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"World's biggest" amber nugget worth over $1 million used as doorstop for decades

<p>An elderly woman in Romania has unknowingly used one of the largest known amber nuggets in the world - worth over €1 million ($1.6 million) - as her doorstop for decades. </p> <p>The woman found the stone in the bed of a stream in Colti, a village in the southeast Romania, and used it as her doorstop for years without realising its value. </p> <p>Members of her family also reported that thieves had once broken into her home, but only stole a few pieces of gold jewelry, missing the seemingly insignificant rock. </p> <p>“In their frantic search for valuables, they overlooked the real treasure that was there before their eyes,” they said.</p> <p>It wasn't until after the woman died in 1991 that a relative who inherited her home suspected the doorstop might be more than meets the eye - and he was right. </p> <p>When he sold the amber to the Romanian state, experts at the Museum of History in Krakow, Poland appraised the rock and found that the amber is likely between around 38 and 70 million years old.</p> <p>“Its discovery represents a great significance both at a scientific level and at a museum level,” Daniel Costache, director of the Provincial Museum of Buzau, told local news outlet <em>El Pais</em>.</p> <p>The expert also claimed that the amber is one of the largest pieces in the world and the largest of its kind weighing a hefty 3.5-kilograms.</p> <p>It has now been classified as a national treasure of Romania, and can be found in the Provincial Museum of Buzau, where it has been since 2022. </p> <p>Romania is one of the countries with significant deposits of amber, with Buzau County being one of the areas where you can find these beautiful stones in abundance. </p> <p>The protected area also contains the old Stramba amber mine, which was very productive during the first half of the 21st century, before it was shut down by the communist regime as it was considered unprofitable. </p> <p><em>Image: Buzău County Museum</em></p>

Home & Garden

Sapling planted at Sycamore Gap to "restore hope" removed by National Trust

<p>UK resident Kieran Chapman, 27, is "absolutely gutted" after the sapling he planted in memory of the<a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/finance/legal/you-can-t-forgive-that-teen-arrested-after-felling-of-iconic-200-year-old-tree" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> felled Sycamore Gap tree</a> was heartbreakingly removed by National Trust. </p> <p>The 27-year-old spent hours on Friday planting the sapling just metres away from the stump of the iconic Sycamore Gap tree, but his efforts were in vain, as the sapling had been dug up by the National Trust on Sunday morning. </p> <p>The conservation charity said that they had to remove the sapling because it is a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site.</p> <p>A National Trust spokesperson told the <em>Newcastle Chronicle </em>that while they understand “the strength of feeling following the events at Sycamore Gap” the site “is a scheduled ancient monument and a globally important archaeological setting, with UNESCO world heritage designation”.</p> <p>“Altering or adding to it can damage the archaeology, and is unlawful without prior consent from government.”</p> <p>But Chapman couldn't hide his disappointment: “It’s just devastating, isn’t it? It genuinely brought people a lot of joy and that’s been taken away," he told the publication. </p> <p>“I honestly thought if it got a good response they might end up keeping it.”</p> <p>Chapman planted the sapling because he wanted to “restore people’s faith in humanity, bring a smile back to people’s faces and just give them a bit of hope”.</p> <p>“I planned to go and take the dog for a walk next weekend there," he added. </p> <p>In a follow up post on Facebook, Chapman added that he was told by the National Trust that his tree will be replanted on another piece of land at the Housesteads Visitor Centre on Hadrian’s Wall. </p> <p>“Too many politics around all this for my liking, the top and bottom of it, it’s a tree, planted in soil. I understand the land is protected, but to protect a tree from being planted in the earth, where they’re designed to be, no matter where it’s location, is crazy,” he wrote.</p> <p>Two people were arrested over the incident, a 16-year-old boy and 69-year-old former lumberjack. </p> <p>Both have been released on bail, with the lumberjack insisting that he had no involvement in the felling. </p> <p>“You’ve got the wrong feller,” he told<em> The Sun</em>.</p> <p>“I’m a former lumberjack and I’ve just been kicked off my property so I can see why people have pointed the finger.</p> <p>“My brother came down to make sure I hadn’t been arrested as he had heard a rumour that I had cut it down. I didn’t do it," he added. </p> <p><em>Images: Getty/ Facebook</em></p>

Travel Trouble

Autistic boy wins national golf title after only THREE games

<p>In a heartwarming tale that's sure to make your day, a spirited 12-year-old schoolboy from a charming rural town nestled in the Bay of Plenty has ignited pure joy in New Zealand's golfing community – in a story that will warm your heart and put a smile on your face.</p> <p>Meet Bayleigh Teepa-Tarau, the newest sensation in the world of golf, hailing from the picturesque township of Tāneatua, a place so small it doesn't even have its own golf course. But that didn't deter this young prodigy as he set out to conquer the national Zespri AIMS Games held in the vibrant city of Tauranga.</p> <p>The Zespri AIMS Games is one of Australasia’s largest junior sporting events, held annually in Tauranga Moana. Celebrating diversity, the Games provides an opportunity for adolescents from all demographics and education contexts to compete in sporting competitions, to meet others from outside their normal peer group, and to learn and build on their social interaction skills. The Zespri AIMS Games is highly regarded by national education and sporting organisations and is considered a leader in its area.</p> <p>Now, here's the twist that's sure to make you leap with excitement: Bayleigh had played a grand total of just <em>three rounds of golf</em> in his entire life before this tournament! It's almost like a golfing fairytale in the making. Armed with borrowed clubs, a pair of basketball boots and a big beaming smile, our tee-master extraordinaire embarked on his golfing journey, leaving everyone in awe.</p> <p>You might wonder how a newcomer to the game fares in such a prestigious competition. Well, let us tell you, Bayleigh was given a scoring handicap to reflect his beginner status. And did he rise to the occasion! With booming drives and precision iron shots, he amassed a staggering 87 Stableford points over his three nine-hole rounds. A true underdog story.</p> <p>But Bayleigh's triumph doesn't stop there. Alongside his schoolmates Pedro Robinson and Lincoln Reritito, he clinched the team title, earning well-deserved glory for Tāneatua School. They faced off against students from schools all over New Zealand and came out on top.</p> <p>When asked about his love for golf, Bayleigh's face lit up with joy as he exclaimed, "The thing I love about golf is hitting my driver. I dreamed about coming here and finishing in first place. And I had a lot of fun." </p> <p>Thanks to the incredible support system behind this young golfing sensation, Bayleigh's journey to the top wouldn't have been possible without the unwavering support of his family, including his dad Hemi Tarau and Pare Teepa, his grandfather, and nan. Their pride in Bayleigh's accomplishments is immeasurable.</p> <p>What's even more inspiring is that Bayleigh has autism, and his journey has been one of transformation. From spending most of his time in class under his desk, not speaking, to becoming a golfing superstar, it's a testament to his determination and the incredible power of sports to boost confidence and bring joy.</p> <p>And here's another heartwarming twist – Bayleigh's path to golf was paved by his school's teacher-aide, Whetu Wiremu. He noticed Bayleigh's fascination with swinging a stick and decided to introduce him to golf. Wiremu's dedication and passion for the game not only changed Bayleigh's life but also the lives of other young students from Tāneatua School.</p> <p>For Wiremu, it's not just about golf but also about instilling life skills and values. He believes that golf, with its unique blend of competition and camaraderie, can offer these kids opportunities beyond their community, transcending boundaries and challenges.</p> <p>As for Bayleigh's future, he's setting his sights on competing in the Special Olympics. With a heart full of determination and a community that believes in him, there's no telling what incredible heights he'll reach. To that end, a <a href="https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/backing-bayleigh" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Give A Little</a> fundraising account has been established to help support this inspiring youngster and help him on his way. </p> <p>In the end, Bayleigh's story reminds us all that joy, determination and unwavering support can overcome any obstacle. It's a testament to the power of dreams, the magic of sports, and the beauty of small communities coming together to celebrate their rising stars.</p> <p><em>Images: </em><em>Jamie Troughton / Dscribe Media</em></p>

