Categories
Australia

Euthanasia ban for ACT and NT closer to being repealed as territory rights bill passes House of Representatives

Two pairs of hands reach across the table and clasp together, they are wearing jumpers.

A bill to restore territory rights has passed in the House of Representatives this morning, edging the ACT and Northern Territory closer to being able to set their own laws on voluntary assisted dying.

The private member’s bill was introduced by Labor MPs Alicia Payne and Luke Gosling on Monday and aims to overturn a 25-year-old ban on territories legislating on euthanasia.

This bill does not legalize voluntary assisted dying, but rather gives the territories the right to vote on it.

It will still have to undergo a vote in the Senate, where leading opponents of assisted dying blocked previous attempts to repeal the ban. Two of those opponents – former Liberal senators Eric Abetz and Zed Seselja – no longer hold Senate seats.

If passed, the bill would give the opportunity for the territories to follow every state in Australia and allow voluntary assisted dying, after NSW became the last of the states to pass its legislation on the issue in May.

MPs in the House of Representatives on different sides of the chamber.
The bill was passed 99 to 37 in the House of Representatives.(ABC News: Nick Haggarty)

Advocates have been campaigning for change for decades

Advocates for voluntary assisted dying laws have been campaigning for the territories to be able to set their own laws on the issue for decades.

Between 2006 and 2016, multiple bills were introduced to federal parliament seeking to restore territory rights, but each failed.

Among those in support of the legislation is Darwin resident Judy Dent, whose husband Bob was the first to make use of the NT’s voluntary euthanasia law before it was repealed when the ban on territories legalizing assisted dying was introduced.

Bob Dent, the first person to use the NT Rights Of The Terminally Ill Act to die, with the help of Dr Philip Nitschke in 1996
Bob Dent was the first of four people to use the NT’s short-lived assisted suicide laws.(Supplied)

Mr Dent died on September 22, 1996, but the law’s reversal has been a source of pain for his widow ever since.

“Surely it is unconstitutional to treat people differently because of where they choose to live,” Ms Dent said last year.

“That’s what they’re doing — they’re making the people of the territories second-class citizens.”

In March last year, both the ACT and NT wrote to senior Commonwealth ministers asking for the ban to be appealed, but in October, the request was denied by then attorney-general Michaelia Cash.

But the issue was revived ahead of the federal election, when now Independent Senator David Pocock made it one of the major issues of his campaign.

“Tragically, for some in our community, this is not a debate that can wait,” Senator Pocock said at the time.

Yesterday, in his maiden speech to the Senate, he said whether the ACT allowed for voluntary assisted dying should be a decision by the Legislative Assembly.

“It is time for us to restore the right of the territories to make decisions for themselves. To ensure that our Legislative Assembly here in the ACT gets to make decisions about the future of Canberrans, not MPs from around the country whose own constituents already enjoy these same rights,” Senator Pocock said.

‘Incredibly special moment’

Ms Payne said it was an “incredibly special moment” when the bill passed in the lower house.

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“I’m very, very grateful to each of our parliamentary colleagues across political lines who support the rights of the territories to have the same democratic rights as other Australians,” she said.

“We’re only halfway there, the conversation needs to continue now in the Senate and those discussions with our colleagues are continuing.

“I put that plea now to our Senate colleagues to please do this for our constituents, to have their say.

“I am grateful to those colleagues who don’t personally support voluntary assisted dying but do support our equal democratic rights.”

Mr Gosling said he and Ms Payne were “very proud” to see the bill go through, with an overwhelming majority of 99 MPs voting in the affirmative.

“We’re grateful for that support,” he said.

“The bill will now go to the Senate and we’re hoping that it receives support there as well, and that’ll mean, for Territorians, that we will regain the ability to make laws on issues that affect us.”

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Categories
US

Air traffic controllers say co-pilot ‘jumped’ from plane

Air traffic controllers say co-pilot 'jumped' from plane

RALEIGH, NC (AP) — A 911 call from air traffic controllers suggests that a co-pilot may have jumped from a damaged plane before the other pilot made an emergency landing in North Carolina, according to a recording of the call that was released Tuesday .

It’s been unclear exactly how or why Charles Hew Crooks, 23, exited the small cargo plane on Friday afternoon about 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of Raleigh-Durham International Airport. He did not have a parachute, and his body was found in a backyard in the town of Fuquay-Varina.

