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“Disappointing”: New inflight Qantas video slammed for “missing the mark”

<p dir="ltr">A new inflight safety video from Qantas has been widely panned for being “elitist” and “sexist”, while skimming over vital safety information. </p> <p dir="ltr">The new video, which is set to replace an earlier retro video released in 2020 that marked the airline’s 100th birthday, features frequent flyers and Qantas staff delivering the pre-flight safety announcement from their favourite “magic places” around the world. </p> <p dir="ltr">The video features destinations such as Litchfield National Park near Darwin and Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia, as well as international places such as Lapland in Finland and Marrakesh in Morocco.</p> <p dir="ltr">After the video was shared by the airline, members of the Flight Attendants Association of Australia were quick to express their feelings. </p> <p dir="ltr">Flight Attendants Association of Australia national secretary Teri O-Toole told <em><a href="https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/health-safety/new-qantas-safety-video-panned-as-sexist-and-elitist/news-story/078aa2c55cf48e6551a40ad4c0c56011">news.com.au</a></em> the video was “disappointing” for a lot of different reasons. </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/reel/C2dPrw_BNqf/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C2dPrw_BNqf/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Qantas (@qantas)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“Not one Australian-based international crew member was used,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“There are no cabin crew in uniform and there are no shots of the interior of an aircraft which are all important factors for non-English speaking passengers and those that need to know who is in charge.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“Not once does it say ‘follow the directions of your crew member’, which you would’ve thought would be the focus of a safety video.”</p> <p dir="ltr">She also questioned why a female pilot appeared in a swimsuit, suggesting that sort of depiction took women in the workplace took the airline “back 20 years”</p> <p dir="ltr">“I didn’t see a male pilot in a pair of budgie smugglers,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">She went on to describe the video as “great marketing”, but totally “misses the mark” in terms of a safety video, while also adding “elitist” to focus on frequent flyers during a cost of living crisis.</p> <p dir="ltr">Social media users were equally scathing.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’d prefer just focus on, oh I dunno, in flight safety during the in-flight safety video?,” one wrote. “Why do we need a long video with all this added stuff?”</p> <p dir="ltr">Another described it as “slow, long, tedious and boring. I couldn't make it through the entire thing”, while a third person labelled it “absolutely awful”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Qantas chief customer officer Catriona Larritt defended the video insisting safety was the number one priority across the Qantas Group, and the in-flight video together with cabin crew, plays a key role in capturing the attention of travellers to watch and listen to the critical information.</p> <p dir="ltr">“First and foremost, the video is about familiarising our customers with safety procedures and we try to make it as engaging as possible, in particular for regular flyers who might otherwise tune out,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Qantas</em></p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-d006e7c7-7fff-7037-252e-b0c227e24116"></span></p>

Travel Trouble

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"You don’t know why they’re filming or what they’ll do with it": flight attendants on being unwilling stars of viral videos

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/liz-simmons-1376255">Liz Simmons</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/gui-lohmann-1476773">Gui Lohmann</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rawan-nimri-1482182">Rawan Nimri</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a></em></p> <p>As any frequent social media user knows, airline passengers often record and post in-flight incidents – from frightening turbulence to unruly members of the public.</p> <p>Often, these viral videos feature flight attendants just trying to do their duties, while being filmed without their consent.</p> <p>These videos usually portray flight attendants either as heroes effortlessly managing difficult passengers or “villains” accused of being rude and unprofessional. Either way, the trend is emerging as an industrial issue, with unions arcing up about it and airlines bringing in new rules aimed at curbing the practice.</p> <h2>Unkind comments about appearance and age</h2> <p>Going to work knowing that at any moment you may become the unwilling star of a viral video can exact a considerable toll on the wellbeing of flight attendants.</p> <p>I (Liz Simmons) speak daily with flight attendants in Australia and abroad as part of my PhD research. From these discussions, I’ve heard from attendants who worry often about discovering videos of themselves featuring unkind comments about their appearance, age or employer.</p> <p>One flight attendant, Kate*, described the disconcerting feeling of someone aiming a smartphone camera at her while she was simply trying to do her job, saying: "You don’t know why they’re filming or what they’ll do with it."</p> <p>Marie spoke of being featured in a TikTok video during a safety demonstration, with viewers making fun of her appearance.</p> <p>Charlotte, after refusing to serve more alcohol to an intoxicated passenger, had a camera thrust in her face, accompanied by threats to her job.</p> <p>Mark told of how uncomfortable he felt having to ask a passenger to stop taking photos of the crew during service.</p> <p>These personal accounts illustrate the <a href="https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/health-safety/flight-attendant-reveals-creepy-passenger-behaviour/news-story/3b2b1ad25f758e24ef37b74794684ea6">distress</a> flight attendants can experience when being filmed or photographed without their knowledge.</p> <h2>A broader industrial issue</h2> <p>This issue is drawing the attention of policymakers, airlines and the unions that represent flight attendants.</p> <p>Japan recently introduced <a href="https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/society/crime-courts/20230408-102309/">laws</a> aimed at curbing sneak photography in a range of settings, which may be used to prevent passengers voyeuristically filming flight attendants. <a href="https://mondortiz.com/japan-flight-attendants-call-for-action-versus-stolen-photo-taking/">Research</a> by Japan’s aviation workers union found that about 70% of the 1,573 flight attendants surveyed believed they’d had their pictures taken surreptitiously while they were working.</p> <p>Passengers have been arrested in <a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/crime-in-israel/article-748799">Turkey</a> and <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-3554181/IndiGo-passenger-arrested-recording-video-flight-attendants.html">India</a> after unauthorised filming.</p> <p>And flight attendant unions in <a href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/03/09/national/crime-legal/flight-attendant-photo/">Japan</a>, <a href="https://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking-news/section/4/204104/Union-says-flight-attendants-can-ask-passengers-to-delete-photos-and-videos-taken-without-consent">Hong Kong</a> and <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/news/300750512/why-you-shouldnt-film-your-cabin-crew">Australia</a> have voiced concerns about the issue.</p> <p>Of course, videos can occasionally play a crucial role in understanding what transpired during an <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/passenger-assault-attendant-detained-fbi-american-airlines-mexico-cabo-rcna48884">in-flight incident</a>, and flight attendants themselves can also be found on social media sharing their stories, consenting to the video. But many videos still feature airline staff simply going about their job (while being filmed, without their consent).</p> <h2>Unclear rules</h2> <p>News <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/traveller/reviews-and-advice/why-you-shouldnt-film-your-cabin-crew-20221122-h2813d.html">reports</a> suggest staff aboard Dutch carrier KLM “now commonly make an announcement during the safety briefing asking passengers not to take photos of any crew members.”</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.klm.com.au/information/legal/conditions-carriage">rules</a> on the KLM website are less clear, saying only that, "Recording videos and/or taking photographs other than personal videos and photographs is prohibited on board the aircraft."</p> <p>Virgin Australia’s rules state anyone travelling on their planes must "use cameras or photographic devices (including mobile phones) for personal use only. You must comply with the directions of flight crew when using cameras or photographic devices while on board.</p> <p>In November 2023, Qantas introduced new <a href="https://www.qantas.com/au/en/book-a-trip/flights/conditions-of-carriage.html#conduct-during-flight">rules</a> requiring passengers to "seek consent before filming or photographing Qantas Group staff, contractors or other customers."</p> <p>This is a start. For most airlines, however, there is a notable absence of clear guidelines against recording and publishing footage of flight attendants in their workplace. The existing rules are often buried in the fine print of terms and conditions, which few passengers take the time to read. This underscores the necessity for airlines to reconsider how these restrictions are communicated to passengers.</p> <p>Looking ahead, it may be timely for more airlines to establish clearer rules on filming cabin crew while they work. There should be an acknowledgement that unsolicited filming is frequently unfair, invasive and distressing. Developing a framework to enforce these provisions and enhancing communication about these rules would help inform passengers about how to respect the privacy and comfort of flight attendants in their workplace.</p> <p><em>* All names have been changed to protect identities.</em><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/217089/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/liz-simmons-1376255">Liz Simmons</a>, PhD Candidate, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/gui-lohmann-1476773">Gui Lohmann</a>, Professor in Air Transport and Tourism Management, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rawan-nimri-1482182">Rawan Nimri</a>, Lecturer in Tourism and Hospitality, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: </em><em>Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/you-dont-know-why-theyre-filming-or-what-theyll-do-with-it-flight-attendants-on-being-unwilling-stars-of-viral-videos-217089">original article</a>.</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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New Zealand Prime Minister's heartbreaking family update

