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Young woman who was left with HORNS after cosmetic surgery faux pas

An Australian woman who went viral after her 'fox eye' procedure went wrong and left her with 'horns' has revealed her issues are ongoing with her forehead now turning black

Young woman who was left with HORNS after cosmetic surgery sees her forehead turn black with infection: ‘It’s my biggest regret’

  • Australian woman Jessie Carr underwent a ‘fox eye’ cosmetic procedure
  • But the area around her temples have since turned black with infection
  • The 21-year-old from Sydney made headlines in March after sharing video
  • She described the procedure as leaving her with a swollen ‘egg’ head

By Matilda Rudd For Daily Mail Australia

Published: | Updated:

An Australian woman who went viral after her ‘fox eye’ procedure went wrong and left her with ‘horns’ has revealed her issues are ongoing with her forehead now turning black.

Jessie Carr, 21, from Sydney, Australia, made headlines after she was left looking like an ‘alien with horns’ and documented getting the trendy eyebrow lift removed after it made her face swell up like an ‘egg’ in March.

She paid $2,000 for the procedure – which promises to last between 18-24 months – inspired by celebrities including Bella Hadid, who have the unique look.

However, the surgery didn’t go according to plan leaving Jessie with protrusions on her forehead resembling ‘horns’ which she later called her ‘biggest regret’.

An Australian woman who went viral after her 'fox eye' procedure went wrong and left her with 'horns' has revealed her issues are ongoing with her forehead now turning black

Jessie Carr, 21, from Sydney, Australia, made headlines after she was left looking like an 'alien with horns' and documented getting the trendy eyebrow lift removed after it made her face swell up like an 'egg' in March

An Australian woman who went viral after her ‘fox eye’ procedure went wrong and left her with ‘horns’ has revealed her issues are ongoing with her forehead now turning black

And now four months on from the initial cosmetic procedure, Jessie says the left side of her face where the threads were initially inserted have turned black.

Panicked, she contacted her cosmetic surgeon to check it out and was given a steroid injection to help alleviate the dark coloring of her scar.

In her latest video she can be seen facing the camera holding a tissue against her head which appears to have red splodges of blood on it before leaving the clinic with tape on her temples.

Speaking to the camera, Jessie said: ‘So update I went to the cosmetic surgeon and he was very, very helpful.

‘I was initially like I am never going back again because he’s done what he can and if that doesn’t work I don’t expect anything else.

In her latest video she can be seen facing the camera holding a tissue against her head which appears to have red splodges of blood on it before leaving the clinic with tape on her temples

Speaking to the camera, Jessie said: 'So update I went to the cosmetic surgeon and he was very, very helpful

In her latest video she can be seen facing the camera holding a tissue against her head which appears to have red splodges of blood on it before leaving the clinic with tape on her temples

She then films herself a couple of days after the injection and tells the camera the inflammation has died down

She then films herself a couple of days after the injection and tells the camera the inflammation has died down

‘But I was concerned about it turning black so I did go in and in the meantime what he has done to try and help my scar is he put a steroid injection into the area.

‘I think that lightens the scar and also helps with how the scar is currently progressing.’

She then films herself a couple of days after the injection and tells the camera the inflammation has died down.

Jessie added: ‘It was a bit out before but now it’s sunken in. It’s almost like there’s an indent in my head now but I guess it’s a good thing because it’s not inflamed.

‘And I’ve noticed the color is turning back to more of a reddish color rather than a black colour. Hopefully it goes away even more.’

She uploaded the update onto TikTok which has racked up over 900,000 views – leaving social media users shocked by the ongoing saga.

Jessie added: 'It was a bit out before but now it's sunken in. It's almost like there's an indent in my head now but I guess it's a good thing because it's not inflamed'

Jessie added: ‘It was a bit out before but now it’s sunken in. It’s almost like there’s an indent in my head now but I guess it’s a good thing because it’s not inflamed’

Another TikTok user commented: 'I've never met anyone who had fox eyes done and didn't have problems'

Another TikTok user commented: ‘I’ve never met anyone who had fox eyes done and didn’t have problems’

One person said: ‘The fiasco NEVER ends.’

Another TikTok user commented: ‘I’ve never met anyone who had fox eyes done and didn’t have problems.’

‘I’d sue them if I’m honest,’ added another person.

One user said: ‘Why are people still doing this and the turkey teeth? You’re all gorgeous already!!’

Another shocked viewer wrote: ‘Cosmetic surgeons are not plastic surgeons unfortunately a BIG difference I’m sorry to see this girl; I hope you’re doing okay.’

‘Oh no! Your videos have convinced me to never get them,’ said another TikTok follower.

One person bluntly added: ‘Note for the future: don’t get ridiculous stuff done to your face.’

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Collapsed building company Willoughby Homes taken to court to be liquidated

Collapsed building company Willoughby Homes taken to court to be liquidated

The stark reality of a building company’s collapse has been laid bare after the firm proposed that trade creditors would receive 10c back for every dollar they were owed.

On Wednesday afternoon, Sydney-based builder Willoughby Homes was brought to court with creditors calling for it to be put into liquidation because the business was “hopelessly insolvent”.

Gyprocking company Regno Trades initiated legal proceedings against Willoughby Homes early last month over an unpaid debt of $184,000.

