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The Star
25 minutes ago
- Politics
- The Star
Ramaphosa establishes commission of inquiry to investigate serious claims by top cop Lt-Gen Mkhwanazi
President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday announced the establishment of a judicial commission of inquiry to investigate serious corruption allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. 'These allegations, if proven true, threaten to undermine public confidence in the ability of the South African Police Service to protect citizens and combat crime and corruption,' Ramaphosa said. Ramaphosa's address, delayed by 30 minutes, came a week after Mkhwanazi publicly accused Police Minister Senzo Mchunu of interfering in criminal investigations and protecting corrupt networks within law enforcement. Ramaphosa emphasised the need to safeguard the integrity of law enforcement as South Africans grapple with rising crime, including kidnappings, gender-based violence, and gang activity. Ramaphosa appointed Acting Deputy Chief Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga to lead the inquiry, assisted by senior counsels Sesi Baloyi and Sandile Khumalo. He said the commission will investigate claims that criminal networks have infiltrated law enforcement, intelligence agencies, and other elements of the justice system. Areas of focus include the facilitation of organised crime, manipulation of investigations, and targeting of whistleblowers and officials. Ramaphosa said the commission will also investigate the possible involvement of current or former senior officials across SA Police Service (SAPS), the National Prosecuting Authority, the State Security Agency, the judiciary, and metro police departments in Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane. Mkhwanazi alleged that Mchunu disbanded the Political Killings Task Team in KwaZulu-Natal in March, effectively shutting down 121 active dockets, many linked to politically motivated murders. He also claimed that investigations had exposed links between criminal syndicates and politicians, law enforcement officials, prosecutors, members of the judiciary, and businesspeople. Mkhwanazi, during his media briefing last week, presented WhatsApp messages, SAPS documents, and cellphone records that he said demonstrated coordinated efforts to dismantle the KZN task team. He implicated Mchunu's 'comrade' Brown Mogotsi in communicating with businessman Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala, who had received a R360 million SAPS contract that has since been canceled. According to Mkhwanazi, the disbandment was 'a calculated move to shield a criminal syndicate embedded in law enforcement and politics.'
The South African
29 minutes ago
- Sport
- The South African
'Passport is ready': Mama Joy to support MaMkhize's new club?
South Africa's most recognisable sports supporter, Mama Joy – real name Joy Chauke – has pledged her allegiance to MaMkhize's new soccer club, Mbalane Highlanders AM FC. This comes months after the businesswoman's South African team, Royal AM, for which Chauke was an unofficial ambassador, was expelled from the PSL. Over the weekend, MaMkhize confirmed that she had inked a three-year presidency deal with the eSwatini club. In a post on her X account, Mama Joy not only praised MaMkhize's new venture as Mbalane Highlanders AM FC president but also offered her support. She posted: 'Mbabane Highlanders Am FC, we are ready to cross the border to Eswatini. Passports are ready.' In another post, she shared about MaMkhize: 'Back with a bang'. Just a few months ago, Mama Joy – who branded herself as 'Royal AM's number one fan', shared an emotional post about the end of the road for the club. Posting a collage of pics of her supporting Thwili Thwala, she shared: 'It's over…thanks Ma for giving me an opportunity to be Royal Am superfan. You treated me with dignity, with love, like one of your family members. I enjoyed [it] and thank other Royal Am supporters for showing me love. Royal Am was my family.' Mama Joy went on to post that she now faced 'no home' in the PSL. In 2023, Mama Joy denied reports that she was on MaMkhize's payroll as a then Royal AM supporter. Speaking on Robert Marawa's Marawa Sports Worldwide , Chauke admitted she was friends with the businesswoman and often attended the PSL club games. Mama Joy and MaMkhizeImages via X: @joychauke5 When Robert bluntly asked if MaMkhize paid her for her unofficial ambassadorship, she responded: 'No. People are going to say, 'You chowed Mamkhize's money'. I don't know what to say! 'I'm a Royal AM supporter, and she will follow me and check in on me. I don't get paid by her for what I do. I do it for the love of the game'. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 . Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp , Facebook , X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
Daily Record
31 minutes ago
- Daily Record
Amazon delivery driver dies after horror collision with train at level crossing