<p>New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has announced his temporary withdrawal from political engagements to care for his 4-year-old daughter who is in hospital. </p> <p>Hipkins, who is mostly private about his personal life, opened up about his daughter's health battle for the first time in a post shared on Facebook. </p> <p>“I don’t normally talk publicly about my kids because I want them to grow up out of the public spotlight, but sometimes it’s unavoidable,” he said. </p> <p>“Both my kids have a blood condition called Von Willebrand Syndrome. It means that sometimes when they get bleeding noses or other health issues they need a bit of extra medical help to get sorted.</p> <p>“Today my four-year-old is in hospital for some needed treatment, so for the rest of the day while that is happening I’ll be working from the hospital while I’m focused on her.”</p> <p><iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fchrishipkinsmp%2Fposts%2Fpfbid021REVmAth3sr9crVCb7Na1PN42D5vskouAv5QrRf5DXWu7KUbTtq5R96gzq1G18d2l&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="381" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>He also thanked his colleagues for covering him over the next few days and extended his gratitude towards blood donors. </p> <p>"All going well I’ll be back at work soon, but thanks to my colleagues for covering a few engagements over the next couple of days that I’m going to have to miss.</p> <p>"Lots of New Zealanders rely on the generosity of those who give blood. Thank you to all those who help out people like my little girl," he concluded.</p> <p>Hipkins, who replaced Jacinda Ardern in January, had previously revealed that he and his wife had separated and lived apart for a year. </p> <p>At the time, he explained that they were living separately for "the best interest of our family," and he acknowledged the pressure of being a family member of a politician and prime minister. </p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Caring

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Ex-Finnish Prime Minister’s rebrand after divorce and leaving office

<p dir="ltr">The former Finnish Prime Minister is living her best life after filing for divorce and leaving her position in office. </p> <p dir="ltr">Sanna Marin, the youngest ever female world leader, has kicked off her single girl summer by attending a three-day music festival in Helsinki, leaning into her love of partying. </p> <p dir="ltr">The 37-year-old shared photos from her summer adventures on Instagram, flaunting her relaxed politics-free new life. </p> <p dir="ltr">“This summer I’ve had a proper summer vacation for the first time in a while,” Marin wrote on Instagram while sharing snaps of her fun-filled days.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It has included, among other things, being busy with [5-year-old daughter] Emma, sports, friends, good food, and unforgettable trips.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Most of her followers applauded the change in her lifestyle, and were happy she was taking some quality time for herself. </p> <p dir="ltr">“You look AMAZING. Thank you for showing the world that you can fill the chair as a president and dress as you like at the same time,” influencer Dr. Caecilie Johansen commented.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Pretty sure we would’ve achieved world peace already if most world leaders were as chill as Sanna,” wrote one.</p> <p dir="ltr">Another agreed, “A politician having fun and looking really cool. This gives a really good example to young people and you give Finland great PR.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Marin’s drastic lifestyle change comes after she officially left her post as Finland’s prime minister three weeks earlier, when the National Coalition Party’s Petteri Orpo took office.</p> <p dir="ltr">As well as being out of a job in politics, Marin is also going through divorce proceedings with her ex-husband of three years and partner for 19 years Markus Raikkonen. </p> <p dir="ltr">The pair announced their separation in May, and said they would still remain best friends and happy co-parents to their daughter Emma despite jointly filing for the separation.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Instagram / Getty Images</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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‘Good soup is one of the prime ingredients of good living’: a (condensed) history of soup, from cave to can