That means if they followed through on Willoughby Homes’ proposal for receiving 10c in the dollar, Regno Trades would only recover $18,400 – leaving them $166,000 out of pocket.

Two business days before the hearing, Willoughby Homes appointed David Mansfield and Jason Tracy of Deloitte’s turnaround and restructuring department as voluntary administrators, causing creditors to suggest this was an “11th hour” attempt to save the company.

Judicial Registrar Claire Gistham, of the Victorian Supreme Court, granted the administrators of Willoughby Homes an adjournment until the end of the month to come up with an official Deed of Company Arrangement (DOCA), which is essentially a plan for creditors to get their money back.

In the heated court case, representatives of creditors argued that the company had “failed so miserably” and should be wounded up immediately because there was “an overwhelming case for insolvency”.

During the hearing, it was also revealed that Willoughby Homes owed up to $4.4 million to homeowners, trade creditors and the tax office.

Despite that, the construction firm has “minimal assets” and only has $14,000 in liquid cash in its accounts at the moment.

It comes after an extensive news.com.au investigation over the last month found Willoughby Homes has been non-functional for some time, with debts to creditors going unpaid, build sites stalling for as long as a year, the company’s home building insurance not being reinstated and finally, all its offices being cleared out and phone lines going straight to voicemail.

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Regno Trades acted as the plaintiff while three supporting creditors also joined the case – H & R Interiors owed $73,925, an ex-employee owed $53,000 in unpaid wages and Finese Electrical and Air Conditioning, owed $4531.

Another creditor, Kamaljit Pawar, also joined the case. The Sydney man built a house with Willoughby Homes in 2014, which was left with significant defects and he has been fighting to have them fixed ever since.

There are 44 impacted homeowners, 16 of whom have houses at “varying stages of construction” while the other 28 customers have handed over deposits but no building has commenced.

There are also a number of creditors and employees impacted. It’s understood employees are owed $67,000 in unpaid superannuation and about $600,000 is owed to deposit holders. Over a million is owed to the Australian Taxation Office.

There was debate about how much the company actually owes in total, with administrators putting the figure at $2.3 million but Mr Pawar’s lawyer Rodney Kent said he’d reviewed documents and said it was higher.

“There are substantial defaults” amounting to $4.5 million, he said.

Mr Kent also added that the owner of Willoughby Homes, Steve Willoughby, had four properties and possibly five, which could be sold to pay back debts.

SC Peter Fary, acting for the plaintiff and three supporting creditors, called for Willoughby Homes to be placed into liquidation because it had “failed so miserably”.

“This isn’t the first winding up application, in fact it’s not even the first winding up application this year,” he said.

“One has to ask why the director hasn’t caused the company to address its insolvency at an earlier point in time.”

He said it made no sense for the company to remain in administration because Willoughby Homes was unable to carry out any construction work.

“Is it seriously suggested that a company with no capital will continue building contracts in administration where it failed so miserably before?” I have asked the court.

“These matters go to another issue of commercial morality,” he added, urging the registrar to consider “Whether as a matter of commercial morality it’s appropriate for this company to continue in existence”.

Mr Fary said Willoughby Homes had “minimal assets and significant liabilities”.

In the hearing, it was stated Willoughby Homes only had $14,000 in cash as well as some motor vehicles, property and equipment that it could sell to pay back debts.

Administrators called in at the ’11th hour’

The lawyers representing creditors were also critical of the last minute appointment of administrators, last Friday, when they said it appeared likely that the firm had been trading insolvent for months.

“This is an 11th hour appointment, the appointment of an administrator at the last minute should be treated with skepticism,” Mr Fary said.

“One can’t escape the conclusion of these facts that there is likely to be an insolvent trading claim of a significant magnitude.

“One can readily infer that insolvency was some time ago.”

Mr Kent agreed, adding: “This is so late in the day and so inappropriate… Deposit holders have lost their money in circumstances where signing contracts was totally illegal.”

However, the administrator’s legal team argued that it was far from an 11th hour appointment.

QC Hugh Smith, representing the administrators, argued, “We’ve all been involved in 11 hour appointments, this is not that.”

Administrators were appointed late on Friday, giving them two business days – Monday and Tuesday – to sort out the company’s finances.

“As such this is not an 11th hour appointment,” Mr Smith insisted.

In another twist, the administrators insisted that a category of creditors – the deposit holders – be paid back in full while all the other credits only received 10c in the dollar.

The Deloitte administrators held a meeting for deposit holders only on Monday ahead of the court hearing and claimed a vote was 100 per cent in favor of the resolution to keep the company in administration so that they would receive their promised funds.

However, register Gistham grilled the QC on how many people actually voted, which turned out to be only 15 people.

“The priority here is quite extraordinary, on the one hand you’ve got 100c in the dollar, and the other hand is 10c to the dollar,” Mr Fary said.

“My client is as vulnerable as anybody else, all of their businesses are at risk of going under as well if they’re not paid,” Mr Kent added.

Later on, in a conversation with news.com.au, Mr Kent added: “It’s disappointing that their first meeting only involved certain creditors and not all of the creditors. I’ve never seen this done before. My client didn’t even know that meeting was taking place.”

After opposition, the administrator’s lawyer indicated they would reconsider whether 10c in the dollar was appropriate compared to 100c in the dollar for deposit holders.

