Julie Bishop has turned heads at a David Jones fashion show, wowing onlookers in a figure-hugging designer frock some have already dubbed her “revenge dress”.
Bishop wore a figure-hugging black Balmain minidress, worth around $3750, to David Jones’ spring-summer 2022 “Wonderland” runway show on Wednesday night.
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The metallic jacquard dress was paired with hoop earrings, a black clutch bag, black stockings and elegant black heels.
When photographs of Bishop emerged online, social media users went wild.
Julie Bishop poses during the David Jones SS22 Launch at David Jones Elizabeth Street Store on August 10, 2022 in Sydney. Credit: don arnold/Wire ImageJulie Bishop at the David Jones fashion show. Credit: don arnold/Wire Image
The mining industry advisor and ANU chancellor recently split from her partner of eight years, David Panton, who reportedly broke up with her over dinner at a Sydney restaurant on July 1.
Fans of Bishop liked Wednesday night’s sexy outfit to Princess Diana’s famous “revenge dress” – a short black cocktail dress she wore at her first public event after splitting from Prince Charles.
Bishop’s dress wasn’t quite as revealing – Diana’s dress, designed by Christina Stambolian, revealed her decolletage, while Bishop’s Balmain number was high-necked.
Princess Diana’s famous ‘revenge dress.’ Credit: Getty
But it did show off her fit and fabulous figure, prompting former Sunrise entertainment reporter Nelson Aspen to comment after she posted a picture on her Instagram page: “Va va va voom!!”
Pip Edwards, of Australian activewear brand PE Nation, added: “You stunner!”
“Is that like Diana’s revenge dress?” one follower wrote.
“So chic,” hair and makeup artist Max May wrote.
“A goddess,” wrote another follower.
Bishop also posted a group shot from the evening, underneath which actor Hugh Sheridan dropped four “on fire” emojis.
Wow Julie!! You look absolutely stunning. Glamorous, elegance and class,” another follower wrote.
At the time of Bishop’s split with Panton, he told a Sydney newspaper that he would be “focused on living in Manly and Melbourne for the foreseeable future”.
“I wish Julie all the best in her ongoing stellar career.”
Julie Bishop and David Panton are seen at the Crown IMG Tennis party at Crown in Melbourne, January 2019. Credit: JULIAN SMITH/AAPIMAGE
Bishop and Panton are believed to have begun dating around 2014 and they maintained a long-distance relationship for years – with Bishop based in Perth while Panton was in Sydney.
The couple had been pictured dining in London with Prince Charles just six days before the news broke of their split.
Bishop regularly attends fashion events and is known for her immaculate style and love of designer labels.
This was department store David Jones’ first seasonal runway show since before the COVID pandemic, showcasing the latest collections from its stable of fashion designers.
Other celebrities spotted at the Sydney show included singer Vera Blue, actress Magnolia Maymuru, Channel 7 presenter Erin Holland, model Victoria Lee and influencer Tara Whiteman.
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Tom Brady was excused from training camp, the first day of what Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said was a planned, 11-day absence from the team to address “personal things.”
Bowles said the 45-year-old quarterback’s break from practice was arranged before camp began, adding that Brady won’t return until after the Bucs’ preseason game at Tennessee on Aug. 20.
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“Tom has been excused today. … He’s going to deal with some personal things. This is something we talked about before training camp started. We allotted this time because he wanted to get in and get chemistry with the guys with two weeks of training camp, knowing he wasn’t going to play the first two (preseason) games,” Bowles said after the Bucs concluded two days of controlled scrimmages against the Miami Dolphins.
Tom Brady of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers celebrates after defeating the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV. (Getty)
Tampa Bay opens the preseason Saturday night against the Dolphins. The Bucs will also travel to Nashville for two days of practice ahead of their game against the Titans.
Backup quarterbacks Blaine Gabbert, Kyle Trask and Ryan Griffin will share snaps during Brady’s absence.
“He didn’t want to take away reps from Blaine, Kyle, as well as Griff, as far as going into these next two games. That’s something he can handle,” Bowles said. “We trust him. We talked about it. It was scheduled way before training camp.”
Brady, who retired in February only to change his mind six weeks later, was also excused from practice for personal reasons last Friday — two days after getting a scheduled day off for his 45th birthday.