Two unnamed Federal Aviation Administration employees can be heard telling a 911 dispatcher that the plane was heading to the airport. The pilot onboard had apparently told them that his co-pilot had “jumped out of the aircraft,” news outlets reported.

“We have a pilot that was inbound to the field,” a controller told the 911 dispatcher, according to WRAL. “His co-pilot jumped out of the aircraft. He made impact to the ground and here are the coordinates.”

The call lasted about 13 minutes, with the controllers stating several times that the co-pilot had jumped.

Wake County Emergency Management Chief of Operations Darshan Patel said the initial 911 call prompted the search for Crooks.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to its landing gear and fuselage, according to preliminary information gathered by the National Transportation Safety Board. The investigation is ongoing.

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Categories
Business

Cost of living: New data from Foodbomb exposes foods hit hardest by inflation

Cost of living: New data from Foodbomb exposes foods hit hardest by inflation

As the consumer price index (CPI) tips over 6 per cent, new data reveals how much staple pantry items, fruits and vegetables have soared in price over the last six months.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the price of food and non-alcoholic beverages increased by 5.9 per cent in the last year due to high freight costs, supply constraints and strong demand.

As a result, consumers and businesses have gone to extreme lengths to cope with the country’s cost of living crisis as empty shelves, sky-high price tags and costly grocery bills become the new normal.

Recently there have been some unusual methods Australians have used to slash costs and make-up for insufficient stock, including broccoli stalks being broken off and left on fresh produce units and KFC switching lettuce for cabbage in its burgers.

So with the effects of inflation felt and seen right around the country, food experts from Foodbomb crunched the numbers to assess which foods are having the greatest impact on consumers’ hip pockets.

Research shows that broccoli, iceberg lettuce and baby spinach have been the most expensive items in short supply within the last six months.

Broccoli has increased by a staggering 130 per cent, with a box previously worth $42 now costing stockists $95 each. This increase is then passed onto consumers per kilo.

Meanwhile, the price of iceberg lettuce hiked from $4 to $10.80, at a 151 per cent increase. A bag of shredded lettuce also rose for $7.50 per kilo.

As for baby spinach, the price for a 1.5kg box more than doubled, rising from $16.50 to $38.50.

While these prices have caused trouble for consumers and businesses in the past, offering some hope is Mouhamad Dib, the company director at MD Provodores.

He told news.com.au that despite the increase in costs observed recently, the inflated price tags on these leafy vegetables won’t be here to stay.

“The cost of fertilizer from the farms, to labor shortages and transport costs has amplified pricing across all sectors,” Mr Dib said.

“But with spring around the corner and summer days behind it, we hope to see some prices come down. Lettuce leaves are definitely still in short supply, but broccoli and baby spinach are getting better.”

Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for staple pantry items and animal products which are taking a hit as a result of global events and supply chain issues.

Oil unexpectedly soared in price with 20 liters of sunflower oil doubling from $30.60 to $66. Whereas the cost of canola oil is triple the amount, with some suppliers selling the same quantity for as much as $92.10.

It’s bad news for egg lovers with the war in Ukraine preventing farmers globally from sourcing feed grain which has in turn slowed egg production.

As a result, wholesale prices for a one dozen carton of free-range eggs have risen from $2.60 to $4.45. Caged eggs have also seen a similar increase however, they aren’t selling out in supermarkets as quickly due to the shift in demand for the cage-free range.

Foodbomb predicts that egg supply will run tight for the next 18 months as feed supply becomes increasingly difficult to source.

Salmon and chicken breast are also among some of the other animal products in short supply while selling at a higher cost, now ticketed at $40kg and 9.50kg respectively.

Similar to the egg situation, consumers can expect the price of chicken meat to remain high for the next 12 months.

Anthony Ponte from the operations and procurement department at wholesaler Melba Fresh told news.com.au that these price increases are a reflection of the market.

“(Prices) are going up because the supply is going down, while the demand is staying the same if not increasing. As a result, we’re getting less sales and it’s getting harder and harder to source produce,” he said.

“We’ve been looking everywhere, interstate and all kinds of places, just trying to get our hands on products. It’s been very hard. We have to split what we’ve got between orders, but you still ultimately end up disappointing everyone.”

Mushrooms also make Foodbomb’s top 10 list of expensive items in short supply with a box now priced at $50 each. Lebanese cucumbers, $11 per kilo, and cabbage, $14 each, come in at ninth and 10th place.