Family & Pets

Princess Mary's touching tribute to late mother

<p>Princess Mary has paid tribute to her late mother, Henrietta Donaldson, in an emotional act as she opened up the National Grief Centre in Vejle, Denmark. </p> <p>The Danish Princess, who lost her mother at only 25 years of age, opened the grief centre to provide a place for children and young people who have experienced loss, to come together and talk, share their stories and find support.</p> <p>After giving her opening speech on Wednesday, the royal placed a tribute to her mother on the centre’s Memorial Tree.</p> <p>Pictures of the touching moment were posted on the Danish royal family’s Instagram, with the caption: “Many children and young people feel lonely when parents become seriously ill or die." </p> <p>“Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess today inaugurated The National Grief Centre in Vejle, which gives children, young people and other citizens in the region the opportunity to share their grief with others.</p> <p>“After giving the opening speech, the Crown Princess placed a greeting for her mother on the centre’s Memorial Tree.</p> <p>“Here, visitors to the centre can remember and write a greeting to someone who is seriously ill - or someone they have lost," it concluded. </p> <p>In the series of pictures posted on Instagram, Princess Mary can be seen greeting people at the centre, giving her speech, and hanging her tribute on the tree. </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/CwQH1udtR-c/?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/p/CwQH1udtR-c/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by DET DANSKE KONGEHUS 🇩🇰 (@detdanskekongehus)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Fans have taken to the comments to share their support for the Princess. </p> <p>"Everyone is grieving and having a hard time, children of parents are always children, no matter how old!" wrote one follower. </p> <p>"Our sweet beautiful Mary," wrote another. </p> <p>"That’s truly heartfelt and beautiful. So important to feel supported," commented a third. </p> <p>The Princess' mother died suddenly after complications following a heart surgery in 1997. </p> <p>In a 2016 magazine interview with <em>Women’s Weekly</em>, the Danish royal opened up about her grief and how she lost her mother too early. </p> <p>“It’s so hard to see when it is so close and so personal, but as you get older, you learn to appreciate the time you had together as a gift,” she said.</p> <p>“And the loss offers something that you wouldn’t have otherwise.</p> <p>“It makes a strong person.”</p> <p><em style="color: var(--primary-text-color); font-family: var(--font-family); font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;">Images: <em style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;">detdanskekongehus Instagram</em></em></p>

Caring

5 memorable locations from ‘80s films to check out

<p>Everyone loves a good movie, and everyone loves a holiday, so what do you get when you combine the two? The time of your life! </p> <p>It’s widely known that the ‘80s spawned a whole host of films that went on to become cult classics - from the likes of <em>Heathers </em>to <em>Footloose</em>, <em>Dirty Dancing</em>, and <em>The Terminator</em> - and forged the way for cultural changes that ring true decades later. </p> <p>But did you also know that for many of these iconic films, real-life locations served as the inspiration for many memorable scenes? </p> <p>And while some may have changed slightly in the years since cast and crew flocked to them, some are like stepping into a time capsule - or a stage for you to re-enact the films as you see fit. </p> <p><strong>Lake Lure, North Carolina - Dirty Dancing (1987)</strong></p> <p>Anyone who’s seen<em> Dirty Dancing</em> can tell you that ‘the lift scene’ is one of the film’s most iconic moments. And it - along with a few others from the film - were filmed in North Carolina’s very own Lake Lure. And with the spot boasting its very own Lake Lure Inn & Spa - where, coincidentally, the movie’s stars stayed while working on the project - it could be the perfect getaway location for your next holiday. </p> <p><strong>Guesthouse International Hotel, California - <em>National Lampoon Vacation</em> (1983) </strong></p> <p>For those embarking on their very own<em> National Lampoon Vacation</em>, you’re in luck - the hexagonal pool is near exactly the same as it was when Chevy Chase’s Clark Griswold enjoyed a nighttime swim with Christie Brinkley’s The Girl in the Ferrari. </p> <p><strong>New York Public Library, New York - <em>Ghostbusters </em>(1984)</strong></p> <p>The 1984 film sparked an entire host of sequels, games, parodies, and conventions for avid fans across the globe - as well as one incredibly catchy song. However, for those that would like to go above and beyond just calling their friendly neighbourhood ghostbusters, the New York Public Library’s flagship Stephen A Schwarzman building is the spot where the team had their very first encounter with the film’s ghosts. </p> <p><strong>Griffith Observatory, California - <em>The Terminator</em> (1984)</strong></p> <p>Fans of<em> The Terminator </em>should immediately recognise this site as the one where Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Terminator arrived in the nude, and basked in the glory of LA at night. It’s a popular location, and while a must-see for fans of the film, it also makes for a good afternoon out - the observatory itself boasts free entry, stunning views, and a range of fascinating exhibits inside to entertain the keen mind. </p> <p><strong>The Grand Hotel, Michigan - <em>Somewhere in Time </em>(1980)</strong></p> <p>The Grand Hotel was the primary location for romantic drama <em>Somewhere in Time</em>, and they’re proud of it. In fact, a poster for the film is reportedly even still on display there, and hosts weekends of celebration for the 1980 hit, too. </p> <p>The island the hotel is set on doesn’t allow cars, so anyone hoping to throw themselves back in time and fully immerse themselves in a ‘different world’, this National Historic Landmark may be just the place to do it. </p> <p><em>Images: Getty, Booking.net</em></p>