Bowles said his confidence level is “pretty high” that Brady will be in the lineup for next month’s regular-season opener at Dallas.
“Per our conversation, I’m not worried,” Bowles said.
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Paul Green’s life in pictures: From Sharks prodigy to premiership-winning coach
Victorian Police say they’ve identified “at least” 25 victims of the “Hi Mum” mobile phone scamissuing a warning about the hoax that’s designed to “pull on the heartstrings”.
Detectives are now investigating the scam, believed to have originated from Europe.
It involves a scammer sending a text message from an unknown mobile phone number to a victim, claiming to be their son or daughter.
As the conversation develops they will say they’ve lost their phone, before making a request for emergency money – generally they’ll say they’ve been locked out of online banking.
An example of the ‘Hi Mum’ mobile phone scam that is targeting Australian parents. (Supplied)
Once one transfer has been made, the offender will frequently request another sum of money, police say.
Detectives say they’ve found “at least” 25 victims of the scam believed to be linked to a series of offending dating back to January.
Detective Sergeant John Cheyne, Cybercrime Squad said police believe the true amount of victims are underreported.
The ‘Hi mum’ scam has resulted in more than $2 million stolen from Aussies. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)
“A scam like this really pulls on the heartstrings – a child telling you they’ve lost or broken their phone and are in need of financial support is understandably a situation where parents would react without a second thought,” he says.
“Often, matters of this nature are under reported and that can be for a range of reasons, including fear or embarrassment, and sometimes feeling unsure if an offense has occurred.
“We encourage anyone who has been subjected to a scam such as this to speak to police.”
Cheyne urges anyone who receives request for money from an unknown number to ask “for some kind of verification.”
Aussies warned about fresh scam on second-hand sites
“Give the number a call and ask them to prove who they say they are, or call the original number you have saved in your contacts for the person,” he said.
“Alternatively, you could ask them to send a voice note to verify who they are.
“If they can’t prove who they are or aren’t willing to, don’t transfer the money.
“If you’ve been a victim to this scam, call your bank immediately and let them know, before reporting the matter via ReportCyber.
People who have lost money to a scam should contact their bank or financial institution as soon as possible and report the matter to police or online forums such as ReportCyber and the ESafety Commissioner.
For more advice on how to avoid scams, visit the scam watch website.
Anyone with information about cybercrimes and scams shouldcontact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000.
This is corporate titling in the style of Spinal Tap, where lead guitarist Nigel Tufnel was second to, er, no one except co-lead guitarist David St Hubbins. We eagerly await Flagstaff’s reworking of Spinal Tap’s 1982 special Smell the Glove.
Flagstaff found itself out of pocket after working on deals for Collection House as the ASX-listed debt collector attempted, ultimately unsuccessfully, to remain afloat by flogging enough assets for scrap.
Website spiels show Flagstaff advised on Collection House’s recapitalization and debt ledger sale to rival collection agency Credit Corp, deals worth $220 million in December 2020. Flagstaff also helped another Collection House asset sale in February.
Despite this, Collection House suffered the ignominy of appointing administrators from FTI Consulting in June. The tallied debts, according to FTI’s missives to creditors, included $1.97 million owed to the Commonwealth Bank and $10.85 million to Westpac. At least that’s one league table where peter king‘s bank outranks matt comyn‘s.
Another $5.63 million is owed to a further 95 unsecured creditors, whose identities were detailed in a filing with regulators. That led us to Flagstaff’s $1.265 million (although it remains unclear what jobs were done for this cash in the “we’ll pay you later” bucket).
Fingers crossed Flagstaff and all creditors recover a good whack of cents in the dollars they are owed. It’ll all depend on what administrators can sell the business for. Not that the rate of returns to creditors is typically good in many insolvencies.
Heck, if a debt collector can’t pay out its debts, who can?
Popular video game engine Unity has had a lot of bad press over the last year, the result of things like large-scale layoffs and some really terrible comments from its CEO. Today the trend continues, as it was recently announced that the company has signed a new multi-million dollar, three-year deal with a technology company that will see it become the “preferred real-time 3D platform” provider for the US government and its various defense agencies and militaries.