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Categories
Technology

Hollywood Goes Down Under | LBBOnline

Peach

When Thor: Love and Thunder was announced as shooting in Australia, few industry experts were surprised. The land down under has become a hub for major American productions, with major blockbusters of all stripes flocking to the country (and to New Zealand) rather than Hollywood, New York, or even Atlanta.

While major productions taking place across AUNZ is nothing new – think back to The Lord of the Rings or the Star Wars prequels and Matrix trilogy from the early 2000s – the volume of major productions has definitely increased of late. The consequences for local production have been varied – especially when it comes to commercial creativity.

At this year’s Advertising Week APAC, a panel led by LBB’s Toby Hemming called on Damien Whitney, executive producer at Clockwork Films, and Stephane Renard, executive producer at Media Monks, to parse the good and the bad of this development.

First, the bad. The influence of major productions, Damien explained, has led to a real skill shortage for commercial productions. The allure of major film work (as well as the specialist skills often required) has, on more than one occasion, caused commercial producers real headaches thanks to a lack of availability. Stephane echoed this view, explaining that the chance to show Star Wars as a CV credit could be “irresistible” to special effects talent, regardless of the opportunities offered in the commercial sphere.

There has also been little creative bleed into domestic production in either film or commercial realms. The influx of money has neither allowed more Australian films to be made, nor made a material difference to the creative side of commercial creativity. But this, the panel expressed, was not really an attributable ‘harm’. Damien explained that Australian films have simply always struggled to compete with the scale of American pictures, while creativity itself couldn’t be quantified as something which was measurably “improved” by American money. But what has improved is the industry’s technical skill.

Stephane agreed. He cited multiple instances of directors, VFX artists, or cinematographers who had transferred skills to and fro between commercial and artistic production realms: From major productions, they take the access to new technology (such as LED screen backdrops), while, from commercial productions , they take the freedom to experiment – ​​using both to develop their skills and potential.

Ultimately, both executive producers concluded that this technical upskilling was a major benefit, and remarked with a hint of pride that Australia was “punching above our weight” when it came to global production capacity. The skill shortage was very real, but Damien emphasized that “this is an industry of people”, and drove home that if enough was done to promote homegrown talent, this demand could be met. Stephane agreed, and pointed out that, with the new major production opportunities in Australia, there was more reason than ever to stay – thus countering the “brain drain” production has faced in years past.

The reason, Damien concluded, that this uptick in production had happened was largely a result of tax incentives and good Covid management. “The industry is very good at self managing”, I have explained. In that light, regardless of the challenges that Hollywood poses for Australian production – both artistic and commercial – there is little doubt that the industry is still healthy, and there are reasons to be optimistic about its future.

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Categories
Sports

Adelaide Crows apologizes to former AFL star Eddie Betts following new book airing claims about preseason training camp

Inside the 'weird' and 'disrespectful' training camp that robbed Eddie Betts of his passion for football

Former AFL champion Eddie Betts says his form slumped after he felt disrespected and traumatized at an Adelaide Crows preseason training trip, accusing the camp of cultural insensitivities.

Betts’s biography The Boy from Boomerang Crescent, which was released today, includes a chapter on the controversial 2018 Adelaide Crows’ preseason training camp following a devastating defeat to Richmond in the 2017 grand final.

In it, Betts describes the anxiety and anger he felt following the camp and the subsequent fallout.

AFL Players’ Association chief executive Paul Marsh said the association would contact all players who attended the 2018 camp to get a better understanding of issues that might have arisen.

In a statement, he said the association had previously spoken to players about the camp, but based on the experience detailed in Betts’s book, he now believed “players felt pressured into remaining silent.”

“The details outlined by Eddie Betts in his new book about the 2018 Adelaide Crows training camp are extremely concerning and difficult to read,” he said.

“We commend Eddie on the courage he’s shown in telling this story and are troubled by the ongoing hurt caused to Eddie and his family.”

In one example, Betts wrote how personal details he had confidentially shared with a camp counselor were used to verbally abuse him in front of teammates during a physically and emotionally grievous “initiation.”

Among the insults yelled while he “crawled through the dirt” was that the father-of-five would be a “sh** father” as he was “raised by only his mother.”

Betts, who joined the Geelong coaching team following his retirement last year, described the incident as “traumatizing” and had him “broken to tears”.

