Latest news with #BondiJunction
News.com.au
21-07-2025
- News.com.au
Waverley Council plans permanent memorial to the victims of Bondi Westfield attack
The first early details of a planned permanent memorial to the victims of the Bondi Westfield attack have emerged, with initial proposals for a new 'garden space' that might serve as a place for 'reflection and respite'. Waverley Council, which takes in the eastern Sydney suburbs of Bondi Junction and Bondi Beach, is proposing the memorial, with the council's Arts Committee discussing the project in April. A key theme for the memorial could include acknowledging women victims and the council will likely preference a female and Australian artist for the new installation. 'Key themes about women victims and need for mental health care,' Waverley's July 15 meeting document states. 'Preference expressed for a female artist. Garden space / mental health space, a place for reflection and respite, not just an artwork. 'Pressed flowers were such a great part of the one-year anniversary, would be good to keep this intimate, curved, sweeping, softer space (not angular). 'Location will inform input into the type of memorial and potential artist.' Designs and an exact location are still to be decided. The council is now seeking feedback on memorial examples and possible artists. It is expected the council will select artists rather to go to public tender. Joel Cauchi, 40, killed six people – five women – and injured 10 others in a stabbing rampage at the busy Westfield shopping centre on the afternoon of April 13, 2024. Dawn Singleton, Yixuan Cheng, Faraz Ahmed Tahir, Ashlee Good, Jade Young and Pikria Darchia lost their lives in the attack. NSW Police Inspector Amy Scott shot Cauchi dead, ending the rampage. A five-week coronial inquest into Cauchi's state of mind both before and during the fatal attack took place in April. The 40-year-old killer was diagnosed with schizophrenia when he was 17 and was medicated for more than a decade to treat the condition until he ceased taking all psychotropic medication in June 2019, the inquest heard. On the day of the attack, Cauchi was 'floridly psychotic', a panel of five psychiatrists told the court. To date, makeshift memorials have been set up for the community to mourn the event. From April 10 to 16 this year, two commemorative display boards were installed in Oxford Street Mall in Bondi Junction. The displays showcased photographs, messages and images from the floral tributes and vigil, offering a space for reflection. 'One year on, we pause and reflect on the tragic events of April 13 and remember the strength of the community in the days following,' NSW Premier Chris Minns said in April. 'Our thoughts are with the victims' families, those injured, first responders and all those whose lives were changed forever.'
News.com.au
19-07-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Inside the state's best church conversion properties
They were once Houses of God – now they're home to a big spending elite seeking luxury living with a divine twist. A growing number of historic churches across NSW have undergone jaw-dropping makeovers into up-market homes with cathedral ceilings, stained-glass windows and alters turned into showpieces for big screen TVs. The former churches – many buildings that once housed large congregations before falling out of use – have become a magnet for developers cashing in on the city's hunger for character homes. It's a real estate resurrection powered by both shifting values and brutal economics. As congregations dwindle and church attendance drops across Australia, many religious institutions are left grappling with the rising cost of maintaining ageing buildings. Dozens of churches, particularly in regional NSW, have been quietly sold off over the past decade, attracting builders with bold visions and big budgets. Real estate agent Holly Newbigging of One Agency, who has sold church conversions, said buyers were drawn to many aspects of owning one. 'There's something truly special about them,' she said. 'The character, the history, the sense of space you simply can't recreate with a standard build. 'Homes like this offer a rare opportunity to own a piece of architectural history, transformed for modern living.' One of the most recent sales was one of two residences converted from the old Mill Hill church in Bondi Junction. The home sold for $4.25 million in February. A previous owner, Julie Phillips, told The Sunday Telegraph shortly before selling the home in 2021 that she had been 'intrigued' by the 'dramatic' style of the church-turned-home. She revealed that the home had a 'wonderful atmosphere' and that occasionally she would get people knocking on her door wondering when church proceedings would start. Out in Downside, just north of Wagga Wagga, an old Presbyterian Church remodelled into a modern five-bedroom, three-bathroom residence is now up for sale. Ms Newbigging said the home on Downside Rd was an 'exemplary blend' of past and present. 'The main living, dining, and kitchen area occupies what was once the Downside Presbyterian Church, built in 1937,' she said. 'Original brickwork and soaring ceilings have been beautifully preserved, creating a sense of space and grandeur.' The home is listed for $2.4 million, $1.7 million above the median house price in Wagga Wagga. MORE: Brutal reaction to 3D printed public housing In Waratah, a northwestern suburb of Newcastle, a church on Station St built in 1955 has been converted into a home, now up for sale. No price guide has been released but an automated valuation on estimated the home to be worth about $2.6 million. Once used by Uniting Church, the property comprises the church and hall next door. The former nave is now a living area which maintains its high cathedral ceilings and a centrepiece stained glass window. In Orange, a church at 1 Bathurst Rd that was operational for over 100 years is being offered as a potential conversion site. The church, which held its last service in 2018, is up for sale with McGrath Orange director Scott Petersen. 'I've had a huge amount of interest from far and wide,' Mr Petersen said. 'The recent DA approval opens up options such as a wine bar, cafe, restaurant or small events venue.' According to Churches Australia, it was the site of the declaration of Orange as a city in 1946. Returning to Sydney, a striking sandstone church on Mocur St in Woollahra remains one of the oldest churches to be converted into a residence. Built in 1877 by architect Benjamin Backhouse, the revamped gothic cathedral turned luxury house sold for a cool $4.8 million.