<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/garritt-c-van-dyk-1014186">Garritt C Van Dyk</a>, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-newcastle-1060">University of Newcastle</a></em></p> <p>Hot soup on a cold day brings warmth and comfort so simple that we don’t think too much about its origins. But its long history runs from the Stone Age and antiquity through to modernity, encompassing the birth of the restaurant, advances in chemistry, and a famous pop art icon.</p> <p>The basic nature of soup has a fundamental appeal that feels primordial – because it is.</p> <p><a href="https://www.academia.edu/12384834/2015_Speth_When_Did_Humans_Learn_to_Boil_">Archaeologists</a> speculate the first soup might have been made by Neanderthals, boiling animal bones to extract fat essential for their diet and drinking the broth. Without the fats, their high intake of lean animal meats could have led to protein poisoning, so stone age soup was an important complement to primeval nutrition.</p> <p>The fundamental benefit of these bone broths is confirmed by archaeological discoveries around the world, ranging from a gelatin broth in <a href="https://www.archaeology.org/issues/317-1811/trenches/7056-trenches-egypt-giza-livestock-bones">Egypt’s Giza plateau</a>, to <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-11981666">Shaanxi Province</a> in China.</p> <p>The widespread distribution of archaeological finds is a reminder soup not only has a long history, but is also a global food.</p> <p>Today, our idea of soup is more refined, but the classic combination of stock and bread is embedded in the Latin root of the verb <em>suppāre</em>, meaning “to soak”.</p> <p>As a noun, <em>suppa</em> became <em>soupe</em> in Old French, meaning bread soaked in broth, and <em><a href="https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/middle-english-dictionary/dictionary/MED41830/track?counter=1&amp;search_id=24326280">sowpes</a></em> in Middle English. This pairing was also an economical way of reclaiming stale bread and thickening a thin broth. Wealthier households might have toasted fresh bread for the dish, but less prosperous diners used up stale bread that was too hard to chew unless softened in the hot liquid.</p> <h2>From rustic to creamy</h2> <p>New ideas about science and digestion in 17th century France promoted <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340977432_The_Transformative_Influence_of_La_Varenne's_Le_Cuisinier_Francois_1651_on_French_Culinary_Practice">natural flavours</a> and thick, rustic preparations gave way to the creamy and velvety smooth soups we know today.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527415/original/file-20230522-21-dcc0ot.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527415/original/file-20230522-21-dcc0ot.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527415/original/file-20230522-21-dcc0ot.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=450&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527415/original/file-20230522-21-dcc0ot.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=450&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527415/original/file-20230522-21-dcc0ot.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=450&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527415/original/file-20230522-21-dcc0ot.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=566&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527415/original/file-20230522-21-dcc0ot.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=566&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527415/original/file-20230522-21-dcc0ot.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=566&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="People line up for soup" /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">The Soup Kitchen, Antonio de Puga, ca. 1630.</span> <span class="attribution">Museo de Arte de Ponce</span></figcaption></figure> <p>New versions of the liquid food were developed by early modern European chefs, such as the <a href="https://archive.org/details/lenouveaucuisini01mass/page/138/mode/2up">seafood bisque</a>, extracting flavour from the shells of crustaceans.</p> <p>The first restaurant as we understand them today opened in Paris in 1765, and was immortalised for a <a href="https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k9785063s/f167.item.r=sante">simple broth</a>, a clear soup made from bone broth and fresh herbs.</p> <p><a href="https://www.rebeccalspang.org/invention-of-the-restaurant">Mathurin Roze de Chantoiseau</a>, the original French restaurateur, created a new type of public space where weary diners could regain their lost appetites and soothe their delicate nerves at all hours.</p> <p>It may appear to be a contradiction that the first restaurant specifically catered to clients who had lost their appetites, yet it seems perfectly natural soup was the cure.</p> <h2>Easy and affordable</h2> <p>Soup was not destined to be limited to fancy restaurants or the long simmering stock pots of peasants. Modern science made it convenient and less expensive for home cooks.</p> <p>In 1897, a chemist at the Campbell soup company, John Dorrance, developed a <a href="https://www.campbellsoupcompany.com/about-us/our-story/campbell-history/">condensed canned soup</a> that dramatically reduced the water content. The new method halved the cost of shipping and made canned soup an affordable meal anyone could prepare.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527409/original/file-20230522-17-ts8u8f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527409/original/file-20230522-17-ts8u8f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527409/original/file-20230522-17-ts8u8f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=387&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527409/original/file-20230522-17-ts8u8f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=387&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527409/original/file-20230522-17-ts8u8f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=387&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527409/original/file-20230522-17-ts8u8f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=486&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527409/original/file-20230522-17-ts8u8f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=486&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527409/original/file-20230522-17-ts8u8f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=486&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="Painting of men at a table" /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">Lunch (The Soup, Version II), Albin Egger-Lienz, 1910.</span> <span class="attribution">Leopold Museum, Vienna</span></figcaption></figure> <p>This revolutionary achievement was recognised at the 1900 Paris Exposition, winning an award for product excellence. Winning the prize was an achievement considering the competition at the world fair. The other technological advances exhibited at the turn of the century included the diesel engine, “talking” films, dry cell batteries and the Paris Metro.</p> <p>The bronze medallion from 1900 still appears on the iconic red and white label, made famous by pop artist Andy Warhol’s <a href="https://www.moma.org/learn/moma_learning/andy-warhol-campbells-soup-cans-1962/">32 Campbell Soup Cans</a> (1962).</p> <p>In his work, Warhol appropriated images from consumer culture and the media ordinary people would instantly recognise, from Coca-Cola bottles to Marilyn Monroe. In his famous soup painting, 32 canvases – one for each flavour of soup – are lined up like cans on a supermarket shelf.</p> <p>Some <a href="https://warhol.netx.net/portals/warhol-exhibitions/#asset/108496">interpretations</a> consider this a commentary on the link between art and consumerism, emphasising the ordinary quality of the everyday object. The artist may also have been influenced by his personal eating habits – he claimed he had <a href="https://whitney.org/collection/works/5632">soup for lunch</a> every day for 20 years.</p> <h2>‘One of the prime ingredients of good living’</h2> <p>A steady diet of soup is not guaranteed to inspire famous art, but its appeal is universal. Soup can be humble or fancy, cutting across cultures and classes.</p> <p>Deceptively simple, the warmth and comfort of soup provide a temporary refuge from the winter chill, comforting the diner from the inside.</p> <p>The French chef Auguste Escoffier, famous for enshrining the five basic “<a href="https://www.escoffieronline.com/our-guide-to-escoffiers-5-mother-sauces/">mother sauces</a>” in French cuisine, raised soups to perfection in the early 20th century, developing refined preparations that remain classics today.</p> <p>Escoffier, <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books/about/Escoffier.html?id=JFIDd639wlQC&amp;redir_esc=y">known as</a> “the king of chefs and the chef of kings”, had very <a href="https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/A_Guide_to_Modern_Cookery/KCbkcXHj7qoC?hl=en&amp;gbpv=1&amp;dq=escoffier+guide+culinaire&amp;printsec=frontcover">high standards</a> for soup, claiming “of all the items on the menu, soup is that which exacts the most delicate perfection”.</p> <p>An Austrian apprentice of Escoffier, Louis P. De Gouy, was chef at the Waldorf Astoria for 30 years and wrote 13 cookbooks.</p> <p>He summed up the appeal of soup in a <a href="https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/The_Soup_Book/1tNmDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&amp;gbpv=1&amp;printsec=frontcover">volume</a> dedicated to the dish with over 700 recipes:</p> <blockquote> <p>Good soup is one of the prime ingredients of good living. For soup can do more to lift the spirits and stimulate the appetite than any other one dish.</p> </blockquote> <p>From Neanderthal broth to pop art icon, this humble pantry staple has a rich and vibrant history, giving us both nourishment and food for thought.<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/205656/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/garritt-c-van-dyk-1014186">Garritt C Van Dyk</a>, Lecturer, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-newcastle-1060">University of Newcastle</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/good-soup-is-one-of-the-prime-ingredients-of-good-living-a-condensed-history-of-soup-from-cave-to-can-205656">original article</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Food & Wine

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“Lunch-box-mum queen”: Woman goes viral over 2 ingredient cake mix

<p dir="ltr">One Coles shopper has taken the internet by storm, revealing a “snack hack” with just two ingredients.</p> <p dir="ltr">Aussie mum-of-three Claudia creates content on TikTok on cheap Kmart buys, a day in the life of her family, and her most popular videos, her “snack hacks”.</p> <p dir="ltr">For her most recent hack, only two ingredients are required.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Snack hack! Again!” she said in the video, which has attracted more than 70,000 views on TikTok.</p> <p dir="ltr">“So, this one, I’m looking forward to.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is not healthy. This is two ingredients — Nutella and eggs — and it’s supposed to make the gooiest, chocolatiest, yummiest cake ever.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I have not tried this before so let’s get to it.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Claudia didn’t have Nutella in her pantry, but she bought the Coles version, which she claims tastes very similar.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m a big believer in using what you have, but a few people said ‘check this out, make this, it’s delicious’ so I just had to,” she continued.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I did go and buy the Coles one, and it was very cheap, and I’m sure a lot of people do have Nutella in their cupboard.”</p> <p dir="ltr">For the snack hack, Claudia used one cup of the chocolate spread and four eggs to create a gooey cake mix.</p> <p dir="ltr">“If ‘trust the process’ had a cover photo, it would be this,” she said, visibly grossed out by the gooey batter.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It is safe to say I won’t be trying any of this cake mix.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Claudia instructed viewers to put the cake in the oven for 20-25 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Do you know how good this smells?” she said as she took the cake tin out of the oven.</p> <p dir="ltr">She was even more excited by the time she tried it. </p> <p dir="ltr">“That is so good. So, so good. Like no exaggeration. So freaking good,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">People flooded the comments, applauding Claudia for another great “snack hack”. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m soooo trying this,” one person wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Thank you, lunch-box-mum queen,” another added.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I honestly thought it was going to come out looking like chocolate scrambled eggs,” a third said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Claudia is renowned on TikTok for making snacks that are easy on household budgets, so people were grateful she used the cheaper Coles chocolate spread. </p> <p dir="ltr">“The Coles Nutella is just as good in my opinion,” one wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credit: TikTok</em></p>

Food & Wine

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Madonna releases “controversial” 20 year old music video

<p dir="ltr">Pop veteran Madonna has finally released the music video for her hit song <em>American Life</em>, 20 years after it was filmed. </p> <p dir="ltr">The video, which is arguably her most controversial yet, was originally set to come out in 2003, but was scrapped at the last minute due to overwhelming negative press. </p> <p dir="ltr">While the song itself was a wry look at Madonna’s own experiences of fame and success, the original video was instead a graphic commentary on the then-imminent American invasion of Iraq.</p> <p dir="ltr">Shot just weeks before the war began, the video shows Madonna and her posse of backup dancers all wearing army garb, preparing for a fashion show that sees soldiers walk the catwalk alongside victims of war.</p> <p dir="ltr">The “fashion” show is observed by disinterested fashion experts, who watch on with impassive faces as violence breaks out on the catwalk, with blood and guts spilling everywhere. </p> <p dir="ltr">Had it have been released at the time of growing tensions between the US and Iraq, the video would’ve been heavily censored, or even banned, due to the numerous graphic depictions of violence, with dismembered and disembowelled victims laying on the runway.</p> <p dir="ltr">In response to the outrage, Madonna said the video would never see the light of day. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I have decided not to release my new video. It was filmed before the war started and I do not believe it is appropriate to air it at this time. Due to the volatile state of the world and out of sensitivity and respect to the armed forces, who I support and pray for, I do not want to risk offending anyone who might misinterpret the meaning of this video,” she said in 2003. </p> <p dir="ltr">Now, two decades later, Madonna’s finally officially released the original music video on her official YouTube channel to mark the album’s 20th anniversary.  </p> <p dir="ltr">You can watch the video <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZAMiK6ROZA">here</a>, but be warned that viewer discretion is advised. </p> <p dir="ltr">Despite the backlash that occurred when the video was first filmed, many fans are glad the unseen footage has finally been released. </p> <p dir="ltr">The video has racked up hundreds of thousands of views in less than a week, and multiple comments praising the pop veteran for her bold statement. </p> <p dir="ltr">One commenter wrote, “This video is not only iconic but also a powerful and still relevant message to this day. I'm glad it finally got an official release after all these years!”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Music