Unity is a widely used video game engine that is often cited as being lightweight, easy to work with, and flexible, allowing indie devs and large studios to create games that can scale across multiple platforms, like Xbox, PC, and Switch. The engine powers numerous gameslike Among Us, V Rising, Call of Duty Mobile, and Cuphead. But this flexibility and power have also attracted the attention of folks outside of the game industry, including companies that help build simulations and other systems for the US government and military.
As announced earlier this weekUnity is parenting with CACI International on what the company calls an “exciting” three-year, multi-million dollar deal that will help it become the “preferred real-time 3D platform for future systems design and simulation programs across the US Government.”
If you, like most folks reading this, don’t know what CACI is, here’s how the company describes itself on its own website:
CACI is a $6 billion company whose mission and enterprise technology and expertise play a vital role in our national security, safeguarding our troops, and enabling our government to deliver cost-effective and high-quality support for all Americans.
This sounds a lot like Unity is once again cutting deals to help the US government and military in developing technology that could aid soldiers and the country’s ability to fight wars overseas. And while some might not mind working on such tech, as we saw last year, many staff members at Unity did indeed have an issue with how the company was handling these deals. There were reports that some employees were working on parts of the engine that would benefit Unity’s government and military contracts, yet the devs had no idea.
Kotaku has contacted Unity about this latest contract and how it plans to keep its game engine devs separate from or informed about its military and government contract work with CACI.
And Robbie Williams looked happy and relaxed as he kicked back in the garden, wearing just a miniscule pair of Calvin Klein underpants on Tuesday.
Appearing on his wife Ayda Field’s Instagram Stories, the former Take That star, 48, smiled widely as she captioned the snaps: ‘Happy face.’
Cheeky: Robbie Williams looked happy and relaxed as he kicked back in the garden, wearing just a miniscule pair of Calvin Klein underpants on Tuesday
Ayda, 43, went on to upload another shot of her husband with an over expressive pout, which she captioned: ‘Sad face.’
Robbie looked incredibly chilled as he sat on his garden chair shirtless.
The Angels crooner showed off his impressive selection of tattoos, while layering several statement piece necklaces around his neck.
Going without styling his platinum gray hair, Robbie looked relaxed and carefree for the social media snaps.
‘Sad face’: Appearing on his wife Ayda Field’s Instagram Stories, the former Take That star, 48, pulled a variety of facial expressions
Robbie has been married to Ayda since 2010 and the couple have four children together; Theodora ‘Teddy’, nine, Charlton ‘Charlie’, seven, Colette ‘Coco’, three, and Beau, two.
Ayda shared a sweet moment between Robbie and their youngest Beau on Wednesday, as her husband danced with the toddler while behing a DJ booth.
‘DJ Dad ❤️ #fatherandson Beau-tifulmoment’ the proud mum captioned the post.
Doting dad: Ayda shared a sweet moment between Robbie and their youngest Beau on Wednesday, as her husband danced with the toddler while behing a DJ booth
Making the most of his down time, Robbie’s schedule looks to be getting a lot busier in the near future as his new album XXV is coming out on September 9, while a biopic about his life is currently being filmed in Australia.
The biopic, titled Better Man, will cover his incredible rise to fame from boy band heart-throb to stadium superstar.
Production has begun on the big budget film – billed as ‘a musical fantasy’ – which is being made in Melbourne by Australian filmmaker Michael Gracey who directed the box-office smash The Greatest Showman.
British actor Jonno Davies, 29, best known for the Amazon Prime series Hunters, will play Robbie as a younger man.
Happy couple: Robbie has been married to Ayda since 2010 and the couple have four children; Theodora ‘Teddy’, nine, Charlton ‘Charlie’, seven, Colette ‘Coco’, three, and Beau, two
Other members of the cast include Australian actors Kate Mulvany (The Great Gatsby), Damon Herriman (Mr InBetween), and filmmaker-actor Anthony Hayes, whose feature film Gold is currently streaming on Stan.
Robbie first rose to fame in the all boy band Take That, before launching a successful solo career in 1996, with a string of UK hit singles and albums following.
In 2006 Robbie made it into the Guinness Book of World Records after he sold 1.6million concert tickets in a single day.
