Latest news with #NikkiShort
Perth Now
3 days ago
- Business
- Perth Now
Powerball jackpots to insane amount
A staggering $100m jackpot will be up for grabs next week after no claims were made for the Powerball division one prize in Thursday night's draw. This is the first time the top prize has reached this amount since November 2024, and the 12th time Powerball has offered a $100m jackpot in the game's 29-year history. Powerball has jackpotted to $100m. NewsWire / Jeremy Piper Credit: News Corp Australia This year alone, eight Powerball division one winners have taken home more than $210.8m – three in Queensland, two each in NSW and Victoria, and one in Western Australia. Last year, a man from South Australia claimed a whopping $150m, the game's biggest individual lottery win in Australia. It will be the 29th time in the game's history that that amount has been offered. NewsWire / Nikki Short Credit: News Corp Australia While there were no division one winners on Thursday night, six lucky Aussies took home $127,979 each in the division two prize pool. The winning numbers were 1, 30, 12, 34, 24, 9, 6 and the Powerball 10. Tickets for the upcoming Powerball are available for purchase until 6pm next Thursday in-store, online or via the Lotto mobile app.
Perth Now
19-05-2025
- Business
- Perth Now
‘Appalling act': Qantas to pay for sackings
Qantas could be forced to pay more than $120m in penalties for illegally outsourcing more than 1800 ground workers. The High Court unanimously rejected a Qantas appeal after the Federal Court found that the airline had illegally sacked staff. A five-day hearing began in the Federal Court in Sydney on Monday to decide the penalty Qantas must pay for the 2020 decision during the Covid pandemic. The Transport Workers Union (TWU) is calling for the maximum payment of more than $121m to be paid out. 'Not only was it an appalling act to get rid of a loyal workforce, it was the biggest case of illegal sackings in Australian corporate history,' TWU secretary Michael Kaine said in a statement on Monday. Transport Workers Union secretary Michael Kaine called the Qantas decision 'appalling'. NewsWire / Nikki Short Credit: News Corp Australia 'The penalty to Qantas must reflect this and send a message to every other company in Australia that you cannot sack your workers to prevent them from using their industrial rights.' Mr Kaine said ground handling work for Qantas was now being undertaken by companies such as Swissport, which he alleged had 'severe understaffing' and a 'revolving door of fed-up workers'. 'This cannot be a business case for outsourcing and Qantas should not only pay the maximum legal penalty for its actions but commit to funding fair standards throughout its supply chain,' he said. Qantas is expected to pay millions in compensation. NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui Credit: News Corp Australia 'We need to see Qantas held accountable to the fullest extent here.' The maximum penalty Qantas can be ordered to pay is $121m, on top of the $120m compensation fund that is now in the process of being administered to workers. The hearing before Justice Michael Lee continues.
Perth Now
13-05-2025
- General
- Perth Now
Shocking rate of kids skipping school
School attendance levels have dipped for another year, with the number of students attending classes falling below pre-Covid-19 levels. Across Australia, the attendance rate for students in primary schools and high schools was 88.3 per cent, a slight dip from the same period the year before. However, attendance levels – the percentage of students with attendance at or above 90 per cent – show a different story. School attendance levels have dipped for another year. NewsWire / Sarah Marshall Credit: News Corp Australia According to the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), the 2024 attendance levels of students attending at least 90 per cent of their classes across government, Catholic and independent schools were 59.8 per cent – a sharp decline from the 74.9 per cent attendance levels in 2019. School attendance levels vary in each state, though attendance rates are generally higher in big cities compared with regional areas. There's also a significant gap with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students attending school compared with non-Indigenous students, though these figures have narrowed slightly by 0.7 percentage points. The pandemic played a role in these figures, but it's not entirely to blame. NewsWire / Nikki Short Credit: News Corp Australia A Department of Education spokesman said the increase in students wagging classes was concerning, and 'every day of school missed is a day of learning lost'. 'Regular school attendance is critical to successful student outcomes and engagement,' they told NewsWire. While the pandemic had a role to play in this figure, they said the 'national school attendance rates have trended downwards over the past decade'. 