Latest news with #Lawrie
Perth Now
11-08-2025
- Perth Now
Call for e-scooter ban after man's death
A Victorian coroner has called for authorities to consider banning the importation and sale of high speed e-scooters after investigating the death of a 28-year-old man. Coroner Paul Lawrie made the recommendations while delivering his findings last week following an inquest into the death of Moustafa Aboueid in September 2022. Mr Aboueid, a tow truck driver, was thrown from the motorised personal mobility device after hitting a speed bump along Cornwall Rd in Pascoe Vale the morning of September 22. He was flung about 6m and hit the ground head first, suffering extensive skull fractures, and died in hospital a week later. Probing the events surrounding the crash, Mr Lawrie found Mr Aboueid was riding a Kaabo Mantis e-scooter at 50-60km/h prior to losing control – more than twice the maximum legal top speed of 25km/h. As part of the inquest, the coroner examined the laws surrounding the importation of e-scooters into Australia that are governed by the federal Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts (DITRDCA). E-scooters have a 20km/h speed limit in Victoria. NewsWire / David Crosling Credit: News Corp Australia The coroner has called for police powers to seize e-scooters. Picture NewsWire / Ian Currie Credit: News Corp Australia Mr Lawrie found importers of e-scooters could legally bring high-powered scooters into the country by claiming they were intended only for use on private property, not public roads. The coroner described the framework as allowing 'effectively unfettered' importation by retailers, now matter how powerful the device. 'A simple internet search reveals models for sale with advertised top speeds faster than 110km/h – that is, faster than the highest speed limit in Victoria,' Mr Lawrie wrote. 'The advertising for these models includes enticements such as, ' … at a speed faster than a lightning bolt on a caffeine high'.' Mr Laurie described the notion that e-scooters were being imported solely for use on private land as 'fanciful' and noted that DITRDCA had 'ignored the reality of their actual use'. 'The failure to properly regulate the importation of these devices leaves Victoria, like other states and territories, to wrestle with the problem once they are on our roads,' he said. 'Outside of established special use cases, there can be no justification for models easily capable of exceeding the speed limit in most residential streets, let alone models capable of travelling at highway speeds.' A trial of hire e-scooters in Melbourne's CBD ended last year. NewsWire / David Crosling Credit: News Corp Australia The coroner called for DITRDCA to consider a ban on the importation and sale of high-speed or high-power e-scooters, save for individual exemptions where a proper use can be established. He further called for the Victorian government to introduce legislation to allow police to seize offending devices if used on public roads.
Business Insider
21-05-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Marc Lore's Wonder just eliminated one of the most annoying parts of food delivery
Food delivery customers often find a list of fees on their receipt when they order dinner in. Wonder, the food hall startup helmed by entrepreneurMarc Lore, has a solution: Eliminate delivery fees altogether. On Monday, Wonder eliminated its $1.99 fee on delivery orders, Courtney Lawrie, Wonder's senior vice president and general manager in charge of Wonder's restaurants and delivery experience, told Business Insider. The company also waived its 12% service fee for orders placed through Wonder+, its $7.99-a-month subscription service. Delivery fees have become common for many delivery services such as DoorDash and Uber. DoorDash, for example, says that its delivery fee covers "costs associated with getting your order directly to you." The fees can also provoke frustration from customers when they see their delivery order's price rise as they select the delivery option. "People are tired of paying fees across all of these marketplaces," Lawrie told BI. Wonder operates its own food halls as well as its own delivery service, making it more vertically integrated than most of its competitors, which deliver food from an array of restaurants. The startup also acquired delivery service Grubhub earlier this year. All that means that Wonder doesn't have to deal with middlemen when it needs to get food to customers' doorsteps, Lawrie said. "We're uniquely positioned to be able to provide that savings to customers," Lawrie said. Wonder has just under 50 food halls at the moment. Customers can have their food delivered, or, for a 5% discount, they can stop by one of the food halls to pick up their order themselves. Wonder's food halls serve dishes created by chefs including Bobby Flay and Marcus Samuelsson. At Wonder's New York City locations, menu items range from a fried chicken sandwich with a side and a drink for around $12 to a 16-ounce ribeye for $37. Its locations span city centers as well as more sparsely populated suburbs. Wonder sees an opportunity to grow its business among suburban diners by giving them the range of choices in Wonder's food halls, Lawrie said. "They might not have access to the variety that we can provide," she said. Many consumers are cutting back their spending, including on eating at restaurants, due to worries about a potential recession. Even so, demand for food delivery — both restaurant orders and grocery hauls — remains steady, companies like DoorDash and Instacart have said in recent earnings reports.