The registrar added the case until August 31.

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Business

Perth woman booted off Jetstar flight for wild suitcase issue

Perth woman booted off Jetstar flight for wild suitcase issue

Ready to begin the five hour flight from Sydney to Perth, Clare Vertannes had her Apple Airpods and noise-cancelling headphones on when she was approached by a Jetstar flight attendant.

At first, the actress and events co-ordinator thought she was being upgraded to first class.

Unfortunately, reality was less desirable.

“I was sitting there minding my own business, and then she was like: ‘Can you please come with me?’” Ms Vertannes told news.com.au, speaking of the flight she took in April 2022.

“I was getting really excited because it genuinely didn’t cross my mind [that I was about to get kicked off the plane]. It’s wasn’t until we walked off the plane, that I started asking questions.”

‘A very dangerous item’

Once her and the flight attendant were on the tarmac, the Perth woman was informed that staff had found a “very dangerous item” – a battery pack – in her checked luggage.

While portable chargers containing a lithium ion battery are banned from check-in baggage, Ms Vertannes was certain she had not packed hers in her suitcase.

“I held up my battery pack and told them I didn’t have a second one,” she said.

“The flight attendants that kicked me off the plane were really rude. I understand they have jobs to do but they didn’t even give me the time of day to explain.

“I asked them to call someone to confirm because there was nothing in my suitcase but I was told to go to baggage claim.”

At the same time she was told she would miss her existing flight and she’d have to pay for her next one.

She claims the flight attendant told her she wouldn’t be reimbursed “because you’ve held up everyone on the current flight”.

On her way to baggage claim, Ms Vertannes began crying.

“It was like I was going to the principal’s office. It was so terrible,” she said.

However, she remembers the surreal moment when she realized the airport had made a terrible mistake. As she was walking to the baggage claim, she claims to have overheard a staff member on the phone.

“She was like: ‘Why would she do that? What’s wrong with you people? I told you to wait for confirmation,’” said Ms Vertannes.

“She then saw us walking towards her she just stops and says into the phone: ‘I think the lady you’ve kicked off is in front of me and she is not impressed.’”

A missed flight and a miscommunication

That’s when she was told that there had been “a miscommunication”. While airport staff had initially found something dangerous in her bag, it turned out to be a false alarm.

“There was nothing in my suitcase. I was actually hoping that there had been something wrong with my luggage, especially after all this drama,” joked Ms Vertannes.

“I said look: ‘Thank you for your apology but I need to get home. Can I get back on my flight now?’”

However, in the time Ms Vertannes had reported to baggage claim, her original flight had taken off. She was then told the next flight wouldn’t be until tomorrow.

While Ms Vertannes said the airline initially refused to pay for another flight that day, she was determined to return to Perth.

“I literally just sat there and stared at her. I know the airport staff was doing their best but I knew that nothing was going to get done unless I just sat there,” she said.

After “an hour or two”, she was approached by a Qantas staff member, who are the parent company for Jetstar. In another twist of events, she had been offered a flight for that day free of charge, however it was scheduled for 8pm, which at that point was around eight hours away.

Looking back at her airport debacle, Ms Vertannes said she was surprised by the lack of services given to her by the airlines.

In a statement to news.com.au, Jetsar says they “sincerely apologize for any misunderstanding and are looking into what took place”.

Much to be desired

Despite the “miscommunication,” she claims she was told she was unable to check in her luggage early. While she decided to meet up with her boyfriend from her back in the Sydney CBD, she was told that she would have had to pay $50 to store her luggage from her at the airport.

Another blow came as she was sitting in her Qantas seat.

“I’m sitting on the Qantas flight and I get an email from Jetstar. It says: ‘thank you so much for your purchase of a pie. That’s $10,’” she said.

“Someone on my flight had charged on foot to my seat and I got that invoice. I was done.

“I remember getting that on the flight and not even being surprised.”

The experience left much to be desired.

Now, in the four months from the ill-fated flight, Ms Vertannes says she’s finally ready to talk about her it.

“When I got back I genuinely needed to recover from the trauma,” she said.

Sharing her experience on TikTok, Ms Vertannes amassed more than 67,100 views, 5100 likes and 285 comments.

Despite this, she hasn’t been thrilled with the airline’s response.

“The flight really upset me. It had an effect on my mental health and it was really stressful. [I asked for] two return flights to a destination around Australia,” she said

“I wanted some form of compensation and I thought I was being quite reasonable.”

To date, in documents seen by news.com.au, Ms Vertannes has been given a $116.22 cash refund and a $350.76 voucher which Jetstar says aligns with the purchase methods used to buy her flight from Jetstar to Qantas.

Later, when she tried to get reimbursed for the $50 taxi fare into the city, she was told they were “unable to provide you with any compensation nor cover your out of pocket expenses”.

“I kept on being in all these phone calls but everything just got too annoying so I took the voucher,” she said.

“But all I wanted was just some compensation and to not be left on the phone for two hours. It’s not that hard.”

Read related topics:PerthSydney

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NRL 2022: Sydney Roosters vs Brisbane Broncos, teams, Matt Lodge exit from Broncos, payout, Kevin Walters

NRL 2022: Sydney Roosters vs Brisbane Broncos, teams, Matt Lodge exit from Broncos, payout, Kevin Walters

Further details of Matt Lodge’s exit from the Broncos have emerged as the front rower braces to face his former side when Brisbane battle the Roosters on Thursday night.

