Education
Staff at Aussie university to receive $8 million in underpayments
Some staff were underpaid by more than $92,400.
2 min read
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Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
New laws with up to $80,000 fine that many don't know is illegal: 'Happening weekly'
A leading Aussie lawyer is urging the public to take note of a fast-growing trend he now sees on a "weekly" basis — warning it could cost you thousands in fines or even land you behind bars, with penalties climbing as high as $80,000 in some regions. Avinash Singh has seen firsthand how the growing trend is taking hold, particularly among young people and those involved in the drug trade. "Most of those carrying knives either wrongly believe they are allowed to for self-defence. Or, they know they cannot carry knives for self-defence but do so anyway, because the consequences of not carrying a knife are more severe than being caught with one," Singh told Yahoo News Australia. He said that while some young people claim they carry knives to feel safe, especially in certain areas, self-defence is not considered a reasonable excuse under the law. "People who carry knives should be aware that the new laws are intended to significantly increase the penalties for these offences, including jail time," Singh, Principal Lawyer at Astor Legal, warned. The warning comes after police arrested a 15-year-old boy in NSW this week, after an alleged knife incident at Macquarie Park on June 9. He stands accused of chasing three people with a machete near a shopping centre bus stop. On Wednesday, police shot a teen girl after she allegedly wielded a knife and made threats outside a Townsville pub in Queensland. Every Australian jurisdiction has laws prohibiting the carrying of knives without a lawful reason, and penalties have become significantly tougher in 2025. In New South Wales, carrying a knife without a lawful excuse carries a maximum penalty of four years' imprisonment and a fine of $4,400. From September, the penalties in Victoria will increase, with offenders facing up to two years behind bars and fines of $30,700. In Queensland, knife possession can land you a year in prison and a fine of up to $6,452. The state has also made it illegal to sell knives to anyone under 18, with the change coming into effect on September 1, 2024. Western Australia has some of the most severe monetary penalties, with individuals facing up to three years' imprisonment and fines reaching $36,000. In South Australia, knife carrying can lead to six months' imprisonment and a $2,500 fine, while Tasmania is moving to increase penalties to three years' imprisonment and fines of up to $20,100, up from the current $10,050. Meanwhile, in the Northern Territory, the maximum penalty is one year in prison or a $37,000 fine. But the Australian Capital Territory imposes the toughest sanctions of all. Those caught with a knife can be sentenced to five years' imprisonment and slapped with a fine of up to $80,000. Singh said the laws have tightened considerably in 2025, with most states now empowering police to conduct warrantless searches and use metal detectors "wanting" where they reasonably suspect someone may be carrying a knife. "Enhanced education, particularly for young people, would be a positive step. Schools should consider adding a course so that young people are aware of the consequences of carrying knives and that self-defence is not a legal defence," he said. Singh explained that under the law, the only reasonable excuses for carrying a knife include things like: needing it for work or training; using it for food preparation (such as camping or hunting); for religious purposes; for a lawful sport or recreational activity; for lawful exhibitions or collections; or as part of wearing an official uniform. "We have represented a number of minors accused of carrying knives — generally from lower socio-economic areas — carrying knives for self-defence. Unfortunately, a lot of these young people have been assaulted and/or threatened themselves," Singh said. "They feel that reporting the matter to police after the fact will do them little good, particularly if they are seriously injured or even killed. As such, they often feel that they have to carry a knife to protect themselves." But Singh says the legal system doesn't allow for this kind of reasoning. In the eyes of the law, a fear of harm — even if justified — is not a defence for possession. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
France 24
2 hours ago
- France 24
Scott's 'old-man par golf' has him in the hunt at US Open