Eddie Betts holds his hands out and looks at a yellow AFL ball while being challenged by a Suns player
Eddie Betts returned to Carlton in 2020.(AAP: Dave Hunt)

The 350-game veteran said teammates were recruited to verbally abuse each other during the same exercise.

“I’ll live with this shame for the rest of my life,” he said.

Betts said players at the camp were prevented from showering, had to surrender their phones, and were transported blindfolded on a bus that “reeked of off food” with the Richmond theme song loudly playing on loop.

Betts details how First Nations rituals were misappropriated, which he found “extremely disrespectful”, and references to sacred Aboriginal words “were chucked around in a carefree manner”.

“When I started to talk to people around me about my experience, I started to realize that what we’d been put through was all just a bit f***** up, and I rightly became angry,” he said.

A man and a woman with five children gathered around them stand on a dirt path in front of a tree
Eddie Betts with his wife Anna and five children in Darwin in November 2021.(Instagram: annascullie)

Betts said he raised his concerns with the club and asked to remove Aboriginal players from further “mind training exercises” with the company behind the camp, which continued to work with the Crows until later that year. The club “mutually agreed to part ways” with the company in June.

“Three weeks after I addressed the team about my concerns, I was told that I hadn’t been re-elected to the leadership group. I was devastated,” he wrote.

Crows chief executive Tim Silvers, who only joined the club last year, said he would investigate Betts’s claims that he had been dropped from the leadership group as a result of raising his concerns.

Silvers said he was “saddened” to read the impact the camp had had on Betts.

“It obviously hurt him in a number of ways,” he said.

Silvers described Betts as a “legend” who “lit up the Adelaide Oval for a long period of time”.

A man wearing a suit speaks to microphones in front of a blue and red banner
Adelaide Crows chief executive Tim Silvers apologized to Betts for his experience at the camp.(ABC News: Camron Slessor)

Silvers acknowledged the camp “probably wasn’t the right move at that time” and apologized to Betts and “any of our playing group who had a negative experience.”

“To have someone like Eddie, who has now left our club, to have a negative experience, saddens me,” he said.

Silvers said the club had new leadership and was moving “in a positive direction”.

Betts acknowledged in the book that a SafeWork SA inquiry had cleared the club of breaching any workplace safety laws, but he wrote: “My view remains that the activities there were inappropriate, counter-productive and culturally unsafe.”

books of eddie betts on bookshelf, with his face on the front cover
Eddie Betts’s biography, The Boy from Boomerang Crescent, reveals claims about the Crows’ preseason training camp.(ABC News: Ben Pettit)

In a statement made in 2018, the Crows said SafeWork SA’s investigation “found neither the club nor any other person or organisation, breached any work health and safety laws during or in relation to the camp”.

SafeWork SA provided no more information about the investigation.

Crows player Rory Laird, who also attended the camp, described Betts as one of his “close mates” and a “loved figure” at the club.

“I think each individual had different experiences and I actually wasn’t on that part of the camp I guess, so I can’t really comment on the ins and outs of it,” he said.

“But obviously as a former teammate and a friend, you don’t like hearing about that.”

Betts, who moved to Carlton in 2020, wrote of the continuing toll the camp took, saying his “on-field form slumped” at the start of the following season and describing 2018 as “tough.”

“Personally, I felt like I’d lost the drive to play footy, and to be honest I’m not sure I ever had the same energy I did before that camp,” he wrote.

The ABC has contacted Collective Minds for comment.

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Categories
Australia

Biggest defense review in decades to identify ‘capability gaps’

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced a comprehensive strategic review of the Australian Defense Force amid concerns about a “capability gap” in the country’s armed forces.

He said the review was aimed at ensuring the ADF was well positioned to meet Australia’s security challenges over the next decade and beyond.

“This review will prepare Australia to effectively respond to the changing regional and global strategic environment and ensure that defense’s capability and force structure is fit for purpose, affordable, and delivers the greatest return on investment,” Albanese said.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced a major defense review. (Nine)

Albanese said the review will be headed by retired defense chief Sir Angus Houston and former Labor defense minister Stephen Smith.

“Professor Smith and Sir Angus bring a unique blend of knowledge and experience to their role as independent leads,” he said.

“Their depth of expertise will be invaluable in informing this review.”

Albanese said the review was being held amid growing tensions in the Asia Pacific region, with China showing greater assertiveness.

“We live in an era where there’s strategic competition and increased tension in our region,” he said.

“And where China has taken a more aggressive posture in the region.”