News.com.au
26-06-2025
- General
- News.com.au
New theory on mystery $100m Powerball jackpot winner as search continues
Officials believe the winning ticket to Powerball's huge $100m jackpot could be lost or simply hiding in plain sight, as the search for its mystery owner continues. Two weeks on from the June 12 draw, the winner of the extraordinary windfall still has not been able to be contacted. It has been confirmed the ticket was purchased at Bondi Junction Newsagency and Internet Cafe, but as it was not registered with The Lott Members Club, officials have not been able to contact the winner directly. The Lott spokesman Matt Hart said division one winners had come forward months - or even years - later to collect their prize. 'In most cases, these winners have told us the winning ticket was hiding in plain sight the whole time – in their wallet or purse, in the car console or on the fridge door,' he said. 'Given the enormity of this prize, we're very eager for this mystery player, who now shares the title of Australia's third biggest lottery winner, to discover - and, more importantly, start enjoying - their good fortune.' A two-week provisional period applies for all division one wins before prize money can be paid out. Officials said if the winner came forward within this time frame, their bank account could have been boosted by $100m as early as Friday. In NSW, players have six years to claim their prizes before the money is forfeited. 'After that time, the prize is gone,' Mr Hart said. 'So while there is plenty of time, the clock is ticking.' While behind-the-scenes efforts continue to identify the winner, The Lott is urging anyone who purchased a ticket from Bondi Junction Newsagency to double-check their numbers and get in touch immediately. 'While we're working behind the scenes to collate all the information we can about this mystery winner so we can unite them with their prize, we're hoping they check their ticket and make contact with us as soon as possible to start the prize claim process,' Mr Hart said. 'This is a great reminder to every lottery player – your ticket could be worth millions of dollars, so it makes sense that if you're going to buy one, you should register it to The Lott Members Club. It's free, simple and ensures you are paid the prizes you win.' The winning numbers in draw 1517 were 28, 10, 3, 16, 31, 14 and 21, with the Powerball number 6. A Queensland woman was the last person to claim a $100m Powerball prize, taking home half of a $200m jackpot in February last year. The odds of a single winning division one entry remain astronomically steep, at more than 134 million to one.
Times
26-06-2025
- Health
- Times
Times letters: Failure to follow basics of maternity care
Write to letters@ Sir, Alice Thomson's article on the 'dire state of maternity care' in the UK is to be welcomed ('Too many women see childbirth as traumatic', comment, Jun 25). I am an obstetrician who has worked in the UK, New Zealand (under a no-fault system) and Australia (with litigation). A no-fault system has appeal given the astronomical costs of maternity litigation in the UK. However, I disagree that 'a no-fault policy would encourage the medical profession to open up about their mistakes'. A 'mistake' is when a doctor or nurse gives an incorrect dose of a medication. Most of the tragedies in Morecambe Bay, Shrewsbury and Telford were not 'mistakes', they were failures to enact the basics of maternity care (failure to listen to women, failure to recognise risk factors, failure to escalate care appropriately, inappropriate attempts to achieve vaginal births and delays in performing emergency caesareans). These failings have been compounded by NHS trusts covering up errors, blaming victims and, now, destruction of records. A no-fault system will, by definition, minimise the consequences of the actions I have described at a time when women and society are seeking transparency and Rob BuistBondi Junction, New South Wales Sir, The basic truth is that the technical skill levels of those delivering babies are poor. Until that is addressed tinkering will not make much difference. The insertion of local anaesthetic into the perineum, and a carefully performed episiotomy (a surgical incision in the perineum) with a surgically accurate repair afterwards, should be the minimum standard expected of anyone delivering babies. Leaving the mother to strain and then rip her perineum is barbaric. Wes Streeting needs to listen to a wider range of opinion and devise additional training and monitoring of practices, whether by midwives, medically qualified practitioners or even a new 'birthing technician'. Perhaps that could be a meaningful role for physician associates, those non-qualified physician assistants that are being Piper, FRCSDartmouth, Devon Sir, Wes Streeting has announced a national investigation into maternity services owing to repeated failings, yet often there is a recurrent theme of women and their partners not being listened to when they feel there is a problem. Nearly 40 years ago, when my wife was in labour with our first-born, we overheard her being quickly labelled as the young female doctor making a fuss. She was given strong injections of painkillers and sedatives, one of which was used to treat schizophrenia at the time, and only then examined to reveal she was ready to push. Our daughter was delivered rapidly, flat and barely breathing. With no paediatrician in sight I was asked to give her the antidote injection. I dread to think what would have