Movies

American zoo apologises to disgruntled New Zealanders

<p>An American zoo has issued an apology after admitting it made a “huge mistake” that outraged an entire country.</p> <p>Footage of Miami Zoo’s paid encounters with Paora the kiwi went viral online, showing the bird being handled and passed around for pictures in broad daylights and under bright lights despite being a shy, nocturnal animal.</p> <p>The handling of their national icon had New Zealanders fired up, with a petition to save the “mistreated” animal being launched amid the video, which received more than 10,000 signatures.</p> <p>“He has been tamed and is subjected to bright fluorescent lighting four days a week, being handled by dozens of strangers, petted on his sensitive whiskers, laughed at, and shown off like a toy,” the petition read.</p> <p>“Kiwi are nocturnal animals, who should be kept in suitable dark enclosures, and minimally handled.</p> <p>“The best practice manual for kiwi states that they shouldn’t be handled often or taken out of their burrow to be held by the public. He is kept awake during the day, with only a small box in a brightly lit enclosure to mimic his natural underground habitat.”</p> <p>The zoo’s communications director Ron Magill has confirmed the attraction has been cancelled and has issued his own apology in an interview with the <em>New Zealand Herald</em>.</p> <p>“We regret the unintentional stress caused by a video on social media depicting the handling of Paora, the kiwi bird currently housed within Zoo Miami,” Magill said.</p> <p>He also told RNZ he had informed the zoo’s director that “we have offended a nation”.</p> <p>“When I saw the video myself I said we have made a huge mistake here,” he said.</p> <p>“I am so sorry. I am so remorseful. Someone asked how would you feel if we did that to your bald eagle, and you’re 100 per cent right.</p> <p>“I never want to come across as making excuses, I am here to apologise … to everyone. I feel profoundly terrible about this.”</p> <p>However, Magill noted Paora was healthy and well despite the uproar.</p> <p>“He eats like he’s on a spa day every day and he’s doing well. It doesn’t excuse what he was subjected to. But I promise it will never happen again,” he said.</p> <p>After the video went viral, the zoo was bombarded with complaints, with New Zealand’s Department of Conservation confirming it would be “discussing the situation with the American Association of Zoos and Aquariums to address some of the housing and handling concerns raised”.</p> <p>New Zealand prime minister Chris Hipkins also weighed in, claiming the ordeal “shows a lot of Kiwis take pride in our national bird when they’re overseas”.</p> <p>“The New Zealanders who witnessed what was happening there caught it pretty quickly,” he said, adding that the zoo had “made public statements of regret on what’s happened, and I acknowledge that and thank them for taking it seriously”.</p> <p>The kiwi is considered to be a Taonga species - native birds, plants and animals of special cultural significance and importance to native New Zealanders.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty</em></p>

Travel Trouble

National Duck Day: Diana Chan's Seared Duck breast with nashi pears, honey and star anise

Food & Wine

National Duck Day: Diana Chan’s Luv-a-Duck Peking Duck breast with egg noodles, five spice sauce and fresh cucumber salad

<p dir="ltr">The family owned business and Australia’s leading duck producer Luv-a-Duck has partnered up with MasterChef alum and duck lover Diana Chan, to officially launch National Duck Day, which falls on Tuesday May 23rd, 2023. </p> <p dir="ltr">Diana Chan is a Malaysian-Australian and won the 9th season of MasterChef in 2017. She has since become a well-known TV host, menu designer, product creator and restaurateur, turning her passion for food into her career.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Diana Chan’s Luv-a-Duck Peking Duck breast with egg noodles, five spice sauce and fresh cucumber salad</span></p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Serves:</strong> 2</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Prep time: </strong>10 mins</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Cook time:</strong> 10 mins</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>INGREDIENTS:</strong></p> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">2 x precooked Luv-A Duck peking duck breasts</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">1 x 400g packet fresh egg noodles (medium thickness)</p> </li> </ul> <p dir="ltr"><strong>For the five spice sauce:</strong></p> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">1 tbsp cooking oil</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">2 cloves garlic, minced</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">3 shallots, finely diced</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">50g galangal, sliced</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">50g ginger, sliced</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Leftover liquid from the packet</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">1 tbsp five spice powder</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">1 tbsp tapioca starch mixed with 2 tbsp of water</p> </li> </ul> <p dir="ltr"><strong>For the cucumber salad:</strong></p> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">1 continental cucumber, halved and sliced into 5mm thick chunks</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">30g coriander, roughly chopped</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">1 tbsp black vinegar</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">1 tsp sugar</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">1 tbsp soy sauce</p> </li> </ul> <p dir="ltr"><strong>To garnish:</strong></p> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Freshly sliced spring onions</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">1 tsp toasted sesame seeds</p> </li> </ul> <p dir="ltr"><strong>METHOD:</strong></p> <ol> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Cook the peking duck breasts according to the packet instructions (microwave or oven) and set aside somewhere warm.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Preheat a large braising pot or wok. Add cooking oil. Add the garlic, shallots, galangal and ginger and fry until aromatic - about 3 minutes or so. Add the sauce from the packet and the five spice. Allow to reduce for 10 minutes.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Mix tapioca starch with water. Pour it into the sauce liquid while stirring at the same time and the liquid will start to thicken. You can add more tapioca mixture if you don't think the sauce is thick enough.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">While the sauce simmers, reheat the noodles according to the packet instructions.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">To assemble, remove the cooked duck breasts from the packet and slice them into 5mm thickness.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">In a mixing bowl, add in all the ingredients for the cucumber salad and mix to combine.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Place the reduced sauce into the serving bowls, divide the noodles into 2 portions, top with the duck breasts and pour over the sauce. Serve with the cucumber salad on the side. Garnish with some spring onions and sesame seeds.</p> </li> </ol> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credit: Luv-A-Duck</em></p>

Food & Wine

National Duck Day: Diana Chan’s Luv-a-Duck whole roasted duck with a cinnamon and orange glaze

<p dir="ltr">The family owned business and Australia’s leading duck producer Luv-a-Duck has partnered up with MasterChef alum and duck lover Diana Chan, to officially launch National Duck Day, which falls on Tuesday May 23rd, 2023. </p> <p dir="ltr">Diana Chan is a Malaysian-Australian and won the 9th season of MasterChef in 2017. She has since become a well-known TV host, menu designer, product creator and restaurateur, turning her passion for food into her career.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Diana Chan’s Luv-a-Duck whole roasted duck with a cinnamon and orange glaze</span></p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Serves:</strong> 6-8</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Prep time:</strong> 20 mins</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Cook time:</strong> Approximately 3 hours</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>INGREDIENTS:</strong></p> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">1 x Luv-A Duck whole duck</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">1 lemon, sliced into wheels</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">5 cloves of garlic, chopped</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">2 cinnamon quill</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Cooking salt to rub</p> </li> </ul> <p dir="ltr"><strong>For the cinnamon and orange glaze:</strong></p> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">½ cup balsamic vinegar</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">¼ cup honey</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Juice of ½ a lemon</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Juice of 1 whole orange</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Pinch of salt</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">1 tsp ground cinnamon</p> </li> </ul> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Buttered greens:</strong></p> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">200g green beans, blanched in boiling water</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">2 garlic cloves minced</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">50g butter</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Pinch of salt and pepper</p> </li> </ul> <p dir="ltr"><strong>To garnish:</strong></p> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Freshly chopped coriander</p> </li> </ul> <p dir="ltr"><strong>METHOD: </strong></p> <ol> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Preheat the oven to 180C. </p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">To prepare the duck, remove the giblets from inside the duck. Rinse the duck, inside and outside, with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Set the duck on the working surface. Score the duck's skin on the breast in a diamond pattern, making sure you only cut the skin, without reaching the meat. Poke the other fatty parts of the duck with the tip of the knife all over, to ensure fat releases. Season the duck very generously with salt both inside the cavity of the duck and outside on the skin, legs, all over. Place the duck breast side up.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Put the chopped garlic, sliced lemons and cinnamon quills inside the duck cavity (NB:these are just for flavor, not for eating - you will discard them after cooking). The duck will have flapping skin on both ends - fold that skin inwards, to hold the garlic and lemon inside. Tie up the duck legs with butcher's twine.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Place the duck breast side up on a large roasting pan with a rack within (roasting pan should have a roasting rack to lift the duck from the bottom of the pan and allow the fat to drip below the duck).</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Roast the duck, breast side up, for 1 hour at 180C.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">After 1 hour of roasting, flip the duck on its breast and roast it breast side down (roast the other side) for 40 minutes at the same temperature.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Remove the roasting pan with the duck from the oven and carefully pour off all the duck fat juices from the roasting pan into a large glass or metal bowl.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Flip the duck, breast side up again, and place back on the rack in the roasting pan.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Add to the bowl with the juices from the duck fat, combine the balsamic vinegar, honey, lemon juice with the freshly squeezed juice of 1 orange.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Brush all over the duck with the balsamic mixture and cook the duck, breast side up for another 40-50 minutes at 180C, brushing every 10 minutes with the mixture.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">You can carefully use the grill function in the oven to crisp up the duck skin for the last 10-15 minutes (do it carefully, checking the duck regularly to make sure it doesn't burn).</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">In the meantime, prepare to cook the beans. Using a pan over medium heat, add in the butter. Once melted add in the garlic and toss for a few seconds before adding in the beans to coat through.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">After the duck is cooked, remove it from the oven, let the duck stand for 15 minutes. Then, carefully remove and discard the lemon from the cavity (being careful not to get burned). Carve the duck and serve with the beans as a side.</p> </li> </ol> <p><em>Image credit: Luv-a-Duck</em></p>