The Broncos agreed to pay up to $1 million of Lodge’s salary to facilitate his departure from Red Hill, a move that came under intense scrutiny at the time.

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“You try not to be critical of Brisbane as a former player but I don’t think we can believe anything that’s coming out of that place at the moment,” former Queensland representative Brent Tate told NRL tonight in the wake of Lodge’s exit to the Warriors.

“Kevvie came out and said they’d stay and if Matt Lodge goes, honestly, I think clubs are built on trust and at the moment there doesn’t seem to be that at that club.

“There’s different messages coming from all different people within the ranks and I hope for Matt Lodge’s sake he gets to go to a club because he’s been so up in the air and I know how difficult that would be for a player who plays on passion and emotion.”

Now though, a report from news corp has revealed more details on Lodge’s exit while chairman Karl Morris also explained why Brisbane was willing to chip in to speed the process up.

“Matt Lodge was a redemption story and it was great to have him back,” Morris told news corp.

“He did all the tough work he had to do while playing for Redcliffe to get back into the NRL. He completely gave up the drink and was a model citizen while he was with us.

“For whatever reason, culturally, it didn’t work with him and the new coaching staff and we decided to part ways.

“Kevvie wants a certain type of player and person at the Broncos and he just didn’t suit the type of team Kevvie was trying to build.”

the news corp report claims that Lodge’s character was not the best match for what Walters was trying to build at Red Hill, with suggestions he cut corners at training.

Lodge is also said to have been sprayed by one Broncos official for his attire around the club.

But speaking to news corp ahead of Thursday’s game, lock forward Pat Carrigan was full of praise for his former teammate.

“Lodgey always plays well and I’m sure he will step up against us, I’m excited for him,” he said.

“He’s a halfback in a front-rower’s body, he’s actually a very smart footballer and he taught me a lot about the game.

“I am grateful for a lot of the stuff Lodgey did for us younger blokes here. He gave us that introduction to first grade. We had some good battles on the training ground so he will be up for this one and we will be too.”

Originally published as ‘He just didn’t suit’: Key issue behind Matt Lodge’s $1 million Broncos exit revealed

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Sydney Roosters vs Brisbane Broncos, teams, Matt Lodge exit from Broncos, payout, Kevin Walters

Sydney Roosters vs Brisbane Broncos, teams, Matt Lodge exit from Broncos, payout, Kevin Walters

Further details of Matt Lodge’s exit from the Broncos have emerged as the front rower braces to face his former side when Brisbane battle the Roosters on Thursday night.

The Broncos agreed to pay up to $1 million of Lodge’s salary to facilitate his departure from Red Hill, a move that came under intense scrutiny at the time.

Stream every game of every round of the 2022 NRL Telstra Premiership Season Live & Ad-Break Free During Play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >

“You try not to be critical of Brisbane as a former player but I don’t think we can believe anything that’s coming out of that place at the moment,” Brent Tate said on ‘NRL Tonight’ in the wake of Lodge’s exit to the Warriors.

“Kevvie came out and said they’d stay and if Matt Lodge goes, honestly, I think clubs are built on trust and at the moment there doesn’t seem to be that at that club.

“There’s different messages coming from all different people within the ranks and I hope for Matt Lodge’s sake he gets to go to a club because he’s been so up in the air and I know how difficult that would be for a player who plays on passion and emotion.”

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Matt Lodge left Brisbane in 2021. (AAP Image/Darren England)Source: AAP

Now though, a report from news corp has revealed more details on Lodge’s exit while chairman Karl Morris also explained why Brisbane was willing to chip in to speed the process up.

“Matt Lodge was a redemption story and it was great to have him back,” Morris told news corp.

“He did all the tough work he had to do while playing for Redcliffe to get back into the NRL. He completely gave up the drink and was a model citizen while he was with us.

“For whatever reason, culturally, it didn’t work with him and the new coaching staff and we decided to part ways.

“Kevvie wants a certain type of player and person at the Broncos and he just didn’t suit the type of team Kevvie was trying to build.”

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Major “Reboot” need for Knights – Buzz | 01:08

the news corp report claims that Lodge’s character was not the best match for what Walters was trying to build at Red Hill, with suggestions he cut corners at training.

Lodge is also said to have been sprayed by one Broncos official for his attire around the club.

But speaking to news corp ahead of Thursday’s game, lock forward Pat Carrigan was full of praise for his former teammate.

“Lodgey always plays well and I’m sure he will step up against us, I’m excited for him,” he said.

“He’s a halfback in a front-rower’s body, he’s actually a very smart footballer and he taught me a lot about the game.

“I am grateful for a lot of the stuff Lodgey did for us younger blokes here. He gave us that introduction to first grade. We had some good battles on the training ground so he will be up for this one and we will be too.”