The defense review will examine the ADF’s capability and force structure. (APA)

Albanese also defended the selection of Smith after some commentators criticized his record as defense minister in the former Gillard government when he oversaw cuts.

Defense Minister Richard Marles said the review would be the most exhaustive for decades.

“This will look at questions of force structure, look at questions of capability, it will ask and answer foundational questions about given our strategic circumstances: what is it that we want our defense force to do on behalf of our nation at this moment?” he said.

He said it would run concurrently with Australia’s involvement in the AUKUS defense pact with the US and Britain, under which Australia will acquire nuclear-powered submarines.

“Given the significance of that platform, it’s really important that both bodies of work happen concurrently and are able to cross pollinate each other,” Marles said.

The defense review will be held in conjunction with Australia’s involvement in the AUKUS defense pact, under which Australia will acquire nuclear-powered submarines. (U.S. Navy)

Albanese said the review would also identity gaps in military resources planned for the ADF and what has been delivered.

“There is a gap there between capability and what has actually been promised in the past,” the prime minister said.

“There are significant delays in delivery of what has been promised.”

Similarly, Marles also said the review would examine major defense projects over the coming decade.

“We’re going to look at the integrated investment plan over the course of the next 10 years to make sure what we have as a schedule of procurements does meet the challenges that our strategic circumstances present.”

Marles said the federal government has asked the reviewers to report their findings by the first half of 2023.

China accuses the US of ‘navigation bullying’

Categories
US

Does Apple River stabbing suspect have a strong self-defense

Does Apple River stabbing suspect have a strong self-defense

An attorney who fought for acquittal in a different Wisconsin stabbing self-defense case finds challenges for both sides in Nick Miu’s case.

HUDSON, Wis. — Four people continue to recover after being stabbed on the Apple River over the weekend.

The suspect told police he acted in self-defense in the incident that killed 17-year-old Isaac Schuman.

And that’s had a lot of people asking: Does Nick Miu have a valid self-defense claim?

The details of what led up to the stabbing are complicated, and ultimately, it could come down to if Nick Mui had the opportunity to walk away before he began stabbing.

Details of the fatal Apple River stabbing — laid out in the criminal complaint — paint a chaotic picture.

“If I were his lawyer and were raising a self-defense claim, I would point out the fact that he, being called names, that he felt intimidated by multiple people — that he was somewhat surrounded or felt like he was surrounded. There’s certainly evidence, video evidence, of him being pushed, punched — things of that nature,” said Twin Cities defense attorney Eric Nelson.

Nelson successfully represented a client in a high-profile stabbing self-defense case in Wisconsin in 2015. The case ended in acquittal on all counts.

Nelson said the details in the Nick Miu case are more complex. And despite Miu having a self-defense claim, Nelson points out problems with that claim.

“The most notable thing, in my opinion, is there are several references [in the criminal complaint] to ‘route of egress,’ or his ability to flee the situation,” Nelson said.

According to the criminal complaint, video evidence “shows opportunity for Miu to leave the confrontation.”

Nelson said Wisconsin essentially has a duty for someone to retreat, if possible, before using deadly force.

There is another detail that would hurt a self-defense claim.

A woman involved in the confrontation told police “what started the physical assault was Miu punched the woman.”

“You can’t claim self-defense if you’re the first aggressor or you’re engaged in unlawful conduct that provokes another to assault you,” Nelson said.

That punch is apparently not caught on the bystander video, which is not publicly available.

Nelson predicts it will be a complicated trial.

“There’s a clear self-defense claim established. It’s not a perfect one. But also, the state’s going to have some problems with their case too,” Nelson said.

Miu still apparently has not hired an attorney. There is a short hearing scheduled Friday to determine what his plans are, then the next substantive court hearing is scheduled for Friday, Aug. 12.

Watch the latest local news from the Twin Cities in our YouTube playlist:

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Categories
Business

Geelong building company Norris Construction Group collapses owing $27m

Geelong building company Norris Construction Group collapses owing $27m

A collapsed Victorian construction company has $27 million in debt and owes $3.2 million to around 140 staff that it is unlikely to be able to repay, according to the liquidator’s report which revealed what went wrong.

The Geelong-based company called Norris Construction Group, which included seven associated companies, went under in March with KordaMentha appointed to handle the liquidation.

Its report, which was filed with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, revealed the range of reasons for the company’s failure.