The Age
21-05-2025
- The Age
Man who covertly swallowed cyanide during arrest had bought the poison online
'Phillip was a caring person who found it difficult to express himself,' she said. 'I feel these missed opportunities in his education meant he did not become the man he could have been.' Reidy used fraudulent details to buy 250 grams of sodium cyanide online from an interstate supplier in July 2023 for $153. The supplier asked him to fill out and sign a form to prove his credentials for an exemption to buy the chemical. That exemption does not exist in Victorian law. Lawrie said Reidy's form should have raised serious concerns as a 'quick internet search' showed the scientific organisation that Reidy claimed to be buying for was actually a blockchain company. The qualification section was also left incomplete. The coroner rejected the supplier's submission that it could only take the form on face value. 'The falsity of the document should have been immediately suspected, and even basic enquiries would have shown the document for what it was,' he said. Lawrie also said it was 'confounding' that Australia did not have consistent national regulations for poisons, despite having a federal poison classification scheme. After ordering the cyanide – infamously used in the Jonestown Massacre and by several prominent Nazis – Reidy told his mother about the purchase, but she did not believe him. Reidy's mental health had deteriorated when he lost money in cryptocurrency and another scam in 2021. He had also been previously arrested for domestic violence, leading him to tell him mum that he'd take his own life if she died, or if he was arrested again. Loading The month before his death, Reidy got into another argument with his partner and slapped her in the face. He later put some cyanide into a drink and threatened to consume it before his partner calmed him. On the day of his death, Reidy cut his finger as he took out the rubbish. He blamed his partner and was captured on CCTV grabbing her throat and throwing her to the floor. His partner then went to Kyneton police station to report the incident, and warned the officer taking her statement that Reidy had cyanide and had almost used it before. But the officer failed to mention this when she briefed her colleague, telling the court in a statement that she was focused on the family violence instead. When other officers went to Reidy's home later that day, they did not know about the cyanide threat. 'I conclude that this is an instance of human fallibility,' the coroner said. However, he said it was not possible to determine whether this would have caused officers to treat Reidy differently when they arrested him. Reidy's mother said her son's life was cut too short. 'I wish that his actions could have been prevented with better communication prior to his death,' Reidy's mother said. 'A child shouldn't die before his parents.'
Sydney Morning Herald
21-05-2025
- Sydney Morning Herald
Man who covertly swallowed cyanide during arrest had bought the poison online
'Phillip was a caring person who found it difficult to express himself,' she said. 'I feel these missed opportunities in his education meant he did not become the man he could have been.' Reidy used fraudulent details to buy 250 grams of sodium cyanide online from an interstate supplier in July 2023 for $153. The supplier asked him to fill out and sign a form to prove his credentials for an exemption to buy the chemical. That exemption does not exist in Victorian law. Lawrie said Reidy's form should have raised serious concerns as a 'quick internet search' showed the scientific organisation that Reidy claimed to be buying for was actually a blockchain company. The qualification section was also left incomplete. The coroner rejected the supplier's submission that it could only take the form on face value. 'The falsity of the document should have been immediately suspected, and even basic enquiries would have shown the document for what it was,' he said. Lawrie also said it was 'confounding' that Australia did not have consistent national regulations for poisons, despite having a federal poison classification scheme. After ordering the cyanide – infamously used in the Jonestown Massacre and by several prominent Nazis – Reidy told his mother about the purchase, but she did not believe him. Reidy's mental health had deteriorated when he lost money in cryptocurrency and another scam in 2021. He had also been previously arrested for domestic violence, leading him to tell him mum that he'd take his own life if she died, or if he was arrested again. Loading The month before his death, Reidy got into another argument with his partner and slapped her in the face. He later put some cyanide into a drink and threatened to consume it before his partner calmed him. On the day of his death, Reidy cut his finger as he took out the rubbish. He blamed his partner and was captured on CCTV grabbing her throat and throwing her to the floor. His partner then went to Kyneton police station to report the incident, and warned the officer taking her statement that Reidy had cyanide and had almost used it before. But the officer failed to mention this when she briefed her colleague, telling the court in a statement that she was focused on the family violence instead. When other officers went to Reidy's home later that day, they did not know about the cyanide threat. 'I conclude that this is an instance of human fallibility,' the coroner said. However, he said it was not possible to determine whether this would have caused officers to treat Reidy differently when they arrested him. Reidy's mother said her son's life was cut too short. 'I wish that his actions could have been prevented with better communication prior to his death,' Reidy's mother said. 'A child shouldn't die before his parents.'