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Business

AGL customer says power bills are false due to wrong meter readings: Bryn Lawson

Bryn Lawson (above) said he's ready to cut all power to his house after consistently receiving overpriced bills from his Sydney power provider, AGL

Furious AGL customer EXPLODES at his power company for overcharging him revealing his $1200 bills cost him his marriage and forced him to use an esky instead of a fridge – now he’s threatening to cut electricity to his home for good

  • Bryn Lawson, 55, regularly receives power bills over $1,200 despite living alone
  • He said the bills are due to his power company, AGL, misreading his power meter
  • Mr Lawson has replaced his fridge with a camping fridge and doesn’t use heating
  • The bills have left him ‘broken and are part of the ‘decimation’ of his marriage

By Ashley Nickel For Daily Mail Australia

Published: | Updated:

A frustrated customer of one of Australia’s largest energy providers has threatened to cut the power to his home off for good after being stung with sky-high meter readings he says are false.

Sydneysider Bryn Lawson, 55, is drawing a line in the sand with electricity giant, AGL, as bills regularly soar over $1,200 a quarter, despite the fact he lives alone.

He even says the ‘overcharging’ s even cost him his 35-year marriage because the couple used to blame each other about which of them was responsible.

‘Fix it AGL. Get your s**t together and fix it, mate… Stop f**king me around,’ he told A Current Affair.

‘It was a part of the decimation of our marriage because I’d come home and the lights would be on the power would be on and the power bills were high.’

Bryn Lawson (above) said he's ready to cut all power to his house after consistently receiving overpriced bills from his Sydney power provider, AGL

Bryn Lawson (above) said he’s ready to cut all power to his house after consistently receiving overpriced bills from his Sydney power provider, AGL

‘I’d be saying “what are the lights on for what’s this on for, why is the heater on”.’

But after his wife walked out on him the chargers were just as high.

Mr Lawson has taken extreme measures to counteract the hefty bills.

He replaced his kitchen fridge with a camping esky and has refused to turn on the heater in all winter, despite near freezing temperatures.

But he still faces massive bills each quarter.

Mr Lawson is responsible for checking his own power meter as his power box is not accessible from the road.

However, Mr Lawson said the meter figure he confirms with AGL is never the number that appears on his bill.

He said AGL responds to his complaints with credits to make up the difference from his bill and the actual amount of power he uses but then the same mistake is made the next time round.

Mr Lawson has replaced his kitchen fridge with a small camping esky (above) in an effort to keep his power bills down

Mr Lawson has replaced his kitchen fridge with a small camping esky (above) in an effort to keep his power bills down

Now Mr Lawson has nothing left to give and said he is tired of ‘shivering’ every night and suffering from the paranoia of his upcoming bills.

He says he’s had enough and is threatening to cut off the power altogether.

‘It’s humiliating when I think about what they’ve made me do. It’s not the appliances, it’s AGL,’ he said.

‘I have no problem at all putting my swag out there, putting my solar panels, my battery and running that fridge out there and living out there,’ he said.

AGL told A Current Affair they apologize for Mr Lawson’s experience and are committed to fixing his concerns.

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Simple way to fix Australia’s east coast energy crisis

Simple way to fix Australia's east coast energy crisis

Slowly but surely, the story of the greatest rip-off in Aussie history is coming out. It’s not a great train robbery. Not a Sydney wealth management fraud. It is an investment boom that miraculously turned east Australian resources bounty into a pair of concrete boots for the broader economy.

This is the sorry tale of how foreign cartels stole Australian gas reserves and fed them to China while the local economy was starved of it.

It began during the GFC-period when advances in unconventional gas extraction (fracking, shale, coal seam etc) made huge reserves in Queensland viable for extraction. Three conglomerates of largely multinational firms built infrastructure systems across the east of the state to extract, pipe and freeze that gas for export.

They spent some $80 billion doing so, in a mad race that duplicated everything, over-invested in production and crashed the global gas price, forcing them to write off tens of billions on their investment.

Meanwhile, in poor little Australia, which actually owned the gas, the moment the export trains opened the price began to rise because there was not enough left over for locals.

The price rose from $4Gj relentlessly until we were paying $20Gj in 2017 – more for our own gas than our Asian customers.

Worse, because gas sets the marginal cost of electricity on the east coast, whenever its cost rises, power prices go mad as well, hugely multiplying the negative impacts on the economy.

The Turnbull government recognized the folly of this in 2017 and installed the Australian Domestic Gas Security Mechanism (ADGSM). That crashed the gas price back under $10Gj, though it remained much higher than it had been traditionally.

But that was not the end of it. Whenever there has been cold weather, or coal or other outages in the power market, or international shortages, the gas cartel has popped up again to squeeze local prices higher.

This serial debacle most recently came to a head with the war in Ukraine and Russian sanctions which have left the world short of gas and Australian prices have gone to as high as $65Gj, the market has been suspended and electricity prices have been driven up by 600 per cent to boot.

This is a $50 billion gouge by the energy cartels that are effectively war-profiteering at every Australian’s expense. Soon, these price rises will deliver an extra 6 per cent CPI inflation, ensuring the RBA has to drive interest rates higher than many households can bear.

And for what? The gas cartel will not invest anymore. There’ll be no jobs created. Governments will receive no tax dividend owing to broken laws and the massive writedowns on the projects.

Indeed, this episode will be recounted by economic historians as the worst case of the “resources curse” ever. (It’s sometimes called Dutch Disease after the Netherlands’ broader economy suffered in the ’70s with the development of North Sea oil resources that lifted its currency and falling competitiveness hollowed out the industry.)