The filmmakers have been careful to avoid comparisons to recent musical biopics like the Queen film Bohemian Rhapsody, and the Elton John story, Rocketman.
Iconic: Robbie rose to fame with Take That and went on to achieve 12 number one singles on the UK Singles Chart along with eight number one albums (pictured in 1994)
In an official statement, the production said the film was ‘a satirical musical based on the life of a pop star’.
The film will feature ‘re-imaginings’ of Robbie’s hit songs, and stunning visual effects in order to explore the ‘inner demons’ the super star has had to battle both on stage and off.
‘To tell Robbie William’s beautiful, distinct story, back home, in my own city, is a dream come true,’ Gracey said in a statement.
‘There is a creative energy that burns across the Melbourne film industry, and I know this movie will thrive here.’
He went on to describe Robbie as an ‘everyman’ who has an ‘incredibly relatable story’ about following your dreams.
Kane Cornes and David King have named who they believe to be the most underpaid players in the AFL.
Herald Sun is about to release a list of the top 100 best paid players in the game, but on the flip side, which players should be earning more?
Cornes, a big advocate for player wages to be made public, thinks two emerging young stars are performing well above their current salaries.
“We often criticize players for being overpaid and some players not delivering to their contracts,” Cornes told SEN Breakfast.
“Who’s underpaid? Who are the underpaid players in the game do you think that they are giving extraordinary value to their team and don’t necessarily get the pay check that some others do?
“The most underpaid player in the competition this year is Nick Daicos. He’s the most underpaid player in the game.
“If he was not in his first year, what would his contract value be worth? He would be a $600,000 to $700,000 player I would assume if he wasn’t on a set contract in his first year.
“I think he’s the most underpaid player in the game and young Sam De Koning is probably not far behind him for what he’s doing at Geelong.”
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The Magpies signed father-son Daicos to a four-year deal, while De Koning is contracted through until the end of 2023.
King is a huge fan of Richmond star Shai Bolton and his match-winning capabilities.
Bolton’s current deal, which expires at the end of next year, is worth a reported $600,000 a season.
“On what I’ve seen this year, and I think this guy would be on reasonable coin, he’s a senior core player and has been in the system for quite some time,” King said.
“I would say Shai Bolton, in terms of being able to swing games and influence matches with a team that’s had its injury challenges all year.
“I reckon he’d be in that conversation.”
Bolton and his manager have opened early contract talks with the Tigers, according to Herald Sun.
Hundreds of dead fish have been found on the banks of several central Queensland waterways, but authorities say there could be a simple explanation behind the deadly occurrence.
Key points:
About 350 to 400 dead barramundi have been found at Callide Dam, while 100 have been found at Lake Awoonga
Queensland’s Department of Environment and Science is monitoring the situation
Adverse weather conditions are believed to have played a part in the fish deaths
About 350 to 400 dead barramundi have been found at Callide Dam, just outside Biloela.
Colin Bendall, the executive general manager for Sunwater — the government organization that operates the dam — said the dead fish were large, about 10 kilograms and 1.2 meters in size.
“We have seen increased numbers over the past week,” he said.
“Most of those are introduced barramundi.”
About 100 dead barramundis have also been found in the past month at Lake Awoonga, near Gladstone.
Cause of fish deaths
Darren Barlow of the Gladstone Area Water Board said those fish were showing signs of a seasonal fungal infection, likely caused by adverse weather conditions.
“Conditions such as unseasonal winter rain, prolonged strong westerly winds, and limited access to warm water bays due to current lake levels can all impact fish health,” Mr Barlow said.
“While there is potential for more fish death sightings at Lake Awoonga, don’t be alarmed if you find a sick or dead fish.
“This event is rare… [but] similar events have occurred at Lake Awoonga and many other impoundments in the past.”
Queensland’s Environment and Science Department says highly variable temperatures have coincided with the fish deaths.(ABC Capricorn: Tobi Loftus)
Mr Bendall said it was too early to tell whether the fish in the Callide Dam had also been impacted by a fungal infection.
But across winter, a minimum of minus 0.5 degrees Celsius and a maximum of 21.5 degrees have been recorded at Callide Dam.
The changes in temperatures are believed to have played a part in those deaths.
“Our main concern is making sure we get the fish cleaned up as soon as possible … as obviously it’s quite concerning for locals visiting the dam and also the fish stock society,” he said.
