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Tag Archives: oceania
Rāhui enacted after death at Tongariro National Park
The man became unresponsive while walking with others on the track.
Dramatic rescue after sandbar flips fishing boat
All four wore lifejackets and Darren Teague carried two emergency beacons.
On the Up: Wānaka tradie-turned-tailor resurrects forgotten NZ fashion label from backyard shed
Nikolai Solakof had never sewn before reviving Oscar Eide from his shed.
Letters: Will 2025 be remembered as the year New Zealand lost its innocence?
OPINION: Looking back on a watershed year.
Chief Justice leads tributes to Robert Smellie after death of former High Court judge
Hon Robert Smellie CNZM KC died on December 23 at age 95.
CEO of business that made $17.3b last year doesn’t ‘do much work’
Exclusive: In this nine.com.au series, we'll be talking to some of Australia's smartest and sharpest entrepreneurs, founders and CEOs to find out what makes them tick – and what advice they'd have for anyone starting out.
As chief executive of wholesale retailer Metcash (the business behind IGA, Mitre 10, and many other independent Australian retailers), Doug Jones has a lot of responsibility.
Under him, Metcash hit $17.3 billion in sales revenue for the last financial year but he told 9news.com.au that he actually doesn't "get to do much work".
"All the teams around me, they do all the work," he said.
These are his secrets to success.
How do you start the day to set yourself up for success?
I like to go for a run or a ride or do some exercise, and then I get stuck into it.
I'm of South African heritage, so I check my WhatsApp from family and friends because the time difference. And sometimes, if it's Monday, I catch up on a little bit of sports news.
But I'm not one for cold plunges and meditations. I like to just get into the day.
What are three daily habits you always stick to?
I write down what I need to do, what my priorities are for the day. That's the first thing I do so I'm very clear about what is it that I want to achieve today.
I make sure that I check in with important people, starting with my wife and kids, and then when I get into the office. It's just making sure that the connection is there, whether it's a quick call on the way in or a visit to someone's office – I prefer face-to-face to email.
And then I make sure that I leave my desk at the end of the day being clear with what I've achieved and what's coming up for the next day. It'll involve a quick scan of the diary to make sure that I don't have anything outstanding.
Lots of Aussies are looking for a career change – what small action can help them get ahead of other candidates?
At the end of the day, you need to do a good job.
I tell my children this all the time; having a job is a privilege, not a right. And I think that delivering 10 times the value of your salary is where you should start.
It's probably boring and old-fashioned advice, but that's the first thing and frankly, that opens up opportunities. Whether you're looking for a career change or a promotion, people around you are looking to work with people that get stuff done, and that do it in a way that's collaborative and pleasant.
So yes, you should do stuff you're interested in, yes, you should do stuff you're good at, but at the end of the day, you should do things where you can add genuine value.
What financial myth do you wish you never bought into?
I was brought up in a fairly strict environment, and my parents were always very smart about teaching me not to live beyond my means, so I think credit should be used appropriately.
Credit is good at the right time, but only if you can pay back that credit.
What do you wish you could tell your 20-year-old self?
Don't be so serious.
The world is a wonderful place and if you approach it with curiosity, integrity, passion and humility, I think that you can have an amazing career and life.
Have you got a story? Contact reporter Maddison Leach at Google Play.
The most power-hungry appliances in your house and how to make better use of them
As the weather heats up, the temptation to switch on the air conditioner gets stronger.
But with the cool air comes the higher bills.
And power bills remain one of the most unwelcome costs Australians are facing.
There are plenty of ways to save electricity, but some are better than others.
So what are the most power-hungry appliances in the average house?
READ MORE: Where Australians get their power from
Heating
Changing the temperature of a room is the most effective way of getting a higher electricity bill.
It's estimated 40 per cent of household electricity use goes towards heating and cooling – though some use far more or less than others.
When you buy a space heater, you are usually paying for it later.
The cheap shelf price betrays how much power they use.
But air conditioners aren't the best option either.
It's possible someone can pay hundreds of dollars more each year just from air conditioning alone.
Ceiling fans are a far more efficient option, even if they aren't as effective.
But if you have both, you should use the fan while you have the air-con on.
Hot water
An average of 23 per cent of household electricity goes towards hot water.
The solution is simple but not necessarily easy – shorter showers.
Water-saving showerheads make a big difference, but there's a very easy hack to save power.
Water loses heat as it moves, so by moving the showerhead closer to your body, the water will be warmer.
Other tips include filling up the kettle with cold water or using the cold cycle on the washing machine.
Fridges
It's the biggest appliance in the house and it's on all the time, so of course the fridge is a big culprit when it comes to high power bills.