If Dutch Disease is a national cold, then Australian Disease is like an inoperable brain tumour. It has allowed miners to steal the resource, pay no tax, force scarcity pricing on the extractive nation, and raise the currency. All of which have already decimated industry, hobbled national income, and will soon begin to deflate household wealth as well.

how to fix it

The new Labor Government has been forced to confront this reality to some extent. Untenable energy prices have triggered a review of the Turnbull domestic reservation mechanism. This is all to the good, but what should it look like?

First, the reformed ADGSM must include a price trigger. As it stands, it is a volume measure that is too unwieldy to be effective. The ADGSM should automatically divert gas from export the moment the price goes over $7Gj. This is plenty high enough for the gas cartel to make money out of it. The reserves are quite cheap and since they’ve written off so much investment, the gas has become even cheaper on a cash basis.

The new ADGSM should apply to all three conglomerates. Although it is the Santos-led GLNG that has come to be most short of gas and openly lied about it, all three joint ventures knew what they were doing when they overinvested to leave Australia short of gas. Besides, as Bass Strait gas bleeds out, the shortage will only get worse and the future will require as much as 15 per cent of the gas currently exported to remain at home. That’s a burden best shared by all three projects.

A second option is to use export levies. If we set a baseline for profits at pre-Ukraine war prices around $7Gj, then levy the gas cartel for every export dollar above that price, then the local price of gas would collapse and Australians collect the war windfall instead of firms that have no right to it.

Third, we could install a super-profits tax on the cartel and recycle that revenue as energy subsidies for everybody else. That is a pretty clunky solution but it delivers the same end.

With any and all of these solutions, the cartel will scream “sovereign risk”. But so what? It was its mistakes that created this untenable situation. Australians should not have to pay for them.

Moreover, export gas contracts are renegotiated all the time. Just a few weeks ago, one member of the gas cartel, Shell, declared force majeur (that is undelivered but contracted gas) over something as trivial as a maritime labor dispute.

The larger truth is that the cartel is a risk to the sovereign and everyone within it.

Read related topics:Cost Of Living

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Categories
Australia

Sydney news: Kean, Elliot, Ward, Henskens fri for Liberal deputy leadership after Stuart Ayres’s resignation

A man wearing a suit

Here’s what you need to know this morning.

Replacing Stuart Ayres

Jostling is underway for the deputy leadership of the New South Wales Liberal Party after the resignation of Stuart Ayres from cabinet yesterday.

The main contenders so far are: Treasurer Matt Kean, Transport Minister David Elliott, Metropolitan Roads Minister Natalie Ward and the Science, Innovation and Technology and Skills and Training Minister Alister Henskens.

Mr Ayres resigned from his portfolios and leadership position in the Liberal Party after an inquiry “raised concerns” about his conduct in the appointment of John Barilaro to a lucrative US trade role.

The deputy leadership will be determined at a party room meeting next Tuesday.

Premier Dominic Perrottet has announced three New South Wales ministers will have their portfolios expanded to take over Mr Ayres’s ministerial responsibilities.

Mr Henskens will also add Enterprise, Investment and Trade and Sport to his list of portfolios.

Ben Franklin — who already is Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Minister for the Arts, and Minister for Regional Youth — will add Minister for Tourism to his portfolio.

David Elliott — who is Minister for Transport and Minister for Veterans Affairs — will add Minister for Western Sydney to his portfolio.

Aboriginal inmates on rise

New data reveals Aboriginal people remain over-represented in NSW jails.

Bureau of Crime Statistics figures show the overall number of prisoners dropped since the start of the COVID pandemic, with around 1,000 fewer inmates than three years ago.

However the number of Aboriginal men in jail has risen by more than 100 and they are now 28 per cent of the jail population.

Aboriginal women make up 40 per cent of the state’s jail population.

Police release images in murder probe

A woman in a white car
Police have released images of a man and woman who may have seen something that can help their investigation. (Supplied: NSW Police)

Detectives have released images of two people they believe could help with their investigations into the murder of Western Sydney man Shady Kanj.

Shortly after 11pm on Friday, August 6, Mr Kanj was treated for gun shot wounds by paramedics on Rhodes Avenue, Guildford.

Despite their efforts, Mr Kanj died at the scene.

Strike force detectives have released CCTV of a man and woman in a white Audi Q5 captured at a fast-food restaurant on the corner of Vaughan Street and Olympic Drive at Lidcombe prior to the murder.

They do not believe the man and woman were involved in the murder, however, they may have information that could assist with inquiries.

Homicide squad commander Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty urged the man and woman, or those with knowledge of their identities, to come forward.

Premier criticized over Leichhardt snub

Paul Gallen runs out at Leichhardt Oval
Leichhardt Oval is set to miss out on redevelopment funding.(AAP Images: Craig Golding)

New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet has been criticized for committing more than $300 million to rebuilding Penrith Stadium while ignoring Leichhardt Oval.

NRL boss Peter V’landys said the government had reneged on a promise to upgrade a number of suburban grounds.

Inner-West Deputy Mayor Jessica D’Arienzo said that it was despite more games and more sports being played at Leichhardt.

“It means that, again, Leichhardt misses out,” Ms D’Arienzo said.