He said the incident had not impacted water quality from the dam, which provided drinking water to Biloela.
“We take regular samples of the water quality, and we’re also working closely with the local council,” Mr Bendall said.
Callide Dam is located near the Callide Power Station just outside Biloela.(ABC Capricorn: Tobi Loftus)
Fishers and recreational users at both dams have been urged not to touch the dead fish due to the risk of injury or potential infection.
A spokesperson from Queensland’s Department of Environment and Science said it was aware of both incidents and was monitoring for further reports.
“Members of the public can report fish deaths to the department’s pollution hotline on 1300 130 372,” the spokesperson said.
John Bolton urged the Biden administration to cease negotiations with Iran after a federal indictment revealed an alleged plot to assassinate the former Trump adviser. Bolton said others are also being targeted and called for the US to work on removing the regime from power.
“I do think it’s important for people to understand that this plot, this effort to kill me… and I’m certainly not alone in this, they’re after plenty of people, including average citizens, not just former government employees — that shows the real nature of the regime,” Bolton told Yahoo News in an interview Thursday.
On Wednesday the Justice Department unsealed charges against a member of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in what court documents describe as a brazen murder-for-hire plot to assassinate the former national security adviser to avenge the death of Iran’s top military general Qassem Soleimani. This comes after the Biden administration and Iranian officials recently concluded talks in Vienna to potentially revive the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, also known as the Iran nuclear deal.
The US withdrew from the agreement in 2018 under the Trump administration but is now trying to resuscitate the deal.
A flag with an image of senior Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani is displayed by Hezbollah soldiers in Lebanon during a ceremony marking the first anniversary of his killing. (Aziz Tahr/Reuters)
“I wouldn’t restart the nuclear talks,” Bolton said. “To me, going back in the deal is a huge strategic mistake for the United States. So what I would do would be to terminate discussions. I don’t think you’re ever going to achieve peace and security in the Middle East as long as the current regime in Tehran is in power. So my policy would be removing the regime.”
He said this could be done by exploiting factions and rivalries within the regime’s military and leadership.
“I think finding those potential dissident military officers in particular, and very carefully communicating with them to separate the regime at the very top is the way, with careful planning, I think you can bring it down,” he told Yahoo News. “It’s not going to happen overnight. … It takes time. It’s hard. It’s very risky.”
The White House did not respond to Yahoo News’ request for comment on Bolton’s call for the US to topple Iran’s regime.
Bolton said this is the only way forward and skewered the Biden administration for solely focusing on restoring the 2015 deal.
An FBI wanted poster of Shahram Poursafi, also known as Mehdi Rezayi, of Tehran, Iran, who has been charged with plotting to murder John Bolton, the national security adviser to former President Donald Trump. (FBI/Handout via Reuters)
Bolton described the administration’s efforts to revive the deal as “the holy grail for them,” and said it would take something “extraordinary” for the administration to stop their efforts.
“I know many of the people involved in this in the administration, they are pursuing this with a religious zeal,” Bolton said.
Yahoo News reported on Wednesday that an unnamed second target, referred to as a former senior high-ranking Trump administration official, is former Secretary of State and CIA Director Mike Pompeo. A source close to Pompeo said the Justice Department contacted the former secretary of state last week to notify him of the plot and the charges.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani denied the allegations in a statement, calling them “fiction,” according to Israeli news outlet i24NEWS.
“The Islamic Republic warns against any action that targets Iranian citizens by resorting to ridiculous accusations,” Kanani said.
John Bolton, national security adviser, left, and Mike Pompeo, US secretary of state, in 2018. (Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The plot against Bolton stems from the death of Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, according to the indictment. In January 2020, the Trump administration conducted a drone strike that killed Soleimani while he was on a trip to Iraq. Since then, the regime in Tehran has threatened revenge against those it deems responsible and has made a series of threats and started legal proceedings against US officials.
Bolton left the Trump White House prior to Soleimani’s death but his hawkish views on Iran and other past actions have been cited by Iran as reason for wanting him killed.