The circumstances surrounding the incident are currently under investigation. An Amazon delivery driver has died after their van was hit by a train at a level crossing. British Transport Police said it was called to the railway line in Tonge, near Sittingbourne, Kent, shortly after 12.45pm on Sunday following reports of a train striking a van. Local police, ambulance and fire and rescue services also attended, but the driver died at the scene. Footage shared on social media appeared to show a large fire producing black smoke in a rural area lined with trees, while other images showed helicopters landing on fields next to the railway line. Southeastern Railway, which runs services on the line, said major disruption was expected until the end of the day. Services running between Gillingham and Faversham reopened shortly after 8.30pm. No one else was injured in the incident. An Amazon spokesperson said in a statement: 'This is a terrible incident and our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the delivery driver's family and loved ones during this difficult time. 'We will work with police and the delivery service provider as they investigate.' It is understood the victim was delivering Amazon parcels when the incident happened. The cause of the collision is under investigation. David Davidson, chief operating officer at Southeastern Railway, said: 'A train was involved in a collision with a van at a level crossing near Teynham earlier this afternoon. 'We are working with the emergency services and the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) following this incident.' Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. In a later update, Mr Davidson said: 'We are deeply saddened to confirm that the driver of the road vehicle involved in the collision with a train earlier today has tragically died. 'Our thoughts are with their family and loved ones at this incredibly difficult time. 'No one else was injured in the incident. We are working hard to reopen the line later this evening and expect to run a full service tomorrow.' Replacement buses are currently running between Gillingham and Faversham and Sittingbourne and Sheerness-on-Sea with the line still blocked, while ticket acceptance was in place on other Southeastern high-speed trains, Thameslink and Fast Track buses, Mr Davidson said. Passengers on the train involved in the crash were transferred on to another train and taken to Sittingbourne for onward travel. Kent Police said it was called to a report of the collision at a level crossing in Lower Road, Teynham, at 12.43pm, and that patrols remain at the scene. South East Coast Ambulance Service said crews including its Hazardous Area Response Team attended the scene, and were joined by regional Air Ambulance providers.
Metro
33 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Coronation Street hostage horror as lives are on the line
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video There's terror for the residents of Coronation Street in upcoming episodes when killer Mick Michaelis (Joe Layton) breaks out of prison – and causes havoc at the school and factory. Mick, who is in prison following his murder of PC Craig Tinker (Colson Smith), is upset by news from his family. With Lou (Farrel Hegarty) in serious trouble, there's a risk that the family will fall apart. Mick knows he's got to do something and desperately enlists the help of his son, Brody (Ryan Mulvey). He wants Brody to round up his sisters and the plan is that Mick will escape from prison and join them and the whole family will go on the run. Brody, who's recently found out that Mick isn't his biological father, is still keen to impress the man who raised him and he agrees to the plan. Brody goes off to pick up the girls, who are staying with Sally (Sally Dynevor) and Tim (Joe Duttine), only to find that Joanie (Savanna Pennington) has gone to Weatherfield High for a taster day. She's not having a great time as some of the other kids are having a go at her because of her infamous dad. She gets upset and the school staff call Sally and get her to come and pick her up. Meanwhile Lou is being questioned by the police after Mick has broken out of prison. She denies all knowledge. Daniel Osbourne (Rob Mallard) is at the school for an interview, and he and Mrs Crawshaw (Carla Mendonça) are shocked when they're suddenly confronted by Mick, demanding to see his daughter. Mrs Crawshaw tells him that Joanie isn't there, and was picked up by Sally earlier. Frustrated and angry, Mick locks the pair in the office. Want to be the first to hear shocking EastEnders spoilers? Who's leaving Coronation Street? The latest gossip from Emmerdale? Join 10,000 soaps fans on Metro's WhatsApp Soaps community and get access to spoiler galleries, must-watch videos, and exclusive interviews. Simply click on this link, select 'Join Chat' and you're in! Don't forget to turn on notifications so you can see when we've just dropped the latest