Food & Wine

Bindi Irwin's sweet snap on National Siblings Day

<p>Bindi Irwin has shared a wholesome snap to pay tribute to her brother on National Siblings Day. </p> <p>The wildlife warrior took to Instagram to post a throwback photo of herself and her younger brother Robert in commemoration of the family day. </p> <p>In the childhood photo, Robert seems to be sitting on Bindi's shoulders, who said she is "Grateful to call you my brother."</p> <p>In another post of a more recent photo of the dynamic duo, Bindi wrote, "Happy <a tabindex="0" role="link" href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/nationalsiblingday/">#NationalSiblingDay</a> to the very best. Thank you for your support, friendship and making every day fun. So proud of all that you are achieving. I’ll always be here to cheer you on!"</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/Cq4gIz_ONll/?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/p/Cq4gIz_ONll/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Bindi Irwin (@bindisueirwin)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Robert was quick to comment on the post, writing, "Love you Bindi!!!"</p> <p>Fans of the wildlife warriors shared their adoration for the siblings, commenting on the strength of their relationship. </p> <p>One person wrote, "So sweet, best sibling pair out there. You guys are amazing and bring so much good into the world!"</p> <p>Another simply said, "Steve would be so proud," while others commented on how much 19-year-old Robert is beginning to look like this late dad.</p> <p>One user chimed in, "If only we all got along with our siblings the way you guys seem to... maybe it’s the advocating for a common cause."</p> <p>"I idolised your late dad and I’m proud my children are looking up to you both as role models too," another said.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

Rare, unseen Beatles pics released ahead of landmark exhibition

<p dir="ltr">On Thursday, The UK's National Portrait Gallery unveiled five photos from Paul McCartney’s personal archives, teasing a series of unseen photographs of Beatlemania through his own eyes.</p> <p dir="ltr">The exhibition, "Paul McCartney Photographs 1963-64: Eyes Of The Storm”, will run for three months from the 28th of June and is set to showcase what McCartney calls a "humbling yet also astonishing" experience.</p> <p dir="ltr">McCartney approached the gallery in 2020, after stumbling across the images taken on his Pentax camera, which he thought were lost.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Looking at these photos now, decades after they were taken, I find there's a sort of innocence about them," he said..</p> <p dir="ltr">"Everything was new to us at this point. But I like to think I wouldn't take them any differently today.</p> <p dir="ltr">"They now bring back so many stories, a flood of special memories, which is one of the many reasons I love them all, and know that they will always fire my imagination," he added.</p> <p dir="ltr">The images include black-and-white self-portraits shot in a mirror in Paris, John Lennon also in the City of Love, George Harrison in Miami Beach, and Ringo Starr in London.</p> <p dir="ltr">These are five out of the 250 images shot by McCartney between November 1963 and February 1964, and the exhibition will feature in the London gallery's reopening after three years of refurbishments.</p> <p dir="ltr">An accompanying book of photographs and reflections will also be published on June 13.</p> <p dir="ltr">Click <a href="https://uk.news.yahoo.com/unseen-mccartney-photos-beatles-early-230100596.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a> to see the five recently released images.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: 1964 Paul McCartney / National Portrait Gallery</em></p>

Art

“How dare they do this to our national lolly”: This pineapple is not fineapple

<p>There are two things that are important when selecting your next sweet treat: taste and truth. </p> <p>Though the latter may apply more to the unfortunate souls in New Zealand who have been forced to confront the truth about a beloved national snack. One popular confectionary brand - which clearly is not at “the pineapple of politeness” - has been exposed for lying about their “handmade” products.</p> <p>Potter Brothers Pineapple Chews are a lolly staple, and even managed to take the crown in a taste test between New Zealand’s primary pineapple parties. <em>The Spin Off</em> judges were so impressed with the treats that they placed them above Pascall Pineapple Lumps, who had led the competition for years beforehand.</p> <p>The win, however, did not pack a fruit punch for one New Zealand resident, who had some suspicions about the validity of the company’s chews.</p> <p>Two years prior, Courtnay Adele had recorded her discovery that Potter Brothers Pineapple Chews did not appear to be the lovingly homemade confections that they claimed to be. </p> <p>In the clip - posted to TikTok with the caption “How dare they do this to our national lolly” - Courtnay explained that she’s someone who likes to nibble the chocolate coating from her lollies, and after demonstrating, it was clear to see that there was “a layer of chocolate over another layer of chocolate.” </p> <p dir="ltr">She went on from there to surmise that the packet - which contained more air than it did food - did not have 100% handmade treats, and instead they were just “normal pineapple lump[s] that this company has just covered with their own chocolate”.</p> <div class="embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: initial; vertical-align: baseline; width: 620.262px; max-width: 100%; outline: none !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7207655479906962690&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40courtnayadele%2Fvideo%2F7207655479906962690&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign-sg.tiktokcdn.com%2Ftos-alisg-p-0037%2F5cc393c5949b4f7e848d5c187299436c_1678163077%7Etplv-dmt-logom%3Atos-alisg-i-0068%2Fe56b4dcd68214d599f148f3243f01191.image%3Fx-expires%3D1678957200%26x-signature%3D3wz7i440QI635S%252BVk3GTZOFwel0%253D&key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">The prickly affair wasn’t to end there, with the Potter Brothers’ win leaving a sour taste in Courtnay’s mouth, and forcing her to revisit the scandal.</p> <p>As she told <em>news.com.au</em>, “after Potter Brothers were ranked at number one, I went and got a new bag to see if they were still doing the same thing I had discovered years earlier. </p> <p>“The bag I got was definitely still recoated pineapple lumps, so I commented on the original story and it started getting some traction.”</p> <p>People shared her dismay, with even those who don’t like the lollies jumping in to demand answers, and Courtnay eventually shared an update with her followers, stressing that the issue was in the company’s marketing. </p> <p>With the internet riled up over Pineapplegate, and local TV news stations picking up the story, the company felt it necessary to issue a statement addressing the scandal. </p> <p>“When we started, we were young, excitable, and naive,” <em>Stuff.co.nz</em> reported a statement to read, “and didn’t consider how the use of some words in our content may not be appropriate. </p> <p>“We stress that this was not intentional and these are learnings that have been taken to heart in recent times.”</p> <p>And since the news first broke, references to the lollies’ ‘handmade’ nature have been removed from the company’s website, while the packaging now reads “Small Batch Made in New Zealand”.</p> <p>Courtnay, for one, has no intentions of sticking around to find out if that’s true, telling her followers that “I won’t be buying them again. I’ll stick with the OG pineapple lumps.” </p> <p><em>Images: TikTok</em></p>