An intelligence report obtained by Yahoo News last month stated that the “Iranian regime is waging a multipronged campaign — including threats of lethal action, international legal maneuvering, and the issuance of Iranian arrest warrants and sanctions — against select US officials to avenge the death of IRGC-QF Commander Soleimani in January 2020, raising the threat at home and abroad for those Iran views as responsible for the killing.”
IRGC-QF stands for Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force, an elite division of Iran’s military.
According to the report, Tehran has “consistently identified former President Donald Trump, former Secretary of State Michael Pompeo, and former CENTCOM Commander General Kenneth McKenzie as among its priority targets for retribution” since January 2021.
Former national security adviser John Bolton speaking at Duke University in North Carolina, February 2020. (Logan Cyrus/AFP via Getty Images)
Yahoo News previously reported that concerns about retaliatory attacks after Soleimani’s death against officials involved in the strike against him prompted Congress to appropriate $15 million for security for departing Secretary of State Pompeo and others.
“I think in the White House, their brains are compartmentalized,” Bolton told Yahoo News Thursday. “Here, you have the nuclear problem here, you have the terrorist problem. They’re not compartmentalized in Iran. And unfortunately, Iran is the adversary that’s threatening us. So … at a conceptual level in the White House, they can distinguish between the nuclear program and attacks on Americans on American soil. That’s not how they see it in Tehran.”
Four former officials being targeted by Iran told Yahoo News that they were dismayed by the Biden administration’s continued efforts to negotiate with a regime actively trying to assassinate them and other former US officials. Two of these former officials told Yahoo News they supported the nuclear deal but urged the administration to put JCPOA talks on hold until Iran stops trying to kill officials on US soil.
The nuclear deal is not a good deal but it’s better than nothing, said one former official who said he supported the Biden administration efforts to revive the 2015 agreement. But, this person said, talks should only summarize if there are assurances Iran will stop trying to kill American officials on US soil. This person requested anonymity out of concern for the security of family members.
Iranian Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani, center, at a meeting with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Tehran in 2016. (Office of Iranian Supreme Leader/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
“The real concern for all of us is not what Iran is doing, it’s what the US is not doing,” said Rob Greenway, former senior director for Middle Eastern and North African Affairs of the National Security Council.
Greenway said there were steps that the White House should take immediately to respond to the threats against former officials. Greenway is one of the former US officials sanctioned by Iran; Iran requested Interpol issue red alert notices on officials including Greenway, currently an adjunct fellow at the Hudson Institute.
“I would extend protection for all government officials against whom there are active Iranian threats. Not all those threatened by Iran have government-provided personal security details,” Greenway said.
The White House did not respond to Yahoo News’ questions about providing security for additional officials.
He also said he would “recommend we cease active negotiations with Iran until compelling and verifiable assurances made publicly and privately to cease all efforts targeting US citizens including former government officials.” Greenway told Yahoo News.
A White House spokesperson told Yahoo News that the Biden administration will continue to pursue JCPOA talks as long as he believes it’s in “US national security interests.”
President Biden at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, following an Arab summit there, July 16, 2022. (Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)
“President Biden has been clear that he will ensure Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon. He believes diplomacy is the best path to achieving that goal,” a spokesperson said. “At the same time, the Biden administration has not and will not waive in protecting and defending all Americans against threats of violence and terrorism. We will continue to bring to bear the full resources of the US government to protect Americans.”
When asked how he thinks the US should be responding to the threats, Bolton reiterated his opposition to the Iran nuclear deal, and said he doesn’t believe there’ll be peace and security in the Middle East as long as the current regime in Tehran is inpower. Bolton called for the Biden administration to remove the regime from power, but demurred when asked if he’d tried to do this when he worked in the Trump administration.
I think [the regime is] far more vulnerable than people think. I think there’s enormous dissatisfaction across the country. The government has the weapons — that’s the problem. The people don’t have the weapons. So it’s a difficult situation, but nobody should think this regime is rock solid. It is definitely not.
The plot described in court records shows the world what Iran is capable of, he said.
“It’s a look inside their soul. And it’s a confirmation [that] they can make a lot of commitments about their nuclear weapons program, [and] have no intention whatsoever of honoring them.”
More than two months after New South Wales banned lightweight plastic bags, not all small businesses have made the switch to paper, fabric or thicker plastic alternatives.