It included the “misprising of projects” and a “crisis of confidence” experienced by the business during lockdowns in Victoria between March and October 2020 resulting in projects being tendered at “very low prices”.

This resulted in “heavy losses” on a very large number of projects, the report to creditor’s said.

It also outlined “cultural issues amongst the executive team leading to staff losses and staff turnover” as well as hiring new staff on “high remuneration packages”.

The pandemic also contributed to the company’s demise, as well as “noncompliance” with lodging statements and returns with the ATO and unpaid taxes, alongside “insufficient working capital” to meet its short term obligations.

The company had completed work on the Manufutures hub at Deakin University and the Marngoneet and Chisholm Road prisons and worked across Melbourne and southwest Victoria.

Millions owed to employees

From the overall group, 235 former employees are owed $4 million in wages and entitlements but will have to rely on the federal government’s Fair Entitlements Guarantee (FEG) to get their money back.

However the scheme, which is available for employees of companies that become insolvent, caps back pay and does not pay superannuation.

Aside from the $3.2 million owed to employees of Norris Construction Group, there was between $187,000 and $277,000 owed to 235 staff from the overall group including wages, redundancy payouts and superannuation.

But KordaMentha partner Andrew Knight said four out of the five companies that employed staff had “insufficient” assets to pay back the money owed.

“We understand that for four of the five employing entities, FEG has processed and paid over 90 per cent of the employee claims,” he said.

“FEG is still working on claims in the fifth entity, Norris Construction Group, which are more complex due to the quantity of claims as well as the relevant Award which applies to these employees. We estimate the majority of these claims will be resolved and paid within the next month.

“Unfortunately, there are some entitlements that are not covered by FEG, for example superannuation and amounts in excess of caps, and payment of those are dependent on the outcome of the liquidations.”

While an auction of the company equipment and assets in May raised more than $17 million, and is expected to paid to Westpac, the bank will still suffer a “shortfall”, said Mr Knight as its owed $22 million.

The ATO also has an outstanding debt of $5 million, the report revealed.

However, the ATO debt was unlikely to be repaid, Mr Knight added.

“The amount due to the ATO is unsecured, and given the likely shortfall to the employees and the secured creditor, it’s unlikely unsecured creditors including the ATO will be paid a dividend,” he said.

The creditor’s report also flagged it was investigating any potential offenses of director’s duties including trading while insolvent.

construction crisis

Overall, the construction industry has been plagued with a spate of collapses caused by a perfect storm of supply chain disruptions, skilled labor shortages, skyrocketing costs of materials and logistics, and extreme weather events.

Earlier this year, two major Australian construction companies, Gold Coast-based Condev and industry giant Probuild, went into liquidation.

Victorian construction companies have been particularly sensitive to the crisis.

Two building companies from Victoria were casualties of the crisis having gone into liquidation at the end of June, with one homeowner having forked out $300,000 for a now half-built house.

Then there have been smaller operators like Hotondo Homes Horsham, which was also based in Victoria and a franchisee of a national construction firm – which collapsed earlier this month affecting 11 homeowners with $1.2 million in outstanding debt.

It is the second Hotondo Homes franchisee to go under this year, with its Hobart branch collapsing in January owing $1.3 million to creditors, according to a report from liquidator Revive Financial.

Snowdon Developments was ordered into liquidation by the Supreme Court with 52 staff members, 550 homes and more than 250 creditors owed just under $18 million, although it was partially bought out less than 24 hours after going bust.

Others joined the list too including Inside Out Construction, Solido Builders, Waterford Homes, Affordable Modular Homes and Statement Builders.

The most recent collapse was NSW building company Willoughby Homes, which went into voluntary administration last week, leaving at least 30 homes in limbo.

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Categories
Technology

Smart irrigation system comes in third generation

Smart irrigation system comes in third generation

Smart home gadgets have long been available not only for the interior of your own four walls. Garden lovers can also simplify their care with the help of practical helpers. A good example is the smart watering controller Eve Aqua. The gadget for the water connection in the garden comes now already in the third generation in the trade and offers a lot of new things.

Water your garden automatically with Eve Aqua

The irrigation system is said to have undergone significant improvements in its now third generation. In addition to a more robust design, which is supposed to provide more resistance, the manufacturer also promises a higher-quality design. The new design is not only supposed to look more elegant, but in combination with revised features, it is also supposed to ensure quieter operation. But what can Eve Aqua do anyway? As a smart home gadget, you can integrate the irrigation system into your own network. Once set up, you can easily water your garden via your iPhone. You can use the app or Siri to do this. Alternatively, there is a button on the Eve Aqua itself that you can use to start watering.