spoilers! Meanwhile, the kids are terrified by the presence of Mick, whose behaviour seems out of control. They try to hide as best they can. Nick Tilsley (Ben Price) is shocked later to hear from Hope Stape (Isabella Flanagan) that his son, Sam (Jude Riordan), was left on his own in a corridor after his cousin Lily Platt (Brooke Malonie) refused to let him hide in the classroom where she was taking refuge. There's short-lived relief as Mick heads off towards Coronation Street, with Kit Green (Jacob Roberts) in hot pursuit. More Trending But with Mick ever more desperate to find his children and with an unaware Sally showing Joanie around the factory, the violence is far from over – and lives will be left in the balance. Tim notices him marching into the building, and as a menacing heartbeat sound effect rings out, Mick watches Sarah Platt (Tina O'Brien) from afar. She's terrified when he grabs her phone and smashes it on the floor, before grabbing her by the neck. Tim begs him to stop, just as Sally and Joanie reenter the factory. View More » Desperate to keep them concealed, she rushes the youngster up a staircase out of sight. If you've got a soap or TV story, video or pictures get in touch by emailing us soaps@ – we'd love to hear from you. Join the community by leaving a comment below and stay updated on all things soaps on our homepage. MORE: Coronation Street's Sally and Tim file a report against a neighbour – and a showdown follows MORE: Coronation Street legends report neighbour to social services MORE: All Coronation Street spoilers for next week as ITV airs sad scenes
The Advertiser
an hour ago
- General
- The Advertiser
There's enough to put people off volunteering as it is
This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to Got a partner? Got kids? Chances are that you are a volunteer. About one third of couples who have children volunteer. I can tell you exactly what they are doing. They are blowing whistles on some frozen tundra near Lithgow. They are washing jerseys in the motel sink. They are in WhatsApp groups the nation over, chivvying as they go, making sure everyone's got a lift to the game, even if the game is far from home. I loved being a team manager. So much fun (until the local rep body dumped me for asking too many questions about what participation was costing 400 bucks for a short season. Apparently, you are just meant to hand over your hard-earned money without detail. Anyhow, now the ACT government has decided to impose an $11 charge on working with vulnerable people (WWVP) cards. It's baffling. As Mainul Haique wrote, it is an "outrageous and unjust penalty on those who give so much to keep our community strong". Plus don't you love any government which talks about a new cost being modest? What would they know about the impacts on people's budgets? Why it has decided to do this is beyond me. There is already enough to put people off volunteering. First, we are all pretty short of time. Second, some organisations have people in them who behave as if they are the repository of all knowledge and refuse to pass it on. There's the same array of bad behaviour among volunteer groups as there is among those in regular workplaces. The guidelines are usually a mess, passed from one to the other. Plus, some organisations seem to imagine that all volunteers are the same (not that I have tickets on myself or anything). I arrived on my first day of volunteering at one particular organisation and was asked to open the mail. That was it. Just open the mail. Fortunately, that particular form of boring torture was short - I ended up being able to write the responses, which I loved. Is that snotty of me to expect to be able to engage my brain while volunteering? Maybe, but it turns out that some of us don't volunteer because what we do while we volunteer is boring - and we already have to do enough boring stuff (is laundry the worst or is unstacking the dishwasher the worst? You be the judge). And why anyone would place another hurdle in front of volunteers is baffling to me. We are already short of volunteers. As the lovely people at Volunteering Australia (VA) put it, "Many people find it difficult to prioritise volunteering, or to afford the costs that can be associated with volunteering, such as transport or fuel. Financial pressures are a significant barrier to volunteering, especially among younger people." They've even done the figures. About a quarter of people aged 18 to 34 years gave "financial reasons" as a reason they did not volunteer in 2022. And I think we are all feeling the cost-of-living crisis much more now than three years ago. Volunteer Australia also points out that volunteer-involving organisations are also feeling the pinch. That "affects their capacity to deliver services and safely and effectively engage their volunteers". Turns out, according to VA, that just over half (54 per cent) of volunteers incur out-of-pocket expenses through their volunteering role. So it already costs money, and adding another fee