Scotsman
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
Edinburgh Rugby forward backed to be in Lions selection discussion
Lawrie hopes a few from capital side will be called by Andy Farrell Sign up to our Rugby Union newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Jamie Ritchie has been a model of consistency for club and country this season and Edinburgh assistant coach Stevie Lawrie has backed him to be in the conversation for selection for the British & Irish Lions. Edinburgh's Jamie Ritchie celebrates a try against Sharks at Hive Stadium. | SNS Group Andy Farrell will name his squad on Thursday and the back row is likely to be one of the most hotly contested areas. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Ritchie, 28, re-established himself as a Scotland first pick during this year's Six Nations, starting four of the five games and coming off the bench against Ireland. The flanker impressed throughout the championship and has been in similarly fine form for Edinburgh. He was their player of the year last season and has been equally good this time around. Edinburgh's Jamie Ritchie celebrates a try against Sharks at Hive Stadium. | SNS Group Lawrie hopes he is one of a few Edinburgh players who are selected by Farrell, as Pierre Schoeman, Duhan van der Merwe and Darcy Graham also push for inclusion. 'It's super competitive, isn't it?' said Lawrie. 'I'd love to see a few guys involved, but I'm not making any predictions.' Pressed on Ritchie's chances, Lawrie added: 'This year Jamie had played as well as ever. Really outstanding performances for the club and for Scotland. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Jamie Ritchie, left, pictured with Rory Darge, started four of Scotland's five Six Nations matches. | SNS Group / SRU 'He'll definitely be in their selection discussions, He's an absolute warrior. Somebody that gets under the opposition skin as well. You need that niggle and you need that gamesmanship. He's up for every battle and I think he's shown a consistency over the last two years, which has been a credit it to him.' Edinburgh will tap into knockout experience Lawrie knows there could be elation and disappointment within the Edinburgh squad on the back of Thursday's announcement but the focus will immediately shift to Saturday's must-win game against Connacht in Galway as the capital side continue to push for a play-off place in the United Rugby Championship. It's the penultimate game of the regular season and Edinburgh currently lie 10th in the standings but need to make the top eight. 'You have to have sympathy - we'll have a discussion potentially with those individuals [who miss out on Lions selection], but they've got to go out and perform because 48 hours later they're going to go into battle. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We're cognisant of it, but we're also understanding that it's about Edinburgh this weekend.' Paul Hill, the Edinburgh prop, has been ruled out for the remainder of the season due to a back problem and Harry Paterson is unlikely to feature against Connacht as he goes through the return to play protocols after suffering a concussion in last weekend's home defeat by Bath in the semi-finals of the EPCR Challenge Cup. Edinburgh beat South African sides the Lions and the Bulls to make it to the last four and Lawrie hopes they can tap into that mentality to defeat Connacht and also Ulster who they will meet in their final match of the regular season at Hive Stadium a week on Saturday.