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Million dollar baby! Video of newborn covered in money sparks outrage

<p>The bizarre moment a new father covered his newborn child in $100 bills has gone viral, sending social media into a frenzy over the strange act. </p> <p>The video shows a sleeping newborn in a crib in a hospital's nursery, while an adult covers the baby boy in $100 bills. </p> <p>Despite a blanket covering the baby's body, many were quick to point out just how many germs and bacteria live on cash notes, with many worried about the child picking up an infection from the dirty money. </p> <p>According to <a href="https://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1914560_1914558_1914544,00.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener">TIME</a>, paper money can reportedly carry more germs than a household toilet - and hundreds of species of microorganisms can live on the cash for days. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Man covers his new born baby with hundreds 😳 <a href="https://t.co/AFEYajIY6N">pic.twitter.com/AFEYajIY6N</a></p> <p>— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) <a href="https://twitter.com/DailyLoud/status/1650660162930196485?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>People took to Twitter to show their outrage at the germs, with one person saying, "Bro just created a bacteria blanket for a newborn."</p> <p>Another shared the same sentiment, writing, "Unless those are brand new bills straight from the bank, he just covered his baby in a blanket of germs."</p> <p>Another person said, "Very very unhygienic I hope baby doesn't get sick..." while a fourth added, "Money is full of pathogens, I wouldn't compromise the baby's health."</p> <p>Others cut the happy parent some slack, saying it was a strange decision to shower the baby with money, but said they could understand the person's excitement over the bundle of joy. </p> <p>One person said, "Probably a proud first-time father and isn't thinking about how ridiculous this is. Down the line he'll show his baby the picture and they'll have a good laugh out of it."</p> <p>Another wrote, "An unusual way to wish prosperity to the newborn but again different stroke for different folks!"</p> <p><em>Image credits: Twitter</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Video of Dame Edna's antics with the King and Queen Consort resurfaces

<p>As <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/tributes-flow-for-barry-humphries" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tributes</a> start pouring in for Barry Humphries following his death, a viral video of the comedian making King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla lose their composure has resurfaced.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Aussie entertainer, whose persona included Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson has met the royals on countless occasions, but this one meeting had left a lasting impression.</p> <p dir="ltr">Performing as Dame Edna Everage in the 2013 Royal Variety Performance, Humphries posted a clip of the interaction onto his Dame Edna Everage Facebook page in 2019.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Me with Prince Charles and Camilla at the Royal Variety Show. I absolutely ADORE them!” he captioned the clip, which has now been viewed over 10 million times.</p> <p dir="ltr">In the clip, Dame Edna, who was dressed head to toe in scarlet sequins, her trademark wisteria hair and oversized glasses, bustled into the royal box unannounced.</p> <p dir="ltr">The royal duo immediately burst into laughter at the sight of Dame Edna who acted like she didn’t see them until Charles pointed a finger at her to which she blew a kiss back.</p> <p dir="ltr">Dame Edna, who was enjoying the attention she received from the roaring crowd, sat next to the royal couple and broke protocol by grasping Camilla’s arm.</p> <p dir="ltr">At this point, Charles completely lost it as he audibly guffawed at Dame Edna’s antics.</p> <p dir="ltr">A lackey then walks into the box, taps Dame Edna on the shoulder and whispers into her ear causing her face to drop.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m so sorry,” she said remorsefully as she stood up to leave, as the King and Queen lost themselves in a fit of giggles.</p> <p dir="ltr">“They’ve found me a better seat,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr"><iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FDameEdnaOfficial%2Fvideos%2F740650273031100%2F&show_text=false&width=476&t=0" width="476" height="476" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p dir="ltr">Fans have commented on the video sending their tributes to Barry Humphries.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is brilliant. What a legend! She'll be missed,” wrote one person.</p> <p dir="ltr">“There will never be another Barry Humphries . You are the best of us! May you rest in peace!😢” wrote another.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Will be missed!! Had endless laughs, so enjoyable to watch. R.i.p,” commented a third.</p> <p dir="ltr">The monarch has also issued a <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/tributes-flow-for-barry-humphries" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement </a>saying that he was "saddened" by the entertainer’s death.</p> <p><em>Images: Facebook</em></p>

TV

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The truth about video games in aged care homes

<p>Video games sound like a great way to bring senior community homes together, but are they really?</p> <p>A recent study decided to test this theory, based on past studies that have found positive effects as a result of introducing video games into senior homes.</p> <p>Dr. Kathrin Gerling led the project with Dr Regan Mandryk and Dr Conor Linehan. The study implemented a weekly gaming session in two care facilities over a three-month period of time.</p> <p>The games introduced included motion-based games like those of Nintendo Wii and Xbox 360.</p> <p>According to Dr. Gerling, "We were interested in the potential of games to engage older adults in long-term care in group activities. We looked at how people approached video games, to see if they stuck with it and found it enjoyable, and also to find out if this stimulated group activities and resulted in friendships.”</p> <p>The senior users caught on quickly, as Gerling expanded: “Players at the senior residence quickly understood how the games worked and it became an actual group activity. People formed relationships, took more ownership and adapted games to fit in with how they wanted to play.”</p> <p>Still, the experiment brought forth the reality of difficulties the games presented: “We found it more difficult to bring people together at the care home, mostly because of different age-related impairments. In some cases, players needed a lot of support from staff, and depended on them being able to attend gaming sessions."</p> <p>Gerling proposed that while the games benefited some seniors, others may have found more negative results: "You always have a split of people who like playing video games and those who don't, no matter what age. But older people learning to play new games in public may feel particularly uncomfortable if they are experiencing vulnerability over their age-related changes and impairments. Some older adults require extensive support, both to gain access to gaming sessions and throughout play.”</p> <p>Gerling outlined the necessary means for all community members to receive benefit from playing video games: "We need to make sure that video games created for older adults in long-term care are adaptive – there's a fine line between challenging people and giving them something meaningful to accomplish, as opposed to doing harm. To be successful games need to engage players of all abilities and be tailored towards specific groups. It's really important to be mindful of the context in which games will be played and be understanding of the individual abilities of the player. This is particularly important when evaluating the value of games for improving the quality of life, and when creating games with a purpose beyond entertainment, such as therapy and rehabilitation."</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="../health/wellbeing/2015/08/start-exercising-when-youre-older/">Start exercising at any age</a></em></span></strong></p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="../health/wellbeing/2015/07/dementia-phone-screening/">Would you consider being screened for dementia over the phone?</a></em></span></strong></p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="../health/wellbeing/2015/07/top-health-worries-of-60-year-olds/">Top 10 health worries when you’re 60-plus (and how to beat them)</a></em></span></strong></p> <p><em>Image credit: Shutterstock</em></p>

Mind

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Jacinda Ardern delivers emotional farewell speech