is just another hurdle. Also, I had no idea that you are more likely to volunteer in retirement if you've done it before you retired. And you have no idea how much volunteers are needed. I truly admire those people who are out there caring for our sand dunes and our wetlands, out there organising the kids to run on to fields everywhere, visiting aged care homes and sometimes even taking the biographies of the people who live there. We can't be without them. Let's clear the hurdles and smooth the way. Jenna Price is a guest Echidna and a regular columnist. HAVE YOUR SAY: What's your experience of volunteering, the good and the bad? Do you encourage or discourage others to volunteer? Email us: echidna@ SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: - The Conservation and Biodiversity Research Center at Edith Cowan University in Western Australia Australia has found some black rats living in Australian cities have developed a genetic mutation that potentially increases their resistance to the most popular poisons used to kill them. - Two inmates have been accused of breaking into multiple unauthorised areas at the Alexander Maconochie Centre in the ACT and stealing personal property, including sensitive documents. - Australians are so good at finding lost people. First, we found surfer Darcy Deefholts who'd drifted 13 kilometres off the coast. Then Caroline Wilga, the 26-year-old German backpacker who'd been missing for nearly two weeks. All down to everyone pitching in. Want to nominate someone to be an Australian of the Year? Answer the call of the National Australia Day Council. THEY SAID IT: "Volunteers are at the heart of the Australian story. Volunteers coach kids' sport and plant trees. Volunteers visit people in prison and provide support to people who are sleeping rough. Volunteers assist our veterans and help run arts organisations. An Australia without volunteers would be a much diminished nation." - Andrew Leigh YOU SAID IT: Garry said men should be banned from working in childcare centres. Louise agrees: I work as a registered nurse, and when male doctors are undertaking gynaecological procedures, a female nurse is always in attendance for safety precautions. Sue doesn't agree: Men should not be banned from working in childcare centres ... cruel and dangerous PEOPLE should be banned from working with children. The childcare system isn't working as it should, guidelines haven't been followed and in some cases avoided to save money. Petrina would like to expand the idea: How can we expand that to protect the 1 in 7 Australian children being sexually abused by men in homes, schools, and other institutions? How about the 1 in 5 Australian women who are victims of sexual violence by men in workplaces, shopping centres, public places and homes? Can we ban men from all those places, too? Or how about men just stop this abhorrent behaviour so women and children can be free to live their lives. Peter comes full circle from Louise's suggestion: The evidence points to the need for a better system in child care to protect children. But male positive role modelling is important. Perhaps a "four eyes" system as used in other sectors might work; males have to have a pair of female eyes present when working with children. This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to Got a partner? Got kids? Chances are that you are a volunteer. About one third of couples who have children volunteer. I can tell you exactly what they are doing. They are blowing whistles on some frozen tundra near Lithgow. They are washing jerseys in the motel sink. They are in WhatsApp groups the nation over, chivvying as they go, making sure everyone's got a lift to the game, even if the game is far from home. I loved being a team manager. So much fun (until the local rep body dumped me for asking too many questions about what participation was costing 400 bucks for a short season. Apparently, you are just meant to hand over your hard-earned money without detail. Anyhow, now the ACT government has decided to impose an $11 charge on working with vulnerable people (WWVP) cards. It's baffling. As Mainul Haique wrote, it is an "outrageous and unjust penalty on those who give so much to keep our community strong". Plus don't you love any government which talks about a new cost being modest? What would they know about the impacts on people's budgets? Why it has decided to do this is beyond me. There is already enough to put people off volunteering. First, we are all pretty short of time. Second, some organisations have people in them who behave as if they are the repository of all knowledge and refuse to pass it on. There's the same array of bad behaviour among volunteer groups as there is among those in regular workplaces. The guidelines are usually a mess, passed from one to the other. Plus, some organisations seem to imagine that all volunteers are the same (not that I have tickets on myself or anything). I arrived on my first day of volunteering at one particular