Scott, playing in his 96th consecutive major tournament, has fired back-to-back 70s in the first two rounds at Oakmont to stand on 140, three strokes behind leader Sam Burns and the only player at par or better with a major title. "I feel like this is what I've been working towards," Scott said. "I was kind of in the mix late at the PGA, and now putting myself in this one for the weekend -- it's a long way to go, but I feel like my game is in good enough shape to do this." World number 42 Scott became the first Aussie to win the Masters in 2013, beating Angel Cabrera in a playoff. The most recent of his 14 career PGA Tour titles was in 2020 at Riviera, although he was runner-up last year at the Scottish Open and BMW Championship. "Of course I'd like to win lots more tournaments, any of them, to be perfectly honest. I'd like to win something," Scott said. "I've put together a nice career, but I think another major more would really go a long way in fulfilling my own self, when it's all said and done. "This is all I'm really playing for are these big events. There's probably eight of them off the top of my mind a year that I really want to win." Asked how he would describe his career window to win a US Open, Scott said, "Ajar." Scott, whose major streak began with the 2001 British Open, has the second-longest run of major appearances after the record 146 by Jack Nicklaus 1962-1998. Scott admitted that his consistency at playing in majors might go underappreciated. "Maybe it does," he said. "But I'd be pretty proud of winning this thing on the weekend. That's really what I'm here to do." Scott said he has quietly been building confidence. "There has probably not been many signs to anyone else but me the last month or six weeks that my game is looking better, but I definitely feel more confident than I have been this year," Scott said. "For most of the first two days, I've been in the fairway off the tee, and therefore hasn't been too much stress in the rounds." While handfuls of contenders have charged only to fall by the wayside, Scott's old-man golf is keeping him in the hunt. "It's just hard out there," Scott said. "It's hard to keep it going when guys have got on a run. It seems like they've come back a bit." Heavy rain drenched the course on Friday night, likely making the firm and fast greens more receptive come the weekend. "The rain might keep it under control, hopefully, and spare us some frustrations," he said.
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Adam Scott playing 'old man par golf' at U.S. Open, sits 3 shots off lead after 36 holes
Adam Scott playing 'old man par golf' at U.S. Open, sits 3 shots off lead after 36 holes OAKMONT, Pa. – Adam Scott had the line of the day on Thursday to describe the conditions of Oakmont Country Club for the 125th U.S. Open. 'It's really hard. But it's not blow your brains out kind of hard just yet,' he said after shooting 70. One day later, he was asked for a status update. 'Getting there,' he said. 'Guns loaded, maybe.' But so far, it's been relatively stress-free for the Aussie, who is making his 96thconsecutive major appearance at this week's U.S. Open, the longest active streak. After a pair of even-par 70s at Oakmont, he sits T-4, three strokes behind 36-hole leader Sam Burns, and is a legitimate threat to win his second major title. 'I'm playing old-man-par golf at the moment,' he said of eight birdies and eight bogeys and the rest pars at the midway point of the season's third major. Scott, who will turn 45 on the eve of the British Open next month, knows it has been more than 12 years since he won his lone major at the 2013 Masters and his window to add to his total may be running out. How would he describe his window? 'Ajar,' he deadpanned to laughter. 'I'd be pretty proud of winning this thing on the weekend,' he said. 'Right now, that's really what I'm here to do, and I feel like there's probably not been many signs to anyone else but me the last month or six weeks that my game is looking better. But I definitely feel more confident than I have been this year.' Scott is winless on the PGA Tour since the 2020 Genesis Invitational and hasn't recorded a top-10 finish this season. He blamed his iron game, but that part of his game has come alive so far this week to go along with a fairway finder off the tee. He ranks second in Strokes Gained: Tee to Green, which has taken much of the stress off the rest of his game, and he ranks seventh in both SG: Tee to Green and Approach the Green and fourth in proximity to the hole. Golf Channel's Paul McGinley summed up well what the veteran Scott has been able to do so far at a place where he experienced one of his lowest of lows in 2007 when he missed the cut. 'The golf swing hasn't changed, but this is kind of out of left field,' McGinley said. 'All of his numbers are bad this year, he hasn't had a top 10… so for him to show up and drive it as well as he has, hit his irons as well as he has, and play with this kind of form, I mean, he looks like a guy who can go out there, put some numbers up on the board and add to his major championship total, and nobody would have really talked about him coming into this week.' Scott visited Oakmont for a practice round the Monday after the Memorial and then made a conscious decision to avoid playing the course too much before the championship got underway. He played early Monday, took Tuesday off and did nine holes Wednesday morning. 'Not that I know the course so well but I didn't want to see balls in the rough and hacking around for three days,' he said. Last month, he made a late run at the PGA Championship before backing up a bit. He'd like nothing more than to be in the trophy hunt and see if his experience can deliver him another major moment. 'I think another major more would really go a long way in fulfilling my own self, when it's all said and done,' he said. 'This is all I'm really playing for are these big events. There's probably eight of them off the top of my mind a year that I really want to win.'