Eve Aqua
(Image: Eve)

Of course, the biggest advantage of the irrigation system is that your garden will be watered despite your absence. Especially if you are on vacation for several weeks, Eve Aqua certainly proves to be an extremely practical gadget. You can set up a schedule within the app so that your plants are always watered. Thanks to an integrated timer, Eve Aqua works its schedule even without an Internet connection. This means you can turn off your other electronic devices, including your Wi-Fi router, when you’re away. To save money and protect the environment, the app also gives you the option to see how much water you have used.

Interior of Eve Aqua with new valve

Compared to its predecessor, the third-generation irrigation system looks much classier. This is especially due to the new front, which now comes in matte black. However, not only the design, but also the inner workings are said to have changed. You’ll now find a new solenoid valve, which is supposed to have many advantages.

Eve Aqua
Eve Aqua promises compatibility with most manufacturers. (Image: Eve)

The manufacturer promises not only that it should be more durable. On top of that, you should not have to worry about leaks and probably benefits from a quieter mechanism. The multicompatible irrigation system will be equipped with a metal thread, which should correspond to the connections of popular manufacturers.

Nothing works here without iOS

Anyone who is thinking about purchasing Eve Aqua should be aware that nothing works here without Apple HomeKit. Consequently, you need an iOS device like iPhone or iPad for both setup and operation.

Eve Aqua
(Image: Eve)

However, since Eve Aqua also has “Thread”, a firmware update coming soon should provide more compatibility. Thus, the irrigation system should offer the standard “Matter” and thus, for example, also be controllable via Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa.

Price and availability

You can buy Eve Aqua now for an MSRP of €149.95 on the official manufacturer site or at Amazon. If you want to make your home even smarter, you might be interested in the SwitchBot Curtain Rod 2 curtain robot (test) or the Aqara Camera Hub G3 (test).

Categories
Sports

Nick Kyrgios Makes Winning Return In Washington | ATP Tours

Nick Kyrgios Makes Winning Return In Washington | ATP Tours

Back on the singles court Tuesday night for the first time since last month’s Wimbledon final, Nick Kyrgios picked up where he left off with a dominant Citi Open win.

Still donning his tennis whites — at least his shirt and cap — Kyrgios rolled past Marcos Giron 6-3, 6-2 in just under an hour. The Aussie was a different class once he settled into the evening session match, saving an early break point before dominating from 3-3 in the opening set.

“I came out a bit slow, obviously very different conditions to Wimbledon,” said Kyrgios, who later admitted it took him a long time to get over his four-set final defeat to Novak Djokovic. “I think it was just a bit of nerves as well. I won the tournament in 2019. Seeing my name up on the stadium and then knowing I didn’t play well here at all last year — I lost the first round and I was just going through such a dark time in my life.

“I’m just so happy to be here with my team, the love and support from the crowd. I’m just really happy to be out here playing some good tennis again.”

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Kyrgios finished with 12 aces and an 82 per cent (28/34) win rate on first serve, along with a few tweeners. He also revived the tradition that served him well in his 2019 Washington title run: asking a fan in the front row where to serve on match point.

Though Kyrgios missed the target on first serve, apologizing to the fan, he fired an unreturned second delivery to wrap up the comfortable win.

The unseeded Aussie improved to 9-0 in opening rounds this season and 22-7 on the year. He will next face 14th seed Tommy Paul in the American’s opening match at the ATP 500 event. Another home favorite — fourth seed Reilly Opelka — could await in the third round.

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Kyrgios has advanced to the semi-finals or better in four of his past five tournaments since April, but is seeking his first singles title of 2022. He has won two doubles titles with countryman Thanasi Kokkinakis, at the Australian Open and on Sunday in Atlanta , where a knee injury forced him to withdraw from the singles competition.

Kyrgios is teaming with Jack Sock in Washington, and the pair earned a 6-4, 6-4 upset of third seeds Marcelo Arevalo and Jean-Julien Rojer on Monday evening.

“Having guys like Jack and Thanasi, these guys are much more than friends for me,” Kyrgios added. “They know I’d do anything for them. I’ve been there for them and they’ve been there for me. I can’t give credit to those guys enough. My girlfriend, my physio, my best friend… I can’t give those guys enough credit because I really wouldn’t be here without them.”