organisation and was asked to open the mail. That was it. Just open the mail. Fortunately, that particular form of boring torture was short - I ended up being able to write the responses, which I loved. Is that snotty of me to expect to be able to engage my brain while volunteering? Maybe, but it turns out that some of us don't volunteer because what we do while we volunteer is boring - and we already have to do enough boring stuff (is laundry the worst or is unstacking the dishwasher the worst? You be the judge). And why anyone would place another hurdle in front of volunteers is baffling to me. We are already short of volunteers. As the lovely people at Volunteering Australia (VA) put it, "Many people find it difficult to prioritise volunteering, or to afford the costs that can be associated with volunteering, such as transport or fuel. Financial pressures are a significant barrier to volunteering, especially among younger people." They've even done the figures. About a quarter of people aged 18 to 34 years gave "financial reasons" as a reason they did not volunteer in 2022. And I think we are all feeling the cost-of-living crisis much more now than three years ago. Volunteer Australia also points out that volunteer-involving organisations are also feeling the pinch. That "affects their capacity to deliver services and safely and effectively engage their volunteers". Turns out, according to VA, that just over half (54 per cent) of volunteers incur out-of-pocket expenses through their volunteering role. So it already costs money, and adding another fee is just another hurdle. Also, I had no idea that you are more likely to volunteer in retirement if you've done it before you retired. And you have no idea how much volunteers are needed. I truly admire those people who are out there caring for our sand dunes and our wetlands, out there organising the kids to run on to fields everywhere, visiting aged care homes and sometimes even taking the biographies of the people who live there. We can't be without them. Let's clear the hurdles and smooth the way. Jenna Price is a guest Echidna and a regular columnist. HAVE YOUR SAY: What's your experience of volunteering, the good and the bad? Do you encourage or discourage others to volunteer? Email us: echidna@ SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: - The Conservation and Biodiversity Research Center at Edith Cowan University in Western Australia Australia has found some black rats living in Australian cities have developed a genetic mutation that potentially increases their resistance to the most popular poisons used to kill them. - Two inmates have been accused of breaking into multiple unauthorised areas at the Alexander Maconochie Centre in the ACT and stealing personal property, including sensitive documents. - Australians are so good at finding lost people. First, we found surfer Darcy Deefholts who'd drifted 13 kilometres off the coast. Then Caroline Wilga, the 26-year-old German backpacker who'd been missing for nearly two weeks. All down to everyone pitching in. Want to nominate someone to be an Australian of the Year? Answer the call of the National Australia Day Council. THEY SAID IT: "Volunteers are at the heart of the Australian story. Volunteers coach kids' sport and plant trees. Volunteers visit people in prison and provide support to people who are sleeping rough. Volunteers assist our veterans and help run arts organisations. An Australia without volunteers would be a much diminished nation." - Andrew Leigh YOU SAID IT: Garry said men should be banned from working in childcare centres. Louise agrees: I work as a registered nurse, and when male doctors are undertaking gynaecological procedures, a female nurse is always in attendance for safety precautions. Sue doesn't agree: Men should not be banned from working in childcare centres ... cruel and dangerous PEOPLE should be banned from working with children. The childcare system isn't working as it should, guidelines haven't been followed and in some cases avoided to save money. Petrina would like to expand the idea: How can we expand that to protect the 1 in 7 Australian children being sexually abused by men in homes, schools, and other institutions? How about the 1 in 5 Australian women who are victims of sexual violence by men in workplaces, shopping centres, public places and homes? Can we ban men from all those places, too? Or how about men just stop this abhorrent behaviour so women and children can be free to live their lives. Peter comes full circle from Louise's suggestion: The evidence points to the need for a better system in child care to protect children. But male positive role modelling is important. Perhaps a "four eyes" system as used in other sectors might work; males have to have a pair of female eyes present when working with children. This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to Got a partner? Got kids? Chances are that you are a volunteer. About one third of couples who have children volunteer. I