happened had I not been medically trained. Until 'attitude to patients' is given the highest priority in the training curriculum and in continuing personal educational development, I can see the same headlines in another 40 years' David MaddamsRet'd GP and GP trainer, Ware, Herts Sir, Resident doctors may be 'excited' or even 'energised' by the prospect of strike action but they appear to have lost sight of the fact that many of them are trainees ('Medical union 'excited' about walking out again', Jun 25). Are they really 'excited' to lose valuable training time, and risk damaging their exam results and harming their opportunities to achieve promotion to the higher grades? One does not learn by standing on picket Hoile, FRCSRet'd consultant surgeon, Hempstead, Kent Sir, The belligerence of the BMA and junior doctors horrifies me. The claim that they are 'excited' at the prospect of further strike action is both sad and misdirected. These newly qualified doctors need to remind themselves why they chose to study medicine. One would hope it was because they wanted to be part of our NHS, striving to cure the sick, rather than wanting mega salaries. The biggest reward is surely grateful FabriciusUpper Clatford, Hants Sir, To fund the government's pledge to spend 5 per cent of GDP on defence by 2035 (Jun 24), a 'defence bond' should be issued immediately. This would have a maturity of ten years and carry no interest. The subscribers to the bond, which would itself be non-negotiable, would benefit in terms of inheritance tax due upon their death: the bond would have 2x the value of the bond as a credit against their IHT bill. To ensure that the Treasury remained supportive of this IHT credit, the multiple of 2x the face value would be reduced for those subscribers who died before the ten-year period was completed. Many British citizens, like me, would consider this unusual investment a way of increasing the safety of our William CastellFormer chairman of the Wellcome Trust; Oxted, Surrey Sir, I agree with Robert Duffield's recommendation of a crackdown on fraud and error (letter, Jun 25) as the way to fund the £40 billion needed for our security, but many previous attempts at this have produced limited returns. We should be bold and introduce the publication of tax returns: the honest have nothing to fear; the dishonest will be caught out by their neighbours, and be forced to pay up, by HMRC and peer HaywardLlandrindod Wells, Powys Sir, I wholeheartedly agree with your leading article ('Battle of the Bulge', Jun 24) on the benefits of prescribing Mounjaro to a broader cohort of patients in need. I work in primary care and have seen astonishing results in patients paying to take this medication: it is beneficial not only in reducing the chronic illness often associated with obesity but also in the psychological wellbeing of this group. Unfortunately our local integrated care board does not share this enthusiasm and has issued a directive to all GPs in Suffolk and northeast Essex advising that GPs should not provide these medications directly for weight loss. Instead, the local NHS has chosen the community outreach service model. This means that access is available only through a specialist NHS weight management service — which is not operating at present. It would seem that those most clinically in need are subject to a postcode lottery of ShirleyNurse practitioner, Nayland, Suffolk Sir, Your editorial suggests that you agree with Wes Streeting's view that making Mounjaro widely available on the NHS will cure the country's economic ills by enabling patients to return to work and reducing demand on the NHS. Although there may be some people in whom a 25 per cent reduction in body weight will prompt a return to work, I suspect this will not be the case for most. This is because obesity per se does not stop you from working, and many of the psychological and social factors leading to people becoming obese are also the reasons that stop people from working. A more likely scenario is that by prolonging life expectancy these medications will lead to increased demand on the NHS and social services at a later date, with an associated and unbudgeted increase in cost to the Oliver DukeConsultant physician (ret'd), London SW2 Sir, I fear Polly Mackenzie is being rather fanciful in her idea that the government can persuade benefits claimants that finding a job would be good for them ('This is how you get the sick back to work', Jun 25). I am sure there are some people who, given the appropriate support, would welcome the chance of employment — but there are many more for whom a life on benefits is always going to be preferable to getting out of bed every morning to go to a job that is likely to be thankless, tedious and not even financially beneficial. Unfortunately the appeal of a life on benefits over the drudgery and low pay of employment has been increasing for decades. This attitude has now become baked in and will take more than gentle persuasion and platitudes to WardIpswich Sir, Steven Morris (letter, Jun 25) states that 'two in five disabled people with complex needs will struggle financially if these cuts go ahead'. This appears to be the key to the conundrum: how does the government reform the benefits system such that the target is the three in five disabled recipients of personal independence plans who would not struggle financially?Andy ThorpLittle Canfield, Essex Sir, I applaud James Marriott for reminding us of Joan Didion's motto 'I write to find out what I am