<p dir="ltr">Jacinda Ardern stepped down from her position as New Zealand’s prime minister and delivered her final speech in parliament on Wednesday.</p> <p dir="ltr">In her final address to the country, Ardern reflected on the “privilege and responsibility” that comes with being prime minister, and shared both her political achievements and battles she faced during her career.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It was a cross between a sense of duty to steer a moving freight train... and being hit by one,” she described her first entry into politics.</p> <p dir="ltr">“And that's probably because my internal reluctance to lead was matched only by a huge sense of responsibility,” she added.</p> <p dir="ltr">She then shared the reasons why she got into politics in the first place, before reflecting on the events that have defined her legacy.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The reasons I came here … they’re all there in my maiden speech – climate change, child poverty, inequality. I am, after all, a conviction-based politician,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">In her speech, she also asked the parliament to “please take the politics out of climate change,” and mentioned that it is a “crisis” that is upon us.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ardern proceeded to reflect on her time as prime minister, where she faced many challenges including navigating natural disasters, the pandemic, and the Christchurch massacre, which had left her “bereft”.</p> <p dir="ltr">She added that during these series of events she found herself “in people’s lives during their most grief-stricken or traumatic moments.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Ardern’s voice was thick with emotion as she recalled meeting the survivors of the mosque terror attacks.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Having sadly seen our nation in horrific moments of grief, I've concluded that countries don't move on from tragedy, rather they become part of your psyche,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ardern ended her speech with the hope that leaders shouldn’t be afraid to be kind and sensitive, as they can also be hallmarks of good leadership.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I cannot determine what will define my time in this place, but I do hope I've demonstrated something else entirely - that you can be anxious, sensitive, kind and wear your heart on your sleeve,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ardern left to thunderous applause and a standing ovation, as members of the parliament sang traditional Māori songs.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Retirement Life

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Bizarre reason mum with one-year-old “failed” rental inspection

<p>A frustrated NSW mother has slammed her real estate agent after she “failed” her home rental inspection.</p> <p>Samantha Smith said the agent was inspecting her Newcastle property at the time.</p> <p>“I failed because I need to tidy up, I need to tidy up the toys,” she said in a TikTok, showing viewers her son’s toys which were stored on shelves and the floor.</p> <p>“Sorry, I need to tidy up the toys? I’ve got a one-year-old.</p> <p>“Are they allowed to say that?”</p> <p>The agent said the mattress in the living room made it difficult to access other parts of the house.</p> <p>Smith walked around the mattress into another room in an attempt to show that it wasn’t a cause for concern.</p> <p>“My partner sleeps there because, you know, I have a one-year-old, and he gets up at 4:30 (in the morning) and I don’t want him to wake us up,” she explained.</p> <p>The mum also mentioned that a cleaner comes every week to clean the entire house and said that “everything” is cleaned frequently.</p> <p>Aside from the toys and mattress, Smith revealed the agent also told her to tidy up the linen press cupboard and clean the ceiling fans.</p> <p>“This is the only cupboard where I can store our linen press stuff and our food because the whole house has no other cupboards,” she said.</p> <p>“Is that a joke? Like how is what’s in my cupboard any of her business?”</p> <p>She then shared the agent told her to wash the outside of her house.</p> <p>“That’s mould, mate, that’s black mould, I’m not washing that, like that’s not my business,” Smith said, panning the camera to the outside walls and overall exterior of her property.</p> <p>“Why is she judging me (for) the way I live?</p> <p>“What peeves me is that there is so much that needs to be repaired.”</p> <p>She then walked around the property and pointed out damages showing an unstable wooden corner of the room, lifting floorboards on the outside deck, a rotten handrailing and a damaged gate that wouldn’t close.</p> <p>The frustrated mother said she had been living on the property for seven years and paid $550 for rent per week.</p> <p>She also mentioned the lack of storage in her home, adding that the contract prevented her family from storing items in the garage, so they had to rent out a storage unit for $150 per week.</p> <p>“I’m pretty pissed off, like the fact that, you know, there’s stuff that needs to be fixed that is severe, like we could fall through the deck, the corner could fall off and split our head open, like our blinds are actually yellow on the other side so they’re all brittle, she wants me to fix them. Like I didn’t do the damage, the sun did,” Smith explained.</p> <p>Smith’s video went viral on TikTok, attracting more than 43,000 views and hundreds of comments.</p> <p>Many people sympathised with the mother, expressing their own shock at the agent’s requests, saying inspections should be focused on inspecting damage to the property alone.</p> <p>“Rental inspections used to check for any damage, structural damage and to ensure the house is being kept in a hygienic manner. These days they expect the house to be presented better than when you moved in. Toys, belongings in cupboards etc is not to be penalised,” one person explained.</p> <p>“They can only look at the general wear and tear of the house. They cannot tell you to tidy your house or to pick up toys. Take them to tribunal,” another added.</p> <p>“A house inspection should be more worried about damage to the house than a mess of kids’ toys. A man was told to make his bed in an inspection,” a third said.</p> <p>Other TikTok users shared their own similar experiences.</p> <p>“My property manager told me I had too many ‘knick knacks’ on my shelves,” one said.</p> <p>“Don’t worry I got told that I can’t have a table in my garage because it’s only for cars and that my baby toys needed to be hidden away,” another commented.</p> <p>“37 weeks pregnant, husband doing overtime before baby comes and they wanted me to have the house in the same condition they rented it to us,” another user shared.</p> <p><em>Image credit: TikTok</em></p>

Real Estate

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3 reasons you should never view or share videos showing children being assaulted – even if you think it helps ‘raise awareness’

<p>Australians have been shocked by an <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/mar/22/queensland-children-aged-between-12-and-14-charged-after-allegedly-assaulting-girl-over-several-hours">incident</a> on the Sunshine Coast this month in which a 13-year-old girl was imprisoned, assaulted and tortured over many hours, allegedly by three girls aged 12, 13 and 14.</p> <p>The alleged perpetrators also filmed the abuse, which went <a href="https://www.news.com.au/national/queensland/crime/three-girls-charged-after-13yearold-allegedly-lured-to-home-and-tortured/news-story/c08af6c838e54fc0d39c449e57f9719a">viral online</a> with photos and videos being shared across news outlets and social media profiles.</p> <p>Some people may think they’re supporting victims by watching the videos and then expressing their outrage at their treatment. Morbid curiosity about the event might also prompt people to view the photos or videos.</p> <p>But there are three key reasons why you should never view, download or share photos or videos of children being assaulted.</p> <h2>1. You may be committing a criminal offence</h2> <p>Photos and videos showing this 13-year-old girl allegedly being assaulted and tortured are unlawful. Content such as this is called child sexual abuse material (CSAM), which has <a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-in-a-name-online-child-abuse-material-is-not-pornography-45840">previously been called child pornography</a>.</p> <p>Child sexual abuse material is <a href="https://theconversation.com/virtual-child-sexual-abuse-material-depicts-fictitious-children-but-can-be-used-to-disguise-real-abuse-180248">offensive or sexual online material</a> depicting children. It’s a criminal offence to possess, view, share or create it.</p> <p>It isn’t just pornographic material. These laws extend to material that depicts children being assaulted and tortured, even without a sexual element.</p> <p>Criminal offences exist for possessing, viewing, sharing or creating such material. Each state and territory jurisdiction, and the Commonwealth, has their own legislation which may have a slightly <a href="https://bridges.monash.edu/articles/journal_contribution/Lawful_Acts_Unlawful_Images_The_Problematic_Definition_of_Child_Pornography/10064963/1">different perspective</a> on whether a person has committed an offence.</p> <p>Criminal offences can be committed in the following circumstances:</p> <ol> <li> <p>if someone <a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2277239">downloads</a> a child assault photo or video, they are “possessing” child sexual abuse material</p> </li> <li> <p>where someone posts it to their social media page or <a href="https://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?handle=hein.journals/utasman40&amp;div=14&amp;id=&amp;page=">sends it</a> via email to others, they are “distributing” or “disseminating” child sexual abuse material</p> </li> <li> <p>when someone <a href="https://www.cdpp.gov.au/crimes-we-prosecute/child-exploitation">watches</a> a child assault video online without downloading, or looks at a photo, they are still “accessing” (viewing) such material, which can be an offence.</p> </li> </ol> <p>It doesn’t matter if the child victim indicates their approval for the material to be promulgated. Children are <a href="https://www.aic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-05/58-1213-FinalReport.pdf">unable to consent</a> to material depicting their own assault being shared or viewed by others.</p> <h2>2. You are perpetuating the abuse suffered by the victim</h2> <p>Watching and sharing child abuse photos or videos does not support the victim. Every photo and video depicting child abuse <a href="https://theconversation.com/it-is-not-child-pornography-it-is-a-crime-scene-photo-12465">shows a crime scene</a>.</p> <p>A victim’s abuse being captured and shared as a video is a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0145213419303667">regular reminder</a> of their abuse. The photos or videos can cause <a href="https://www.aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi653">ongoing harm to a child victim</a>, beyond any physical harm they may have recovered from.</p> <p>US researchers conducted <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0145213418301510?via%3Dihub">a study</a>, published in 2018, to analyse the complex experiences of survivors (adults who, as children, had material of their abuse shared online).</p> <p>The participants described ongoing feelings of guilt and shame, and a feeling of enduring vulnerability because their records of abuse will always be online for others to see.</p> <p>As one survivor, not part of this study, <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/978-1-83982-848-520211053/full/html">said</a> "I have to live with the knowledge that my abuse will never end, and that every second of every day, someone could be – almost certainly is – watching my torture and abuse. Even once I’m dead, my degradation will continue. I will never be able to escape it. This trauma is infinite.</p> <p>Some also described an empowering dimension because the material provided validation of the abuse they suffered, or could be used as evidence in court.</p> <p>While victims may all process their experiences in different ways, it’s important to be mindful of the detrimental and ongoing effects on a child victim of an assault being captured and shared online.</p> <p>As a community, we must do everything we can to support those children, including refusing to watch or share photos or videos of their abuse.</p> <h2>3. You are giving undeserved notoriety to the perpetrators</h2> <p>Some perpetrators use records of their offending to create social media content for notoriety.</p> <p>“Performance crimes” allow perpetrators to use their online platform <a href="http://www8.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/journals/CICrimJust/2015/21.html">for attention</a>.</p> <p>Terrorism is another example, where terror attacks have been <a href="https://theconversation.com/social-media-create-a-spectacle-society-that-makes-it-easier-for-terrorists-to-achieve-notoriety-113715">livestreamed</a> and media outlets have responded by refusing to name the perpetrators.</p> <p>Do not reward the perpetrators by giving them a platform.</p> <h2>How should we respond?</h2> <p>It’s important we, as a community, acknowledge that children whose assaults are captured in photos and videos have been through a traumatic experience and need support.</p> <p>Watching or sharing their assault only perpetuates the abuse.</p> <p>We must refuse to watch videos of child abuse, and delete them if they’re sent to us.</p> <p>We then need to trust that police will conduct thorough investigations that will result in an appropriate outcome.</p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/3-reasons-you-should-never-view-or-share-videos-showing-children-being-assaulted-even-if-you-think-it-helps-raise-awareness-202610" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Images: Shutterstock</em></p>