Food & Wine

Ticked off trekker exposes family’s selfish act

<p>Australian bushwalkers are bristling at one family’s claim over an entire viewing platform in Victoria.</p> <p>A picture, shared to Reddit, shows a family - of at least four - taking over at Wilsons Promontory National Park with their set up. Camp chairs, bags, and meal trays can be seen around them, blocking access to the viewing point for anyone else who might like to enjoy what the park has to offer.</p> <p>The area - well known for its stunning vistas and bountiful wildlife - is a popular weekend retreat for tourists and locals alike, and Parks Victoria have revealed that it gets “extremely busy over summer”.</p> <p>“This family [is] taking up an entire sightseeing platform so nobody else can take photos,” the poster stated.</p> <p>“It’s a long weekend,” he continued below, “so Wilsons Promontory was very busy. A lot of people missed out on great photos and views because these people wanted it for themselves.”</p> <p>One had a simple, if not entirely beneficial solution, declaring that “confrontation is not always wrong.”</p> <p>“As I walked past, a guy said ‘that's just f***ing rude’,” the individual behind the post responded.</p> <p>“Especially in the case of entitled twats, I feel sorry for the kids though, they have parents who convince them shit like this is ok,” agreed another.</p> <p>“This park have rangers?” enquired one. “I'd be getting them to get those a***oles outta there.”</p> <p>“Despite being 2hrs from civilisation, it was packed because it's a long weekend here,” the original poster responded. “There's a huge campground nearby that was completely full.</p> <p>“But I didn't see any rangers all day, just a bus driver shuttling people up a mountain because the car park at the top would have been overflowing if everyone drove up.”</p> <p>Another shared their past experience with the spot, noting that they’d seen the same thing happen before, and that they’d just gone over and taken pictures anyway.</p> <p>“They then realised they were in the way,” they said of their encounter, “apologised, moved a little, and we had a chat about the weather. People do dumb s*** all the time without taking into consideration other people.”</p> <p>“I’m wondering this too if maybe they didn’t connect that it was a specific overlook platform at the time of the pic,” mused one responder.</p> <p>Meanwhile, another only had “never assume malice when stupidity will suffice” to say.</p> <p>Some, however, had a little more compassion for the family in the picture, writing that there were a lot of people “describing how they'd solve this problem. How about ‘excuse me, can I take some photos here?’ like a normal person?”</p> <p>“Exactly. I cringed. Like what if they just thought they stumbled upon the spot and were like ‘let’s picnic real quick’ and didn’t know people were going out of their way to find that spot or just that it’s a viewpoint spot,” another offered in agreement. “I have to sympathise, we’re all humans and hopefully it was not malicious. Just parents trying to have fun with their children?”</p> <p>“Duuuude, seriously,” one more wrote. “The ‘perpetrators’ might not even know [that] what they’re doing isn’t cool. It looks like they hiked out there and saw a decent spot to chill.”</p> <p><em>Images: Reddit</em></p>

Travel Trouble

Kiwi firefighters receive rare Aussie honour for heroic efforts

<p dir="ltr">A New Zealand firefighter has been awarded one of Australia’s special service awards for his efforts in fighting bushfires during the summer of 2019 and 2020.</p> <p dir="ltr">Phil Muldoon, Lake Ōkāreka’s chief rural fire officer, was one of 53 firefighters awarded the Australia National Emergency Medal during a recent awards ceremony.</p> <p dir="ltr">Muldoon, who worked 16-hour days fighting fires, said the honour was very humbling.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s not what we do it for but it is nice to be recognised, especially from the Australian Government,” Muldoon told <em><a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/kahu/australia-bush-fires-nz-firefighter-given-rare-and-special-honour/4K7KKB2WRVEHXJKJ7IC5WBFY4I/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NZ Herald</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">He was among a 208-strong contingent of New Zealanders sent to help their Aussie neighbours, including personnel from Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ), the Department of Conservation, forestry company partners, and the New Zealand Defence Force.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">We were proud to see 27 Department of Conservation firefighters awarded the Australia National Emergency Medal last week for their efforts fighting the devastating Australian wildfires during the 2019/2020 black summer. 🎖️<a href="https://t.co/Wh7xVdZQ8g">https://t.co/Wh7xVdZQ8g</a> <a href="https://t.co/vl8iEC9acs">pic.twitter.com/vl8iEC9acs</a></p> <p>— Department of Conservation (@docgovtnz) <a href="https://twitter.com/docgovtnz/status/1591974150008377344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 14, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The majority of those who took part received the award during recent official ceremonies hosted in New Zealand by Australian High Commissioner HE Harinder Sidhu.</p> <p dir="ltr">Muldoon received his award along with 38 firefighters from FENZ, two members of the NZ Army, eight NZ Air Force members, two from the Department of Conservation, and three from forestry company partners.</p> <p dir="ltr">Having been a firefighter for 25 years, Muldoon said fighting the bushfires was his 16th deployment and that firefighters were chosen to deploy based on their skillset.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We went to help their firefighters in Australia who had a tough season. We’re fresh feet on the ground and give them a break,” Muldoon said, adding that the contingent brought New Zealand’s “can-do” attitude with them.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">A great honour to present the Australian National Emergency Medal at Ohakea <a href="https://twitter.com/NZAirForce?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NZAirForce</a> base, and to personally thank members of the <a href="https://twitter.com/NZDefenceForce?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NZDefenceForce</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/FireEmergencyNZ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FireEmergencyNZ</a> for their service to Australia in support of the 2019-20 Australian Bushfires response. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NZAirForce?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NZAirForce</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Force4NZ?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Force4NZ</a> <a href="https://t.co/GtTUay8VY6">pic.twitter.com/GtTUay8VY6</a></p> <p>— Harinder Sidhu (@AusHCNZ) <a href="https://twitter.com/AusHCNZ/status/1580682019985854464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 13, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Earlier this month, nine firefighters from Northland received the award, including wildfire specialist Rory Renwick.</p> <p dir="ltr">After spending 14 days fighting blazes in remote Australian bush, Renwick said the gratitude expressed through the medal was just “icing on the cake”.</p> <p dir="ltr">"People stopped you on the street to shake your hand and say thank you. It's humbling and pretty amazing," he told <em><a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/northland-firefighters-awarded-medal-for-efforts-during-australian-bushfires/FIMYEOSD5QQGEYTVSFHIRP34WI/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NZ Herald</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Renwick explained that New Zealand crews were often working in remote areas and tackling large fires.</p> <p dir="ltr">"We were trying to put out the edge of the fire to stop it spreading," he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"We did anything from patrolling edges [and] dealing with small hotspots to working with aircraft and heavy machinery to slow the fire down and stop it."</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">I was presented with a national emergency <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/medal?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#medal</a> Monday night for the 19/20 bushfires here in Australia. <a href="https://t.co/L8il9Eob7P">pic.twitter.com/L8il9Eob7P</a></p> <p>— Craig Chiffers (@cchiffers) <a href="https://twitter.com/cchiffers/status/1569818214888263681?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 13, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The award, which was approved by Queen Elizabeth II in 2011, is given to those who performed significant or sustained service during “nationally-significant emergencies”, according to the Governor-General’s <a href="https://www.gg.gov.au/australian-honours-and-awardsnational-emergency-medal/bushfires-2019-20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Muldoon, Renwick, and the many others recognised for their efforts during the bushfires will receive a medal with a clasp that reads, “BUSHFIRES 19-20”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Russell Wood, the national commander of FENZ, said the award had never been given to any member of the organisation before.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is a rare and special honour that the Australian Government has extended to us,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The bushfires in Australia in 2019/20 were catastrophic and we were glad we could be there to help them.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I am immensely proud of our people, who responded to the call so selflessly and put their time and energy into fighting one of the biggest wildfire disasters of our time.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It was a dangerous environment for everyone to be in, and they showed true Kiwi spirit in their sustained efforts under challenging conditions.</p> <p dir="ltr">“As a nation, we are very proud of our fine firefighters.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Fire and Emergency NZ (Facebook)</em></p>