Ensuring the seals are in good condition can be a power-saver, as well as limiting the amount of times you open and close it.
And you should try and avoid buying a bigger fridge than what you need.
But oddly enough, having more food in your fridge means it should use slightly less power than an empty fridge.
The other big power saver is the spare fridge in the garage.
If you're only using it for drinks at big parties, you should switch it off at other times.
Washers and dryers
Front-loading washing machines are usually better for electricity than top-loaders, though they do cost more to buy.
But the best way to save power in the laundry is to use cold water in the washing machine rather than hot or warm.
And hanging your clothes on the line uses no electricity, compared to putting them in the dryer.
Dishwashers
You may have seen ads on TV talking about how dishwashers use less water than washing your dishes in the sink.
That's not true for electricity.
But you can maximise your dishwasher efficiency by putting it on an eco wash.
Better yet, wait until the dishwasher is full until you turn it on.
Ovens
There's not much you can do to save power when it comes to ovens, save for the decision you make when you buy it.
But minimising your preheat time is a good way to save power.
It's also smart to be cooking more than one thing at a time in the oven if you can help it.
TVs
The bigger the TV, the more electricity it tends to use – but new LCD screens are more efficient than old plasmas.
But there's not much that you can do to save power with your existing TV – save for turning it off when you're not watching it.
TVs, gaming consoles, DVD players and other devices tend to use low levels of power when in stand-by mode.
So switching them off at the power point when they aren't being used is a smart choice.
Smaller appliances
Using a smaller appliance instead of a bigger one is normally the savvier choice.
A slow cooker, air fryer or microwave is better than an oven because they are heating less space or for a shorter time.
And boiling water in an electric kettle is more energy efficient than a stovetop option.
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Man fighting for life after being hit while stopped on Queensland motorway
A man is fighting for life after he was hit while standing in an emergency bay on a motorway south of Brisbane.
The man had pulled over his blue Kira Cerato in an emergency stopping area on the westbound lanes of the Logan Motorway at Forest Lake.
It was hit by a white Kia Cerato just before midday, police were told, with the victim also allegedly struck.
READ MORE: Woman charged with drink driving after Christmas Day crash with kids in the car
Police say they believe the victim was outside his car and suffered life-threatening injuries.
The driver of the white Kia, a woman in her 30s, is helping police with enquiries.
Police are looking for witnesses or drivers with dashcam.
The investigation is ongoing.
Motorists are warned to expect major delays on the westbound lanes of the motorway, with traffic crawling past the crash scene.
DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.
New poll shows Aussies support tough changes after Bondi Beach attack
A new poll has shown that a majority of Australians support tougher hate speech laws and immigration screening following the December 14 terrorist attack at Bondi Beach.
The latest Resolve poll for The Sydney Morning Herald found that almost half or more Australians believe changes are needed.
Of the voters surveyed, 76 per cent wanted stricter immigration screening to identify antisemitic or extremist views, 70 per cent wanted tougher hate speech laws, and 67 per cent wanted heavier penalties for those who incite violence against the Jewish community.
READ MORE: 'Formidable' federal Labor stalwart dies aged 75 on Christmas morning
Almost half, 48 per cent, wanted a federal royal commission into the Bondi attack, while 34 per cent were undecided.
The opposition and two Labor members have called for a federal royal commission, arguing the state-based one currently underway would not have the same reach or scope.
"We have work to do in order to honour the dead," Federal Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said earlier this week.
"We must confront uncomfortable truths, hard truths. That's what this Commonwealth royal commission is about."
The Rabbinical Association has since written to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, saying "what we are hearing is fear, anger and a deep sense that existing responses have been insufficient".
"For this reason, we strongly believe that a federal royal commission into antisemitism in Australia is now necessary," they said.
But Albanese has ruled it out, saying that there is already a state royal commission, a department review and a police investigation running at the same time.
READ MORE: Australia backs US strikes on ISIS terrorists in Nigeria
"What we need to do is to work immediately," he said.
"The idea that we would have multiple royal commissions as well as a review running at the same time is going to simply delay action."
Albanese has already signalled several legislative changes, including hate speech laws, a landmark gun buyback scheme, a new landmark offence that outlaws the radicalisation of children, and more powers for the home affairs minister to cancel or refuse visas if a person is suspected of promoting violence, is engaging in hate speech, is associated with a terrorist organisation or has displayed a hate symbol.
He is likely to recall parliament in January to implement the new hate speech and gun laws.
Minister Assisting the Prime Minister, Patrick Gorman, urged parliament to support the laws when they are introduced.
"The immigration minister needs more powers, and the parliament should provide them," he said.
"We need stronger hate speech laws, and the parliament should endorse those laws."
DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.