Hon Robert Smellie CNZM KC died on December 23 at age 95.

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.

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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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.

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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."

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Two teenage girls have been arrested after horrifying footage emerged of a 13-year-old girl being punched and kicked at a Melbourne beach earlier this month.

Detectives arrested two 15-year-old girls after the victim was allegedly assaulted near a toilet block close to Mordialloc Pier about 1.30pm on December 17.

Footage showed the victim being stomped on, kicked and hit while she was on the ground.

READ MORE: Police release details of arson suspect after car with Hanukkah signage firebombed

A man in his 50s intervened and stopped the alleged assault, and the two girls left the area, police said.

The victim suffered minor injuries.

The two 15-year-olds were interviewed by police and released pending further enquiries.

Investigators are looking to speak to anyone who witnessed the alleged assault or those with dashcam or CCTV footage near the scene.

Detectives would also like to speak to the good Samaritan who helped the victim.

The investigation remains ongoing. 

Police swarmed Mordialloc Beach over two days last week, when sweltering conditions saw hundreds of teenagers flock to the shore.

The gathering quickly got out of hand as the teens allegedly stormed a Woolworths store, pulling stock off the shelves, stealing and terrorising staff and shoppers.

Police used capsicum spray on members of the crowd as they allegedly clashed with officers, throwing glass bottles.

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Police are calling for more information.

The Australian government has thrown its support behind the United States' strike on ISIS terrorists in Nigeria.

President Donald Trump said that the US launched a "powerful and deadly" strike against Islamic State forces in Nigeria, after spending weeks accusing the West African country's government of failing to rein in the persecution of Christians.

In a Christmas evening post on his social media site, Trump did not provide details or mention the extent of the damage caused by the strikes.

READ MORE: Huge clean-up begins after thousands descend onto Coogee Beach for pop-up party

https://x.com/DeptofWar/status/2004351717131903272

A Defence Department official, who insisted on anonymity to discuss details not made public, said the US worked with Nigeria to carry out the strikes, and that they had been approved by that country's government.

Nigeria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the cooperation included exchange of intelligence and strategic coordination in ways "consistent with international law, mutual respect for sovereignty and shared commitments to regional and global security".

Trump said the airstrikes were launched against Islamic State militants "who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians".

Residents and security analysts have said Nigeria's security crisis affects both Christians, predominant in the south, and Muslims, who are the majority in the north.

"Terrorist violence in any form, whether directed at Christians, Muslims or other communities, remains an affront to Nigeria's values and to international peace and security," Nigeria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the government supported the US-Nigerian cooperation on ISIS and the latest attack.

https://x.com/SenatorWong/status/2004385096791740739

"ISIS terrorises people around the world. Its extremist, violent ideology must be stopped," she said in a statement.

Smartraveller warns Australians to reconsider their overall need to travel to Nigeria due to the volatile security situation and the high risk of terrorism, kidnapping, violent crime and the risk of civil unrest.

The warning is elevated to"do not travel" in several parts of Nigeria, including Anambra, Borno, Delta, Niger and Kogi.

Nigeria is battling multiple armed groups, including at least two affiliated with the Islamic State — an offshoot of the Boko Haram extremist group known as the Islamic State West Africa Province in the northeast, and the less-known Lakurawa group prominent in the northwestern states like Sokoto where the gangs use large swathes of forests connecting states as hideouts.

Security analysts said the target of the US strikes could be the Lakurawa group, which in the last year has increasingly become lethal in the region, often targeting remote communities and security forces.

"Lakurawa is a group that is actually controlling territories in Nigeria, in Sokoto state and in other states like Kebbi," said Malik Samuel, a Nigerian security researcher at Good Governance Africa.

"In the northwest, there has been the incursion of violent extremist groups that are ideologically driven," he said, blaming the incursion on the near absence of the state and security forces in hot spots.

Nigeria's government has previously said in response to Trump's criticisms that people of many faiths, not just Christians, have suffered attacks at the hands of extremists groups.

READ MORE: Police release details of arson suspect after car with Hanukkah signage firebombed

Trump ordered the Pentagon last month to begin planning for potential military action in Nigeria to try and curb the so-called Christian persecution.

The State Department recently announced it would restrict visas for Nigerians and their family members involved in killing Christians there.

And the US recently designated Nigeria a "country of particular concern" under the International Religious Freedom Act.

Trump said the US defence officials had "executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing" and added that "our Country will not allow Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper".

Nigeria's population of 220 million is split almost equally between Christians and Muslims.

The country has long faced insecurity from various fronts including the Boko Haram extremist group, which seeks to establish its radical interpretation of Islamic law and has also targeted Muslims it deems not Muslim enough.

But attacks in Nigeria often have varying motives.

There are religiously motivated ones targeting both Christians and Muslims, clashes between farmers and herders over dwindling resources, communal rivalries, secessionist groups and ethnic clashes.

The US security footprint has diminished in Africa, where military partnerships have either been scaled down or cancelled.

US forces likely would have to be drawn from other parts of the world for any larger-scale military intervention in Nigeria.

Trump has nonetheless kept up the pressure as Nigeria faced a series of attacks on schools and churches in violence that experts and residents say targets both Christians and Muslims.

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth posted yesterday night on X: "The President was clear last month: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria (and elsewhere) must end."

Hegseth said US military forces are "always ready, so ISIS found out tonight — on Christmas" and added, "More to come…Grateful for Nigerian government support & cooperation" before signing off, "Merry Christmas!"

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The cute critters cause massive economic and biodiversity problems for New Zealand.

Pillans Rd Bike Track closure is on hold, as the council decides its fate.