Domestic Travel

Here are the must-see places you won’t want to miss in 2023

<p dir="ltr">Travel is back on the cards for many of us, and if you’re setting your sights on travelling next year, <em>National Geographic</em> has you covered with its Best of the World list.</p> <p dir="ltr">The annual list is made up of 25 destinations across five categories that are “filled with wonder, rewarding travellers of all ages, and supportive of local communities and ecosystems”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Amy Alipio, the senior editor for <em>National Geographic Travel</em>, said the hope is that 2023 marks a return to travel and rediscovering wonder.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Because when you are awed by something, you treat it with respect. And that spirit is something we want to encourage with this list," Alipio said.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-d92b02c2-7fff-4a67-7902-4ec0028adcce"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Destinations that made the list have community-led conservation efforts, heritage journeys, ways for visitors to give back, and are doing important work in ecotourism, sustainability and inclusive travel.</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/CkKi3IMt3a2/?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/p/CkKi3IMt3a2/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by sally areson (@sallysellssouthflorida)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr"><strong>A new category</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">With that in mind, this year’s list has a new category, replacing the category of “sustainability” with “community”.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It's about broadening the focus on the people striving for sustainable destinations and the various ways that manifests, from making travel more accessible to supporting local businesses," Alipio said.</p> <p dir="ltr">The five destinations recognised under “community” are:</p> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Ghana, Africa, praised as an important destination for Black heritage travellers</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Alberta, Canada, noted as leaders in Indigenous tourism and educating travellers in the stories and ways of life of First Nations people</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Laos, recognised for introducing a new high-speed train that is making lesser-known regions more accessible to tourists and providing more economic opportunities for locals</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which makes the list for its support of the creative community, including the opening of a cultural centre focused on African American art</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">The Dodecanese Islands, Greece, a standout for women-led ventures in sustainable tourism.</p> </li> </ul> <p dir="ltr">Along with community, the remaining categories include nature, culture, adventure and family.</p> <p dir="ltr">Destinations that made the list under these categories include the long-awaited Grand Egyptian Museum outside Cairo, as well as Charleston, South Carolina, which will be home to the International African American Museum that opens in January.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-9b04c280-7fff-90dc-98d7-5d264742f511"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Programs aimed to rehabilitate endangered species and restore original landscapes saw Botswana and the Scottish Highlands make the list under the “nature” category along with Slovenia, which was recognised as a “longtime leader in sustainable tourism”.</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/CJBNfTUA0wR/?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/p/CJBNfTUA0wR/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Wild Eye Destinations & Photography (@wildeyesa)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The five locales that made the list for promising adventure span the globe, including New Zealand, the Austrian Alps, and Choquequirao in Peru.</p> <p dir="ltr">For those looking for places to visit that the whole family can enjoy, the “family” category promises that in spades.</p> <p dir="ltr">Colombia, the location of Disney’s <em>Encanto</em>, made the list not just for its fictional depiction, but also as an avian paradise that is perfect for birdwatching.</p> <p dir="ltr">To find out more about the destinations that made the list, head <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/best-of-the-world-2023?loggedin=true&rnd=1667196683239" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong><em>National Geographic</em>’s Best of the World 2023 list:</strong></p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Culture</strong></p> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Appian Way, Italy</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Busan, South Korea</p> </li> </ul> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Longmen Grottoes, Henan Province, China</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Egypt</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Charleston, South Carolina</p> </li> </ul> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Nature</strong></p> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Scottish Highlands</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Botswana</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Slovenia</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Big Bend National Park, Texas</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Azores</p> </li> </ul> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Adventure</strong></p> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">New Zealand</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Choquequirao, Peru</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Utah</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Austrian Alps</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Revillagigedo National Park, Mexico</p> </li> </ul> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Community</strong></p> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Dodecanese Islands, Greece</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Milwaukee, Wisconsin</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Alberta, Canada</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Laos</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Ghana</p> </li> </ul> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Family</strong></p> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Trinidad & Tobago</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">San Francisco Crosstown Trail, California</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Colombia</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Manchester, United Kingdom</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Switzerland</p> </li> </ul> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-0dc9f5af-7fff-c289-efe7-01d794dcebbc"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

International Travel

UK national anthem undergoes change now Charles is King

<p dir="ltr">After 70 years of singing ‘God save the Queen’, Brits will be faced with a change to their national anthem, prompted by the shock death of Queen Elizabeth II.</p> <p dir="ltr">With King Charles III to take the throne, the national anthem will change to <em>God Save the King</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Though nearly all of the lyrics will stay the same, there will be some key replacements: ‘queen’ with ‘king’, and ‘she’ and ‘her’ swapped for ‘he’ and ‘him’.</p> <p dir="ltr">The change will see the anthem return to its original title, as it was first publicly performed in 1745 after Prince Charles Edward Stuart defeated the army of King George II at Prestonpas, according to the royal family’s <a href="https://www.royal.uk/national-anthem" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">It became the national anthem at the beginning of the 19th century, with the lyrics changing when a King or Queen takes the throne.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-05354ae6-7fff-6737-2280-9d4383f55a53"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Queen Elizabeth II began her reign in 1952, when she was 25, resulting in the lyrics changing from ‘God save the King’ during her father King George VI’s reign to ‘God save the Queen’.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Music