thinking' ('Not reading or writing would be unthinkable', Jun 24). The problem predates AI. I taught A-level pupils for several decades and always insisted on handwritten essays, although once these were composed students were welcome to type them out if they chose. Note-taking, planning, structuring and ordering one's ideas and then writing them — with careful choice of words so as to communicate precisely the points one wants to convey — can be done competently on a computer by few seasoned writers. Many undergraduates who write directly on computers find their essays returned with low marks because they are unstructured, poorly expressed and replete with unconnected points. AI only compounds the HamlynLondon W5 Sir, I concur with Henry Mabbett (letter, Jun 25) about there being too much sport, but for more personal reasons. Whenever I look at my dear husband, he has his eyes glued to his iPhone or the television. My life is constrained by the near-constant cacophony of commentary on darts, tennis, rugby, football and cricket, whereby homely marital communication is ebbing away. I have to wait for breaks in play if I want to catch his attention. What a life!Jan NorrisBroadwas-on-Teme, Worcs Sir, India's home minister, Amit Shah, says the day is coming when Indians who speak English will feel ashamed to do so ('Modi minister tells Indians it is shameful to speak English', Jun 24. Shah might be reminded that when Jawaharlal Nehru delivered his maiden speech on becoming prime minister in 1947, he addressed the nation in English and championed it as a vital language for India's StewartLondon W11 Sir, I have often been impressed by the comments of Matthew Parris (Notebook, Jun 25). Now I learn he can spot an Englishman among the 'pixels' of 10,000 faces; no Welsh, no Scots, no Irish, no white Europeans, just Englishmen. What a BryantWinscombe, Somerset Sir, I rather like Matthew Parris's attempt to link Jarvis Cocker with the ardour, longing, irony, tenderness and passion of another five white Englishmen. May I suggest as an alternative five Gerald Finzi, Edward Thomas, Eric Ravilious, and both Mole and Mr Toad from The Wind in the Willows?Stephen PollardTunbridge Wells, Kent Sir, My mother would have agreed with Victoria Hawthorn's mother (letter, Jun 25) that a gentleman should wear well-polished shoes, but would also have insisted on a snowy white handkerchief in his CowieShandon, Argyll & Bute Write to letters@
Daily Mail
25-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Powerball winner: Theory emerges about what happened amid frantic search
The Lott has launched an urgent search for the $100million Powerball winner - sparking some to theorise that the winner may have lost or damaged the ticket. Had the division one winner from the Powerball draw on Thursday, 12 June, come forward during the past fortnight, they could have seen their bank account boosted by $100million as early as tomorrow. The Lott spokesperson, Matt Hart, said he hadn't lost hope of uniting the $100million prize with its rightful owner. 'Given the enormity of this prize, we're very eager for this mystery player, who now shares the title of Australia's third-biggest lottery winner, to discover and, more importantly, start enjoying their good fortune. 'In New South Wales, players have six years to claim their prize. After that time, the prize is gone. So, while there is plenty of time, the clock is ticking. 'While we're working behind the scenes to collate all the information we can about this mystery winner so we can unite them with their prize, we're hoping they check their ticket and make contact with us as soon as possible to start the prize claim process.' The winning entry was purchased at Bondi Junction Newsagency, Shop 2, 191–195 Oxford Street, Bondi Junction. However, it was not registered to The Lott Members Club. If it had been, lottery officials would have reached out to the winning ticketholder immediately after the draw. The Lott spokesperson Khat McIntyre explained the Powerball winner would have been contacted already if they had registered their ticket to The Lott Members Club. 'Even if you happen to lose or damage your winning ticket, if it is registered to you, we could still unite you with your prize, providing the ultimate peace of mind. 'Remember, your lottery ticket could be worth millions of dollars, so it makes sense that if you're going to buy a ticket, you should register it to The Lott Members Club. 'Joining is easy and free – simply ask your retailer when you're next in-store or register online or via The Lott app.' 'This prize is ready to be put into someone's bank account in a week's time – on Friday 27 June 2025,' Ms McIntyre said. 'What a way to end the financial year!' Some Aussies are already theorising that the winner lost or damaged their ticket. 'I've lost a Lotto ticket before - maybe it's happened to the $100million winner,' one said. 'Imagine if they put it through the washing machine and it's damaged.' The winning entry was bought from Bondi Junction Newsagency and Internet Cafe, in Sydney's eastern suburbs. 'It's legendary to hear we've sold the winning ticket,' owner Manish said. 'I'm hoping it's one of our regular customers but you never know, it could be a tourist too. We're located right next to the closest station to Bondi Beach.' A Queensland woman was the last person to take home $100m, pocketing half of a $200million Powerball jackpot in February 2024. The odds of a single entry winning the division-one prize are more than 134 million to one.