'The Covid-19 pandemic further exacerbated this trend,' they said, adding 'while national student attendance rates have improved from the lows of the pandemic, they are yet to return to pre-Covid levels'. 'They are not at an all time low,' they said. Students have not been attending as many classes over the last decade. NewsWire / Sarah Marshall Credit: News Corp Australia There were several reasons for the sudden decline in attendance levels, including 'anxiety and worry', Australian Primary Principals Association president Angela Falkenberg told NewsWire. 'Schools look at each student and their family to understand the reasons for non-attendance,' she said, explaining schools will complete 'conversations' with kids and parents to explain their absences. While she said it was 'vital' for schools to work with parents and families to ensure children were in class, Ms Falkenberg admitted that this 'may not always be a reality'. 'Some (truancy) can be due to anxiety and worry which can result in poor sleep,' she said. Another reason why students may not be able to attend school comes down to issues at home, including 'family discord, poor mental health, food and housing insecurity and even transport to school'. 'Some might be due to children's friendship struggles,' they said. 'Schools can work with the child on managing conflict (or) joining in a game.' Anxiety, stress and family issues may contribute to children skipping school. NewsWire / Sarah Marshall Credit: News Corp Australia In April 2024, the Senate Education and Employment References Committee issued an inquiry into the national trend of school refusal and related matters. Following the inquiry, the Department of Education spokesman said the education ministers 'agreed that wellbeing for learning and engagement is one of the priority areas of the agreements, and reforms include initiatives which support student engagement in learning, for example through greater student participation, attendance, inclusion and/or enhanced school-family engagement'.
Daily Telegraph
24-04-2025
- Climate
- Daily Telegraph
Surf Life Saving NSW is to boost coastal patrols ahead of ANZAC Long Weekend following the deadliest Easter on record
Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News. In the wake of the deadliest Easter weekend on record for coastal drownings in the state, Surf Life Saving NSW (SLSNSW) has intensified its emergency response efforts ahead of the upcoming Anzac Day long weekend. The spike in patrols comes after a devastating Easter break that saw six individuals swept into the ocean from rock platforms, highlighting a growing concern about coastal safety during holiday periods. According to SLSNSW, the risk of coastal drowning is more than four times greater on public holidays. Prior to this year and dating back to when recording began in 2004, there had never been more than three coastal drownings on an Easter long weekend. In response, SLSNSW has deployed additional jet skis and Rescue Water Craft to conduct proactive sweeps along the coastline. People gather to watch large swell at Coogee Beach on Good Friday. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki Short Surf Life Saving NSW has bolstered its response capability in the water ahead of the Anzac Day long weekend. Picture: SLSNSW. This weekend marks the final patrols of the season for volunteer lifesavers, with flags set to come down on April 27, concluding a seven-month patrol period that began in late September. So far this season, more than 3,200 rescues have been carried out by SLSNSW volunteers and Australian Lifeguard Service lifeguards. Swimmers brave large swells at Coogee Beach on Good Friday. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki Short An increased presence of jet skis and other Rescue Water Craft will be available to sweep the coastline. Photo: SLSNSW. In general, coastal drowning risk is more than four times greater on public holidays. Photo: SLSNSW However, 47 people have drowned since July 1, 2024, all at unpatrolled beaches or outside of patrol hours. While surf conditions are not predicted to be as dangerous as those seen across the Easter long weekend, swells of 1-1.5m are predicted for Friday and Saturday, rising potentially as high as 3-4.5m on the back of a southerly developing on Sunday. Surf life saving NSW CEO Steve Pearce, urged beachgoers to avoid unnecessary risks, particularly on rock platforms, a hotspot for recent tragedies. 'This is particularly important for those thinking about visiting a rock platform to view the ocean or rock fish this weekend,' he said. 'After the weekend we just had, I really want to implore the public not to gamble with their lives, the lives of their family members, or the lives of our volunteers this weekend.' 'Let's end the volunteer patrol season on a high note and send everyone who visits the beach home with their families.'