“A tragedy for our nation”: Reason for Scott Morrison’s firing 16 years ago revealed

<p dir="ltr">The woman who sacked former Prime Minister Scott Morrison from Tourism Australia has finally opened up about the mysterious end to his time there and shared how she was “gobsmacked” that he went on to become PM.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Morrison’s firing from Tourism Australia in 2006 has long been shrouded in mystery, but Fran Bailey - who was Tourism Minister at the time and ordered the Chair of Tourism Australia to fire Mr Morrison - has now spoken about the decision in a brutal interview with the <em><a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/i-was-gobsmacked-when-he-became-prime-minister-20220826-p5bd19.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sunday Age</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ms Bailey reportedly chose to finally speak on the record after she was left incensed by the revelations that Mr Morrison <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/andrew-bolt-leads-the-charge-on-scott-morrison-tirade" target="_blank" rel="noopener">secretly swore himself into five additional ministerial positions</a> while he was Prime Minister.</p> <p dir="ltr">"What has changed my mind is that all of those characteristics that make up Scott Morrison – the secrecy... the supreme belief that only he can do a job, the lack of consultation with those closest to him – those characteristics were evident 16 years ago, and perhaps we’re seeing the end result of those now," she told the paper’s longtime columnist, Jon Faine.</p> <p dir="ltr">Echoing a common criticism of Mr Morrison, Ms Bailey said he took a bullying approach to his work, which eventually led to those in senior positions having less trust that he could do his job.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It came down to a complete lack of trust. It’s not something that I have stewed over for all those 16 years, but I certainly have become very concerned as he worked his way through the ministry, and I was gobsmacked when he became prime minister," she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Because I knew what he was really like to work with, and I think that’s been a tragedy for the Liberal Party and it has been a tragedy for our nation."</p> <p dir="ltr">Ms Bailey is one of many critics calling on Mr Morrison to leave Parliament following the revelations, as former High Court judge Virginia Bell is expected to head an inquiry into his actions and hand down a report on November 25.</p> <p dir="ltr">The inquiry will examine Mr Morrison’s ministerial appointments and the functioning of departments, government business enterprises and statutory bodies.</p> <p dir="ltr">It comes after advice released last week from Australia’s solicitor-general found that Mr Morrison didn’t break any laws, but that his actions undermined the principles of “responsible government”.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-b515b564-7fff-c497-b6b2-a263d150c2a3"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Legal

Three men handed jail sentences after careless, drunken act in a national park

<p>Three tourists who were filmed getting too close to feeding brown bears in the wild have been handed prison sentences and the additional punishment of thousands of dollars worth of fines.</p> <p>David Engelman, 56, from Sandia Park, New Mexico, and Ronald J. Engelman, 54, and Steven Thomas, 30, both from King Salmon, Alaska, pleaded guilty to leaving the trail in Alaska’s Katmai Park to get closer to the animals.</p> <p>The men were identified after they were captured on a park webcam as they waded out into a salmon run to take selfies as the bears were feeding.</p> <p>All three men were fined $US3000 each ($A4260) and given a year probation. David and Ronald Engelman were sentenced to one week in prison, while Steven Thomas received a 10-day sentence.</p> <p>In addition, each man is prohibited from entering any national park for one year.</p> <p>Judge Matthew Scoble called their behaviour “drunken capering, and a slap in the face to those who were there”.</p> <p>The proceeds from the fines would go towards the Katmai Conservancy, a non-profit that looks after the running of the park.</p> <p>The incident happened in Autumn of 2018, causing outage. The men were eventually identified by the National Park Service Investigative Services, with help of the livestream footage.</p> <p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/F8qkHl18xf0" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>“The conduct of these three individuals not only endangered other visitors and wildlife officers at Brooks Falls, they also potentially endangered the life of the bears,” lawyer S. Lane Tucker said.</p> <p>Had the incident resulted in death or injury, Mr Tucker argued it would have had a huge impact on tourism to the area and the animals would have had to be killed.</p> <p>The National Park Service were alerted to the incident by viewers of their ‘bear cam’ which was being broadcast live to YouTube.</p> <p><em>Images: YouTube</em></p>

Legal

Past policies have created barriers to voting in remote First Nations communities

