things on and dumping stuff they didn’t want.</p> <p>“They had clearly gone in with a trolley, scooped up an armful of the same thing and hoped that their size was there. I found this a tad unfair for people that were really trying to find their size but these other people had dumped their unwanted clothes in different aisles.”</p> <p>Ski and snowboard industry expert Glenn Cullen described the sale as a “sh*t show” on his blog <a href="http://thesnowgauge.net/" target="_blank"><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">The Snow Gauge.</span></strong></em></a></p> <p>“I’m calling for an end to (the Aldi snow sale) in its current set-up and here’s why,” he said.</p> <p>“Not because Aldi gear isn’t at least passably good ... to me it still seems like a great entry point for the casual to semi-regular snow enthusiast. And if it gets more people skiing or snowboarding — great.</p> <p>“No, the problem I have with the Aldi sale is the feeding frenzy concept that it very deliberately creates. I do geddit, you know. It’s economics 101. Create a limited supply and then, if your product and the word of mouth is good, develop extraordinary demand. Aldi do it and do it well.</p> <p>“In the early 2000s you had the major brands and the major stores with their major prices. The casual enthusiast either had to hire or shell out the big bucks. Sure, you might be able to get a cheap winter parka at Kmart — but what about some proper ski pants, a helmet and a dozen other ski-specific things you might need?</p> <p>“Aldi filled that void and kudos to them. But I reckon it has now turned into a bit of a sh*t show and an unnecessary one at that.”</p> <p>Have you ever been to the annual snow gear sale at Aldi? If so, share your experience in the comments below. </p>

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