Technology

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Streaming service giant pays woman 5 figures to watch content

<p dir="ltr">If you think you spend too much time on Amazon Prime, think again as one lucky lady has snatched up her “dream” job with the streaming service.</p> <p dir="ltr">The woman, Alex Bain, 36, has been dubbed Prime Video’s “Buff”, and her job entails reviewing content for Amazon Prime, which came after the platform searched nationwide to fill the role of watching new content.</p> <p dir="ltr">Here’s the real kicker, the 36-year-old will be paid $40,000 for three months of viewing new content and sharing her opinions. </p> <p dir="ltr">She is not new to the scene of content review as she frequently posts to her Instagram, TikTok and Youtube reviewing various TV shows and movies.</p> <p dir="ltr">Upon seeing the advertisement from Amazon Prime, one of Bain’s friends encouraged her to apply.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Everything on it, it was like seeing a list of what would be my ideal job,” Ms Bain told NCA <em>NewsWire</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m 36, so I want to do something I’m passionate about, so I decided to just go for it.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I got a phone call from Amazon saying I’d been short-listed, and I was like, ‘Oh my God!’”</p> <p dir="ltr">She said the time between applying for the role and being told she was successful went “so quickly”.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-c71ed23d-7fff-9bd9-8a5d-10ebabd22f11"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Not long after, she received the news she was the lucky one chosen to fill the role.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credit: Instagram</em></p>

TV

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Mum speaks out after reaction to cling wrap video

<p><em style="color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bolder; box-sizing: border-box;">Warning: This article contains disturbing content which some readers may find distressing. </em></p> <p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">A TikTok influencer said her son was temporarily taken from her home by child protection authorities after she </span><a style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;" href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/mum-slammed-for-cruel-cling-wrap-prank" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted a video</a><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;"> of her husband pushing the child around while he was swaddled from the neck down in cling wrap.</span></p> <p>The mum, Savannah Glembin, who has 1.1 million followers on TikTok, appeared emotional as she announced in a clip that authorities took her son, Gunner, away following the initial video.</p> <p>“Gunner has been taken from us until CPR can evaluate our home because I posted a video of my husband and son playing," she said.</p> <p>The video of the incident sparked concern among TikTok users, Gunner, who appears to be about two years old, was tightly wrapped in cling wrap while being moved around by his father, Hank.</p> <p>Savannah defended their actions in the video, saying it was “just a funny thing Hank did because Gunner was getting into the stove that day and tried putting a fork in a socket”.</p> <p>Several TikTok users commented how they were left feeling uncomfortable and disturbed by the video, which has since been taken down, with one user @auntkaren0 reposting the video, calling it “feels like abuse”.</p> <p>At one point the boy is placed standing on the bed before he falls forward onto his knees, unable to move his arms as he’s constrained by the cling wrap.</p> <p>“He’s a worm”, his father joked.</p> <p>“If you have a grumpy toddler all day, this is the only way,” the mum is heard saying in the background of the video.</p> <p>Hank, in military uniform, then proceeded to place Gunner face down on the bed before he was flipped over onto his back.</p> <p>User @auntkaren0, who reposted the video, also said, “I don’t see what’s funny here. I don’t understand how putting your toddler in an uncomfortable position is funny and then posting it for views.</p> <p>“Not only did you not just do this for your own entertainment, you thought this was going to be everybody’s entertainment.</p> <p>“This is why I don’t like family channels like this, because they will go to any length for views.”</p> <p>Many other TikTok users shared their concern for the child, one comment said, “My anxiety when he fell forward and I was like omg he’s going to suffocate.”</p> <p>Another comment read, “That gave me anxiety. The feeling of not being able to move! That poor kid.”</p> <p>A third user said, “That gave me anxiety. The feeling of not being able to move! That poor kid.”</p> <p>Addressing the initial video, Savannah appeared tearful, saying, “Right now, we're dealing with a situation where Gunner has been taken from us until CPS can evaluate our home because I posted a video of my husband and son playing.</p> <p>“That video was skewed in a way [that resulted in] people thinking we were abusing our child. But he was laughing and smiling and it was just a funny thing Hank did because Gunner was getting into the stove that day and tried putting a fork in a socket.</p> <p>“Hank playfully wrapped him in cling wrap - he had room to move. He looked like a little worm, like a little cucumber. He was at no point in distress or crying.</p> <p>“We would never hurt our son, we would never hurt our child. He is the best thing that's ever happened to us.</p> <p>“I posted that video two days ago and the response that it had gotten was positive so like I didn't know that someone had thought it was bad until yesterday when cops showed up at our door and separated us, his family.</p> <p>“We went down and made our statements, thinking Gunner was going to be returned to us that day and that CPS would do their investigation and see that our home is safe.”</p> <p>“All I can say is that my son is so loved and cherished. He is my miracle baby, he was my fourth pregnancy after three miscarriages, and he's the light of my life.” She added.</p> <p>“We made a mistake and we don't deserve our child taken away because of it.”</p> <p>The mumfluencer then posted another TikTok that appeared to show the child was back home in the custody of her and her husband.</p> <p><em>Image credit: TikTok</em></p>

Legal

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Jacinda Ardern’s resignation: gender and the toll of strong, compassionate leadership