“We should make it clear that it’s not just the Tigers that play there. Actually, you’ve got soccer, the rugby league and rugby union. We’ve got around 50 to 60 games a year being played on Leichhardt oval.”

Call for flood report’s release

a man looking
NSW Labor’s Jihad Dib wants the findings released.(abcnews)

The New South Wales government has been criticized by the opposition for failing to release the findings of an inquiry into the floods earlier this year.

Severe weather and flooding devastated the Northern Rivers and Hawkesbury Nepean regions in February and March.

Premier Dominic Perrottet was due to release the final report from the inquiry on July 31.

Opposition emergency services and climate and environment spokesperson Jihad Dib said Mr Perrottet must put aside political issues within his party and release the report immediately.

“Local communities that are devastated by the floods are not interested in the government’s internal rumblings,” he said.

“What they’re interested in is a report that identifies what went wrong and a pathway forward into the future.

“He needs to release the report now rather than when its politically expedient to do so.”

Empty CBD offices

The number of empty offices in Sydney’s CBD has risen, which the property council says is due to an increase in supply.

Office vacancies in the CBD have risen from 9.3 per cent to 10.1 per cent, according to the Property Council of Australia’s latest Office Market Report.

The council says that, while vacancies have risen, the figures are actually positive, given the pressures of COVID-19, working from home and industrial action.

Property Council executive director Luke Achterstraat said there was still strong commercial property confidence in Sydney.

Thredbo cancels lift operations

A landscape photo of the ski slopes at Thredbo in 2019
Damaging winds averaging 80 to 90 kilometers per hour are forecast. (ABC South East NSW: Adriane Reardon)

Thredbo resort has made the decision not to operate any ski lifts on Thursday due to an extreme weather forecast.

A complex low pressure system, along with an associated through and cold front, are causing vigorous winds across south-east New South Wales, as well as the potential for heavy rainfall from Thursday morning.

Damaging winds averaging 80-90 kilometers per hour are forecast for Alpine areas above 1,900 meters.

Five teenagers charged after stabbing

Police have charged five teenagers after a stabbing at Bankstown in South-West Sydney.

About 3:15pm yesterday, emergency services were called to Chapel Road, where they found a 15-year-old boy with stab wounds, who they took to hospital.

Two other 15-year-old boys were also injured.

Five teenagers aged between 15 and 16 years were arrested.

The five were taken to Bankstown Police Station, where all were charged with reckless wounding in company, and affray.

They were refused bail and are due to appear before a Children’s Court on Thursday.

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Categories
Entertainment

Jodi Gordon rugs up head-to-toe in black as she steps out for a walk in Double Bay

Jodi Gordon appears to be in good spirits as she was spotted on a morning walk, following her recent 30-day rehab stint

Jodi Gordon appears to be in good spirits following a recent 30-day rehab stint.

The former soap star, 37, was photographed heading out for a stroll through the affluent Sydney suburb of Double Bay on Wednesday.

Jodi opted for a chic look – dressed head-to-toe in black activewear. She kept herself warm in a black puffer vest, a black long-sleeved top and leggings.

Jodi Gordon appears to be in good spirits as she was spotted on a morning walk, following her recent 30-day rehab stint

Jodi Gordon appears to be in good spirits as she was spotted on a morning walk, following her recent 30-day rehab stint

She topped off her look with a $240 black beanie from Acne Studios, while accessorizing with gorgeous drop pearl earrings and a black Gucci handbag.

Jodi spent 30 days in rehab for alcohol addiction earlier this year, and is now on the path to redemption after embracing a healthier lifestyle, banning booze and staying single.

‘Life isn’t always perfect, you go through your ups and downs’, Jodi exclusively told Daily Mail Australia at the launch of Life Botanics’ new vitamin range in Sydney last month.

‘I’ve made some big changes this year. So it’s been a journey of getting my life to a place where I’m making changes, really taking time to invest in myself.’

Jodi opted for a chic look - dressed head-to-toe in black activewear. She kept herself warm in a black puffer vest, a black long-sleeved top and leggings

Jodi opted for a chic look – dressed head-to-toe in black activewear. She kept herself warm in a black puffer vest, a black long-sleeved top and leggings

She topped off her look with a $240 black beanie from Acne Studios, while accessorizing with gorgeous drop pearl earrings and a black Gucci handbag

She topped off her look with a $240 black beanie from Acne Studios, while accessorizing with gorgeous drop pearl earrings and a black Gucci handbag

Jodi, who is Life Botanics’ celebrity ambassador, said she’s been making positive changes in recent months, including following an exercise regimen, practicing meditation and looking after her nutrition.

‘I’m making changes where I want to create the life that is good for me. Looking after myself, my wellness. Just waking up in the morning and seeing what I really need and what’s going to be beneficial for myself to get through a day,’ she explained.

‘Quit alcohol. I do n’t drink, ‘Jodi, who previously described booze as her de ella’ poison ‘de ella, added.

Jodi, who is Life Botanics' celebrity ambassador, said she's been making positive changes in recent months, including following an exercise regimen, practicing meditation and looking after her nutrition

Jodi, who is Life Botanics’ celebrity ambassador, said she’s been making positive changes in recent months, including following an exercise regimen, practicing meditation and looking after her nutrition

The former Home and Away star underwent ‘immersion therapy’ at an exclusive alcohol rehabilitation clinic called The Sydney Retreat in Stanmore, where clients are offered a ’30-day recovery program’ for $8,800.