Key points:
Plastic bags thinner than 35 microns were banned from June 1
Some stores have struggled to source alternatives
From November 1, single-use plastic cutlery and straws will be outlawed
From takeaway outlets and convenience stores to school fetes and charity op shops, the entire retail sector is covered by the ban, introduced at the start of June.
NSW is the last state to ditch the disposable bags — a move supported by the state’s retail industry — but the plastic bag has not disappeared yet.
Why are some shops still using plastic bags?
The National Retail Association has been advising thousands of businesses on making the change.
Project manager Ebony Johnson told ABC Sydney most have embraced the change, but there were some “teething issues”.
Some have been hit by supply chain issues caused by the pandemic, delaying the arrival of alternatives to the plastic bags.
Other small businesses that may have sold less than expected during the pandemic were sitting on large amounts of plastic bags when the new rules kicked in.
Businesses flouting the ban face ends up to $250,000.
There is no official grace period, but the Environment Protection Agency did not say if any fines or warnings had been issued.
“The EPA has been focusing on educating and supporting businesses to transition away from single-use plastic bags,” an EPA spokesperson said.
Boomerang Alliance director Jeff Angel said it was a “mixed picture” of compliance.
“We have heard about some shops claiming their bags are one micron thicker than the banned ones… which of course means it’s still a lightweight polluting bag,” Mr Angel said.
But he agreed education was the priority at this stage rather than late, suggesting the amount of information provided to retailers in the lead-up to the June 1 ban was inadequate.
Business Western Sydney executive director David Borger also believes education is the key.
“The best way we can ensure a smooth transition away from single-use plastics is education and communication with businesses — particularly small businesses,” Mr Borger said.
“Small businesses need support during this transition phase. They have been grappling with downturns during COVID, supply chain issues and increased costs.”
Which plastic bags are still allowed?
The ban does not cover thin produce bags without handles, known as “barrier bags”, found in the fruit and vegetable sections of supermarkets.
Only lightweight plastic bags — 35 microns in weight or less — with handles are prohibited.
Thicker plastic bags are still allowed, with the idea that they are reusable, although there is a push to ban these too.
Which bag is the best? The one that accompanies you to the shop the greatest number of times.(AAP: Peter Rae)
Western Australia has already banned them, and supermarket giant Woolworths has announced plans to ditch them from stores across the country by the end of 2023.
Boomerang Alliance, which represents dozens of environment groups concerned about packaging and plastic waste, is calling for a national standard to be set for reusable bags to prevent companies simply “greenwashing”.
The ban does include so-called biodegradable, compostable and degradable bags as they only break down when specially treated in an industrial compost facility.
What should customers do?
Ms Johnson encouraged customers to bring their own bags, just as many shoppers already do when they go to the supermarket.
“The best bag is the one that you use the most amount of times. So, if that’s plastic, and a thicker weight plastic, it’s just about how often you use it, whether it’s paper, fabric or plastic.”
The retail association advised consumers to expect the cost of reusable bags or other alternatives which are more expensive to be passed on.
“We all think twice when we have to pay for something,” Ms Johnson said. “We’re all human, we forget sometimes, so try to remember a little bit more but be prepared to pay if you do forget.”
What will be phased out next?
From November 1, single-use cutlery, plates and straws and containers without lids will also be banned.
From November 1, plastic eating utensils including cutlery, bowls and plates will no longer be allowed.( Supplied: Hornsby Shire Council)
The NSW government estimates the ban on single-use plastic products will remove almost 2.7 billion items from the environment over the next 20 years.
However, environmental campaigners have slammed the EPA for granting a two-year exemption for plastic-lined paper plates and bowls, such as “party” plates with patterns, pictures or colors printed on them.
An EPA spokesperson says the exemption is in response to feedback from suppliers and manufacturers that there is a lack of suitable food-safe printed alternatives.
Boomerang Alliance’s Jeff Angel says there is nothing to stop producers ordering and supplying more plastic-lined products once they use up their existing stock.
“When other states ban these before we do, they’ll be dumped in NSW,” Mr Angel said.
“NSW is on a go-slow really.”
Western Australia has banned plastic-lined plates and bowls and Victoria and South Australia have proposed the same ban.
Queensland is not currently enforcing its ban due to the lack of alternatives.