<p>“Uneasy is the head that wears the crown”, wrote Shakespeare, way back in the 1500s. It’s not a new idea that top-level leadership jobs are intensely <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1048984316300923">stressful</a> and pose a heavy toll. Extended periods of stress are known to put people at <a href="https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev.psych.52.1.397">risk of burnout</a>.</p> <p>Yet probably few of us can ever grasp just how unrelentingly demanding and difficult leading a country actually is. Especially in times of crisis and with our modern media and online environment, every statement and every move a leader makes is subject to extensive scrutiny and commentary. </p> <p>Increasingly, a troubling feature of the commentary about New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has been its abusive, violent, sexist and misogynistic tenor.</p> <p>While she has not focused on this as a reason for her decision to <a href="https://theconversation.com/arderns-resignation-as-new-zealand-prime-minister-is-a-game-changer-for-the-2023-election-198149">resign yesterday</a>, being targeted in this way, and knowing <a href="https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/entertainment/2022/03/where-is-clarke-gayford-jacinda-ardern-laughs-off-conspiracy-theories-reveals-the-answer.html">her partner</a> and even <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/482761/the-hatred-and-vitriol-jacinda-ardern-endured-would-affect-anybody">her child</a> were also targeted, must surely have made an already difficult job so much more challenging.</p> <h2>Crises, kindness and courageous decisions</h2> <p>Crises have long been understood as the most intensive tests of a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1048984322000649">leader’s skill and character</a>. They involve making weighty decisions, at times about matters that quite literally have life and death implications. Decisions have to be made at speed, but often with insufficient information to confidently predict the consequences of the choices made.</p> <p>Ardern’s premiership has thrown crisis after crisis her way. And time and time again, she has displayed a strength of character and <a href="https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003099109-10/leading-crisis-adaptive-leadership-jacinda-ardern-deidre-le-fevre">considerable leadership skills</a> in responding to them. </p> <p>Her handling of the Christchurch terror attacks won <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2019/03/18/new-zealands-prime-minister-wins-worldwide-praise-her-response-mosque-shootings/">global admiration</a> for her composure, compassion and decisive resolve to ensure such heinous acts could not be repeated here.</p> <p>Her response to the <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/white-island-eruption-how-good-is-ardern-world-praises-pm-for-disaster-response/4S5BZ6NCOWXN4R63HDIEV4KXVM/">Whakaari White Island eruption</a> garnered similar praise, showing yet again her intuitive grasp that a leader offering support to those caught up in such a distressing event actually makes a difference. That Ardern has sought to combine compassion and kindness with the courage to make tough decisions is a key feature of <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/978-1-80262-157-020221003/full/html">her style</a>.</p> <h2>Unrealistic expectations of a leader</h2> <p>Throughout the pandemic, Arden has repeatedly proved her willingness to make courageous decisions. Combined with her prowess at <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1742715020929151">mobilising the public’s understanding</a> and support for the government’s COVID response, this was critical to the success of the elimination strategy. Many <a href="https://www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/2022/03/21/two-years-since-nz-first-locked-down-expert-reaction/">lives and livelihoods have been saved</a> due to her leadership.</p> <p>When Delta and then Omicron emerged, Ardern <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-jacinda-arderns-clumsy-leadership-response-to-delta-could-still-be-the-right-approach-169926">sought to continually adapt</a> the government’s policies to a changing context. While tenacity and resilience may number among her many strengths, dogmatism is not one of her weaknesses. </p> <p>Of course not all decisions <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/300763211/ombudsmans-criticism-of-miq-virtual-lobby-doesnt-go-far-enough">proved to be optimal</a> – expecting them to be so would be wildly unrealistic. Some of her decisions have sparked a <a href="https://thespinoff.co.nz/summer-2022/04-01-2023/the-day-the-grounds-of-parliament-burned-2">strong negative response</a>. But it’s <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Differently-About-Leadership-Critical/dp/1784716782">foolish to expect perfection from leaders</a>, and the job unavoidably means making tough calls not everyone will agree with.</p> <h2>Rise in sexist and mysogynistic abuse</h2> <p>No leader is omnipotent, especially in a democracy and in a globally interconnected world. </p> <p>The latest crisis Ardern has been grappling with – the cost of living – is in large measure <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2022/09/21/economy/central-banks-inflation-global/index.html">driven by global forces</a> far beyond the control of any New Zealand prime minister. New Zealand’s situation is <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/129353834/think-inflation-is-biting-spare-a-thought-for-turkey">better than many other countries</a>, but unfortunately for Ardern this holds little sway for some people. </p> <p>The reality, then, is that her growing unpopularity has in part been rooted in people having unrealistic expectations of what leaders can and can’t actually do, and needing someone to blame. But there’s also no getting away from the fact that far too much of the criticism directed at her has been coloured by sexist and misogynistic attitudes. </p> <p>There’s a continuum in how this is expressed. It starts with one C word – <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/122658284/shes-not-a-doll-so-dont-call-the-prime-minister-cindy">Cindy</a> – which is a sexist attempt to belittle her authority and status as an adult woman who is the elected leader of our country. </p> <p>It ends with the other C word. Research by the <a href="https://thedisinfoproject.org/2022/11/29/dangerous-speech-misogyny-and-democracy/">Disinformation Project</a> shows its usage is enmeshed within a wider discourse that denigrates other aspects of her identity as a woman and extends to <a href="https://twitter.com/justinsight/status/1616144565433663488">fantasising about her rape and death</a>.</p> <p>This kind of behaviour is simply inexcusable. It should be to New Zealand’s eternal shame that Ardern has been subjected to this. It cannot be justified by arguing her policies have been controversial and she “deserves” this abuse: that line of reasoning simply replicates the defence long used by rapists and domestic abusers.</p> <p>Ardern is New Zealand’s third woman prime minister. The <a href="https://www.ceeol.com/search/article-detail?id=277628">glass ceiling</a> for that role is well and truly broken. We now also have <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/477290/women-will-have-equal-share-of-seats-in-parliament-with-soraya-peke-mason-s-swearing-in">equal representation of women</a> within parliament. But the sexist and misogynistic nature of so much of the criticism and abuse directed at Ardern also shows we are a very long way from having equal treatment of women in leadership.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/jacinda-arderns-resignation-gender-and-the-toll-of-strong-compassionate-leadership-198152" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>

Retirement Life

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Woman spots dead husband in restaurant's new promo video

<p>A seemingly innocent promotional Facebook advertisement has prompted a slew of theories online, after a woman claims to have seen her dead husband sitting in a restaurant. </p> <p>An Indian restaurant by the name of Spice Cottage, located in West Sussex in the UK, has been flooded with social media comments after posting a video of their bustling business. </p> <p>The video shows happy diners tucking into meals as waiters attend to customers in the clip, which ends with a round of applause for the staff. </p> <p>After the video was shared to Facebook, a woman by the name of Lucy Watson commented a strange question, asking, "How old is the footage? My late husband and his son are on the first shot and he died in 2014??"</p> <p>A reply from the restaurant said, "Hi Lucy, sorry to hear this. This footage was recorded last week.'"</p> <p>The post has now amassed hundreds of comments from social media users, who swapped theories about the bizarre mystery. </p> <p>One person demanded an update from Ms Watson on her husband's death, while others chose to look on the lighter side as the jokes rolled in. </p> <p>One Facebook user said, "He wasn't dead. He was just in a korma."</p> <p> </p> <p>Another wrote, "I was there on this day and the flat bread that I ordered arrived after our main course, it was my late naan."</p> <p>Both Ms Watson and Spice Cottage have yet to comment further on the mystery. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Chris Hipkins announced as next Prime Minister of New Zealand