She checked herself in following her acrimonious split from investment banker Sebastian Blackler.

The exes are currently subject to court ordered AVOs prohibiting them from contacting each other until April 2024.

Jodi has suffered a string of doomed romances over the years, including with Channel Seven heir Ryan Stokes, entrepreneur Aidan Walsh and a lawyer only known as Cedric.

Jodi checked into an alcohol rehabilitation clinic earlier this year, following her acrimonious split from investment banker Sebastian Blackler (right)

Jodi checked into an alcohol rehabilitation clinic earlier this year, following her acrimonious split from investment banker Sebastian Blackler (right)

'Life isn't always perfect you go through your ups and downs', Jodi exclusively told Daily Mail Australia at the launch of Life Botanics' new vitamin range in Sydney last month

‘Life isn’t always perfect you go through your ups and downs’, Jodi exclusively told Daily Mail Australia at the launch of Life Botanics’ new vitamin range in Sydney last month

She also dated controversial real estate agent Warren Ginsberg in 2016, years before he was convicted after pleading guilty to drug possession last year.

When quizzed on her love life, Jodi told Daily Mail Australia that she is now single and hopes to stay that way for the time being.

There’s nothing happening [in my love life],’ she said, adding: ‘I talk about health and wellbeing and things like that, and part of that is taking care of myself. Making changes for me means looking after me and not involving anyone else in it. So definitely, no time for that.’

Jodi told Daily Mail Australia that she is now single and hopes to stay that way for the time being

Jodi told Daily Mail Australia that she is now single and hopes to stay that way for the time being

Jodi partnered with Life Botanics at the start of the year, and swears by the brand's hyaluronic acid capsules and marine collagen powder to hydrate the skin and promote hair and nail growth

Jodi partnered with Life Botanics at the start of the year, and swears by the brand’s hyaluronic acid capsules and marine collagen powder to hydrate the skin and promote hair and nail growth

‘Giving back to myself and making sure I’m in a good place,’ she continued. ‘There’s no inviting anyone else into my life until I’m in the right space.’

Jodi, who is best known for playing Elly Conway on Neighbors between 2016 and 2020, was previously married to rugby league footballer Braith Anasta, 40, between 2012 and 2015.

The pair welcomed daughter Aleeia, eight, back in 2014.

Jodi, who is best known for playing Elly Conway on Neighbors between 2016 and 2020, was previously married to rugby league footballer Braith Anasta, 40, between 2012 and 2015. Pictured together in 2011

Jodi, who is best known for playing Elly Conway on Neighbors between 2016 and 2020, was previously married to rugby league footballer Braith Anasta, 40, between 2012 and 2015. Pictured together in 2011

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Categories
Business

Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin: Broome airport hit with massive flight delay record

Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin: Broome airport hit with massive flight delay record

Flights leaving one Australian airport have had the largest delays in the entire country, with almost 70 per cent of planes delayed.

Figures, released by the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics report, found less than 30 per cent of flights headed from Broome to Perth left on time, the worst route in the entire country.

The report looked at delays and cancellations across all major Australian airport in the month of June.

Airlines included in the report were Virgin Australia, Qantas, Jetstar, QantasLink and Rex Airlines.

The figures for on time arrivals in June reached all time lows for all 58 travel routes looked at.

Qantas recorded the highest percentage of cancellations at 8.1 per cent during the month, followed by QantasLink, Virgin Australia, Jetstar, Virgin Australia Regional Airlines and Rex Airlines.

Australia’s signature airline company Qantas recorded just over half of their airlines arrived on time in June, at 59 per cent, while Virgin achieved the highest level of on time departures among the major domestic airlines at 60 per cent.

A Qantas spokesperson told NCA NewsWire these flight delays and cancellations are not the kind of performance that they were delivering pre-Covid.

“A rise in COVID and other illnesses among airline crew as well as the tight labor market led to flight disruptions for all domestic airlines in June.” they said.

“We had rostered additional crew on standby which helped lessen the impact of COVID-related crew absences and meant 85 per cent of our domestic flights for the month departed within an hour of schedule.”

“Flight cancellations in July were lower than they were in June, call center wait times are now better than they were pre-COVID and our mishandled bag rates are close to what they were before the pandemic.”

Mildura Airport, which is located in northwest Victoria, recorded the lowest percentage of on time arrivals sitting at more than 47 per cent, while Alice Springs Airport recorded the highest rate of on time arrivals at 87 per cent.

Cancellations were highest on the Sydney-Melbourne route at 15.3 per cent, followed by the Melbourne-Sydney route at 14.9 per cent, and the Sydney-Canberra route at 11.1 per cent.

The report follows after more than 21 flights were canceled in Sydney across the Qantas, Virgin Australia, Jetstar and Rex networks on Tuesday.

Virgin dumped 10 flights, Qantas nixed eight, with two pulled from Jetstar and one from Rex, combined with an additional 20 flights scrapped at Melbourne Airport as of 8.30am on Tuesday.

Both domestic and international flights with major aussie airlines alongside Emirates, British Airways and American Airlines were also dumped on Monday between 6.30am-7am.

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