<p>The rate of voter participation in federal elections by people living in remote Indigenous communities has been <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8497.2010.01552.x" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lower than the national average</a> since First Nations people were granted the right to vote in 1962. In recent years, the rate has been in <a href="http://doi.org/10.22459/DAER.05.2012;%20http://doi.org/10.25911/5df209771dd57" target="_blank" rel="noopener">decline</a>. Rates are lowest in the Northern Territory.</p> <p>The low rate of participation among First Nations people living in remote communities could affect the lower house election results in the Northern Territory seat of Lingiari. Warren Snowden has stepped down after 20 years holding the seat.</p> <p><strong>Determining rates of voter participation</strong></p> <p>Measuring the number of First Nations people (or any particular demographic group) who vote in federal elections is challenging. Electoral rolls do not include information about cultural identity. Census figures, which could be used as a basis for comparison against voter turnout rates, are imprecise.</p> <p>Data from the 2005 NT Assembly general election <a href="http://doi.org/10.22459/DAER.05.2012;%20https:/press.anu.edu.au/publications/directions-australian-electoral-reform" target="_blank" rel="noopener">show</a> voting rates were 20% lower in electorates with the highest Indigenous populations.</p> <p>In his study of the 2019 federal election, Australian National University researcher <a href="http://doi.org/10.25911/5df209771dd57" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Will Sanders</a> found</p> <blockquote> <p>perhaps only half of eligible Aboriginal citizens […] may be utilising their right to vote.</p> </blockquote> <p>Reports from the Northern Territory’s most recent Assembly election also found <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08-21/poor-indigenous-voter-turnout-at-nt-election/12580688" target="_blank" rel="noopener">record low</a><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08-15/coronavirus-impacting-on-remote-voter-turnout-nt-election/12559066">turnout</a> across Indigenous communities.</p> <p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8497.2010.01552.x" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Research</a> <a href="http://doi.org/10.25911/5df209771dd57" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shows</a> rates of informal votes are also higher in remote Indigenous communities.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">NLC accuses the Australian Electoral Commission of 'failing' Aboriginal voters [Matt Garrick, ABC]<br />Northern Territory land council has accused the AEC of failing Aboriginal people by not engaging more bush voters to have their say at the federal election.<a href="https://t.co/fCKRluGaoD">https://t.co/fCKRluGaoD</a> <a href="https://t.co/J3a04DyJJB">pic.twitter.com/J3a04DyJJB</a></p> <p>— First Nations Tgraph (@FNTelegraph) <a href="https://twitter.com/FNTelegraph/status/1514025685521952770?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p><strong>Barriers to First Nations people voting</strong></p> <p>Decisions made at the federal level over the last three decades appear to have provided significant obstacles to voting in some First Nations communities.</p> <p>First is the 1996 abolition of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Election Education and Information Service.</p> <p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8497.2010.01552.x" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Two</a> <a href="http://doi.org/10.22459/DAER.05.2012;%20https:/press.anu.edu.au/publications/directions-australian-electoral-reform" target="_blank" rel="noopener">studies</a> point to this abolition as a potential reason for a decline in voting rates in remote Indigenous communities since the mid-nineties.</p> <p>Established in 1979, this service existed specifically to increase voter registration rates among First Nations people. This was done by, for example, providing voter education and election materials in Indigenous languages.</p> <p>The second decision was the 2005 abolition of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission.</p> <p>First Nations people participated in five of the Commission’s elections administered by the same Australian Electoral Commission responsible for federal elections. Although voting was voluntary, <a href="https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/bitstream/1885/41511/3/2003_DP252.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">analysis</a> shows participation was higher in northern and central Australia than in southern Australia.</p> <p>The third relevant policy change was the passage of the 2006 Electoral Integrity Bill. This introduced more stringent rules for the identification required to vote, making it more difficult for people in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8497.2010.01552.x" target="_blank" rel="noopener">at least one remote community</a> to register to vote.</p> <p>The Morrison government’s unsuccessful 2021 proposal to introduce even tougher <a href="https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7488468/govt-accused-of-trumpist-move-to-suppress-voting/?cs=14264" target="_blank" rel="noopener">voter identification laws</a> would likely <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/oct/27/proposed-voter-id-laws-real-threat-to-rights-of-indigenous-australians-and-people-without-homes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">exacerbate this problem</a>.</p> <p>The fourth policy decision was a 2012 change to the Commonwealth Electoral Act, known as the “Federal Direct Enrolment and Update”.</p> <p>This enabled the Australian Electoral Commission to register eligible Australians to vote based on information available through several government agencies. These include Centrelink/the Department of Human Services, the Australian Taxation Office, and the National Exchange of Vehicle and Driver Information Service.</p> <p>But the Electoral Commission has <a href="http://doi.org/10.25911/5df209771dd57" target="_blank" rel="noopener">chosen not to use this mechanism for enrolment in parts of Australia</a> where mail is sent to a single community address (“mail exclusion areas”).</p> <p>This means people living in many remote communities are not automatically added to the electoral roll, unlike most of the rest of Australia.</p> <p>West Arnhem Regional Council mayor Matthew Ryan and Yalu Aboriginal Corporation chairman Ross Mandi launched an official complaint to the Australian Human Rights Commissioner over this issue in June last year.</p> <p>They <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-06-19/nt-voters-racial-discrimination-human-rights-commission/100227762" target="_blank" rel="noopener">argued</a> failure to apply the Federal Direct Enrolment and Update in remote communities represents a breach of the Racial Discrimination Act.</p> <p>A <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8497.2010.01552.x" target="_blank" rel="noopener">survey</a> of residents in one remote community on South Australia’s APY lands found a lack of information contributed to low participation in elections.</p> <p>Obstacles included:</p> <ul> <li> <p>a lack of materials available in appropriate languages</p> </li> <li> <p>uncertainty about how to cast a formal vote</p> </li> <li> <p>problems related to literacy, and</p> </li> <li> <p>a lack of appropriate identification necessary to enrol.</p> </li> </ul> <p>In October last year, the Australian Electoral Commission announced new funding for its <a href="https://www.aec.gov.au/media/2021/10-28.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indigenous Electoral Participation program</a> with the aim of increasing enrolment rates; the upcoming election will show if the program is working.</p> <p><strong>Lingiari</strong></p> <p>Given that voting is compulsory in Australia, non-participation is a concern in any election. But these issues are likely to be particularly relevant in the 2022 federal election, at least in the seat of Lingiari.</p> <p>Lingiari covers all of the Northern Territory outside the greater Darwin/Palmerston area. So it is the one House of Representatives division where Indigenous Australians (many of them living in remote communities) have clear electoral <a href="http://doi.org/10.25911/5df209771dd57" target="_blank" rel="noopener">power</a>.</p> <p>Providing more mobile polling booths could help make voting easier for people in remote Indigenous communities. Currently, these booths can be present for as little as two hours during an entire election period.</p> <p>There is also <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8497.2010.01552.x" target="_blank" rel="noopener">evidence</a> Indigenous people are more likely to vote in elections for Indigenous candidates, and for candidates who have visited their community.</p> <p>Warren Snowden has represented the electorate since its creation in 2001, but he is not contesting this election; the seat is up for grabs.</p> <p>Indigenous people will determine who takes Snowden’s place. But how many of them vote may be limited by their ability to enrol, the availability of information in an appropriate language, and access a polling booth.<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/181194/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/morgan-harrington-1207111" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Morgan Harrington</a>, Research Fellow, Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/australian-national-university-877" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Australian National University</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/past-policies-have-created-barriers-to-voting-in-remote-first-nations-communities-181194" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: The Australian Electoral Commision (<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/auselectoralcom/48720382352/in/album-72157710806573631/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Flickr</a>)</em></p>

Legal

Ukraine launches online “museum” to preserve the nation’s art

<p dir="ltr">Ukraine has launched a unique NFT museum to preserve the “statehood and history of Ukraine” while supporting artists struggling from the Russian invasion. </p> <p dir="ltr">Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation Alex Bornyakov announced plans for the website, titled “<a href="https://metahistory.gallery/">Meta History: Museum of War</a>,” on <a href="https://twitter.com/abornyakov/status/1507341599394746410?s=20&t=935nfhKtmG8B1WABTQJA5w">Twitter</a>. </p> <p dir="ltr">The site also includes a “<a href="https://metahistory.gallery/warline">warline</a>,” a timeline of events, each of them accompanied by a corresponding NFT.</p> <p dir="ltr">Each NFT features a tweet from a significant moment in the war, with a corresponding illustration by various Ukrainian artists. </p> <p dir="ltr">For example, one NFT features a tweet from NATO calling on Russia to halt the invasion on Day 3 of the war at 4:40pm Ukrainian time. The accompanying graphic depicts a compass with a bullhorn attached illustrated by artist Alina Kropachova.</p> <p dir="ltr">The NFTs are now on sale, with all proceeds going directly to the Ministry of Digital Transformation. </p> <p dir="ltr">The Meta History twitter describes the project as one that fights against Russian dissemination of fake news and propaganda using the permanent ledger that is the blockchain.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Disinformation is used by Russia on a par with deadly military weapons in Ukraine. The NFT-museum is based on a deep intention to keep the memory of real wartime events via blockchain and raise charitable donations to support Ukraine,” reads one <a href="https://twitter.com/Meta_History_UA/status/1508150728572952586?s=20&t=ICoQhq8aZtNSu_VUtAHStQ">tweet</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">The unique project follows a number of successful fundraising campaigns in the war-torn country through the use of NFTs, or non-fungible tokens. </p> <p dir="ltr">The <a href="https://www.ukrainedao.love/">UkraineDAO</a> NFT project has raised over $5 million, which is just one of the many ways people are raising money for the people of Ukraine. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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