<p>Labour MP Chris Hipkins has been elected as New Zealand’s next prime minister after a caucus meeting in Wellington on Sunday. Hipkins was the sole nominee, and the 64-person vote - considered to be largely a formality - was unanimous.</p> <p>“As a team we will continue to provide strong, stable and focused leadership that New Zealanders expect from us,” Hipkins told reporters in a conference after the vote. </p> <p>He went on to announce that his government would turn their attention to a key election concern - helping families that were struggling through difficult economic times, in the wake of rising inflation and housing affordability concerns. On this, he noted, “you shouldn't have to be on a six-figure salary to buy a new house.”</p> <p>Hipkins has helped to steer the country through crises before, having played a crucial role in New Zealand’s COVID-19 response after being appointed as health minister in 2020, work that established him as a household name in New Zealand. </p> <p>He was first elected to parliament in 2008, and as of 2020 was Minister of Education, Minister for the Public Service, and COVID-19 Response Minister. However, to many around him he is known instead as “Chippy”. </p> <p>Hipkins has strong ties within his party, and was seen walking to Sunday’s vote with “very good friend” Jacinda Ardern. He praised her leadership, and like many before him, noted the inspiration she provided for women and girls everywhere. </p> <p>Australia’s own PM Anthony Albanese took to Twitter to congratulate Chris, and to share that he looks forward “to working with him as Prime Minister.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">A warm discussion this morning with incoming NZ Labour Leader Chris Hipkins. I congratulate him and look forward to working with him as Prime Minister. 🇦🇺🇳🇿</p> <p>— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlboMP/status/1616585939052265472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 20, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>Treasurer of Australia Jim Chalmers echoed Albanese’s sentiments, telling <em>Sky News Australia</em>, “Chris Hipkins is someone of immense experience and depth and intelligence. He’s a very worthy successor to prime minister Ardern.”</p> <p>Labour MP Carmel Sepuloni was voted in as incoming deputy by the caucus. Sepuloni, who has Samoan and Tongan heritage through her mother, was said by Hipkins to become the first Pasifika person to become deputy prime minister. </p> <p>In a six part thread to Twitter, Sepuloni shared her gratitude for and commitment to her new role, as well as her enthusiasm at working alongside Hipkins, writing, “It’s hard to fathom the working class girl from Waitara can become the Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand. I’m incredibly humbled that Chris Hipkins and my colleagues have put their faith in me to take up this important role.</p> <p>“I also acknowledge the significance of this for our Pacific community. I am proudly Samoan, Tongan and New Zealand European and represent generations of New Zealanders with mixed heritage.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/THREAD?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#THREAD</a>: 1/6 It’s hard to fathom the working class girl from Waitara can become the Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand. I’m incredibly humbled that <a href="https://twitter.com/chrishipkins?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@chrishipkins</a> and my colleagues have put their faith in me to take up this important role. ⬇️ <a href="https://t.co/uGPCCZDpM4">pic.twitter.com/uGPCCZDpM4</a></p> <p>— Carmel Sepuloni (@CarmelSepuloni) <a href="https://twitter.com/CarmelSepuloni/status/1617011240731283456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>Hipkins’ full Cabinet has not yet been announced, but he has stated that he intends to keep former deputy prime minister, Grant Robertson, on in the role of finance minister. </p> <p>It is expected that Hipkins will be sworn in as the country’s 41st prime minister on Wednesday.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

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“It’s time”: Jacinda Ardern announces shock resignation

<p>New Zealand’s prime minister Jacinda Ardern has announced she will be stepping down from her position.</p> <p>Ardern confessed that she “no longer had enough in the tank to do it [her role] justice”, and confirmed a national election for October 14th. While her term will conclude no later than February 7th, she will continue on as an MP until the election. </p> <p>Jacinda has served as the 40th prime minister of New Zealand since 2017, when she made history by becoming the world’s youngest female head of government at 37 years old, and is a member of the Labour Party. </p> <p>Of her decision to resign, she stated, “I’m leaving, because with such a privileged role comes responsibility. The responsibility to know when you are the right person to lead and also when you are not.”</p> <p>“I don’t want to leave the impression that the adversity you face in politics is the reason that people exit. Yes, it does have an impact. We are humans after all, but that was not the basis of my decision,” she went on to explain. </p> <p>She noted that she has her family’s support, and looks forward to spending more time with them. Jacinda and her partner, Clarke Gayford, welcomed their first child, Neve, in 2018. In her address, she told them, “to Neve: mum is looking forward to being there when you start school this year. And to Clarke – let’s finally get married.”</p> <p>Her announcement comes in a tight election year for the Labour party, but she is confident in their victory, and stressed that the polls were not the driving force behind her decision, “I’m not leaving because I believe we can’t win the election, but because I believe we can and will, and we need a fresh set of shoulders for that challenge.” </p> <p>Australia’s prime minister, Anthony Albanese, took to Twitter to share his respect for Jacinda after the news broke, writing, “Jacinda Ardern has shown the world how to lead with intellect and strength … Jacinda has been a fierce advocate for New Zealand, an inspiration to so many and a great friend to me.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Jacinda Ardern has shown the world how to lead with intellect and strength.</p> <p>She has demonstrated that empathy and insight are powerful leadership qualities. </p> <p>Jacinda has been a fierce advocate for New Zealand, an inspiration to so many and a great friend to me. <a href="https://t.co/QJ64mNCJMI">pic.twitter.com/QJ64mNCJMI</a></p> <p>— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlboMP/status/1615871202580639744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 19, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>Albanese went on to add that he looks forward “to working with the next Prime Minister of New Zealand,” and that he wishes Jacinda and her family well in this next chapter of their lives. </p> <p>He cited her “powerful leadership qualities” in her empathy and her insight, both demonstrated by Jacinda herself when she admitted that she has always worked with and relied on her team, and has not led on her own. She asked only that people remember her “as someone who always tried to be kind.”</p> <p>“I hope I leave New Zealanders with a belief that you can be kind, but strong, empathetic but decisive, optimistic but focused. And that you can be your own kind of leader – one who knows when it’s time to go,” she added. </p> <p>Ardern has faced many challenges over her five and a half years in the role - from natural disasters to an international pandemic. Of the experience, she reflected, “it’s one thing to lead your country through peace time, it’s another to lead them through crisis. I had the privilege of being alongside NZ in a crisis and they placed their faith in me.”</p> <p><em>Images: Getty Images</em></p>

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Robert Irwin left in tears after birthday video from his dad appears

<p dir="ltr">Robert Irwin has been left in tears after he received a birthday video message from his late father, Steve Irwin.</p> <p dir="ltr">He was just two years old when his father passed away after he was stung by a stingray in 2006 at the age of just 44.</p> <p dir="ltr">Robert recently celebrated his 19th birthday but now a video has resurfaced of the Crocodile Hunter discussing Robert's birth and his hopes that Robert would follow in his footsteps.</p> <p dir="ltr">The birthday boy was surprised with the video in which it showed footage of his birth in 2003.</p> <p dir="ltr">“At that very moment I saw the light,” Steve said, in a voiceover about Robert’s birth.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is why I was put here,” he said of his children.</p> <p dir="ltr"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nYGMAY9eRHo?start=287" width="560" height="314" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p dir="ltr">“Because I could be dead tomorrow.</p> <p dir="ltr">“So I need these blokes to come up as quick as they can, so this little bloke’s (Robert) going to have to catch the crocs with Bindi.</p> <p dir="ltr">“When they’re ready to run up our mission, I will gladly step aside.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Steve then says that it would be the “proudest moment of my life” if his children were to continue his legacy.</p> <p dir="ltr">The video then cuts to show Robert fulfilling his father's dream as he performed shows in the Crocoseum and saving crocodiles in the wild.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Then and only then will I know that I have achieved my ultimate goal and my job will be done. And I guarantee you it will be the proudest moment of my life,” a voiceover of Steve plays at the same time.</p> <p dir="ltr">When the clip ended, Robert shed a few tears and said it was a “privilege” to continue his dad’s legacy in making the world a better place.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It means the absolute world... I just think it's such a privilege, personally and as a family, to continue the legacy of dad,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He gave his life, quite literally, for wildlife conservation and to make the world a better place.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: YouTube</em></p>

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