can tell you exactly what they are doing. They are blowing whistles on some frozen tundra near Lithgow. They are washing jerseys in the motel sink. They are in WhatsApp groups the nation over, chivvying as they go, making sure everyone's got a lift to the game, even if the game is far from home. I loved being a team manager. So much fun (until the local rep body dumped me for asking too many questions about what participation was costing 400 bucks for a short season. Apparently, you are just meant to hand over your hard-earned money without detail. Anyhow, now the ACT government has decided to impose an $11 charge on working with vulnerable people (WWVP) cards. It's baffling. As Mainul Haique wrote, it is an "outrageous and unjust penalty on those who give so much to keep our community strong". Plus don't you love any government which talks about a new cost being modest? What would they know about the impacts on people's budgets? Why it has decided to do this is beyond me. There is already enough to put people off volunteering. First, we are all pretty short of time. Second, some organisations have people in them who behave as if they are the repository of all knowledge and refuse to pass it on. There's the same array of bad behaviour among volunteer groups as there is among those in regular workplaces. The guidelines are usually a mess, passed from one to the other. Plus, some organisations seem to imagine that all volunteers are the same (not that I have tickets on myself or anything). I arrived on my first day of volunteering at one particular organisation and was asked to open the mail. That was it. Just open the mail. Fortunately, that particular form of boring torture was short - I ended up being able to write the responses, which I loved. Is that snotty of me to expect to be able to engage my brain while volunteering? Maybe, but it turns out that some of us don't volunteer because what we do while we volunteer is boring - and we already have to do enough boring stuff (is laundry the worst or is unstacking the dishwasher the worst? You be the judge). And why anyone would place another hurdle in front of volunteers is baffling to me. We are already short of volunteers. As the lovely people at Volunteering Australia (VA) put it, "Many people find it difficult to prioritise volunteering, or to afford the costs that can be associated with volunteering, such as transport or fuel. Financial pressures are a significant barrier to volunteering, especially among younger people." They've even done the figures. About a quarter of people aged 18 to 34 years gave "financial reasons" as a reason they did not volunteer in 2022. And I think we are all feeling the cost-of-living crisis much more now than three years ago. Volunteer Australia also points out that volunteer-involving organisations are also feeling the pinch. That "affects their capacity to deliver services and safely and effectively engage their volunteers". Turns out, according to VA, that just over half (54 per cent) of volunteers incur out-of-pocket expenses through their volunteering role. So it already costs money, and adding another fee is just another hurdle. Also, I had no idea that you are more likely to volunteer in retirement if you've done it before you retired. And you have no idea how much volunteers are needed. I truly admire those people who are out there caring for our sand dunes and our wetlands, out there organising the kids to run on to fields everywhere, visiting aged care homes and sometimes even taking the biographies of the people who live there. We can't be without them. Let's clear the hurdles and smooth the way. Jenna Price is a guest Echidna and a regular columnist. HAVE YOUR SAY: What's your experience of volunteering, the good and the bad? Do you encourage or discourage others to volunteer? Email us: echidna@ SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: - The Conservation and Biodiversity Research Center at Edith Cowan University in Western Australia Australia has found some black rats living in Australian cities have developed a genetic mutation that potentially increases their resistance to the most popular poisons used to kill them. - Two inmates have been accused of breaking into multiple unauthorised areas at the Alexander Maconochie Centre in the ACT and stealing personal property, including sensitive documents. - Australians are so good at finding lost people. First, we found surfer Darcy Deefholts who'd drifted 13 kilometres off the coast. Then Caroline Wilga, the 26-year-old German backpacker who'd been missing for nearly two weeks. All down to everyone pitching in. Want to nominate someone to be an Australian of the Year? Answer the call of the National Australia Day Council. THEY SAID IT: "Volunteers are at the heart of the Australian story. Volunteers coach kids' sport and plant trees. Volunteers visit people in prison and provide support to people who are sleeping rough. Volunteers assist our veterans and help run arts organisations. An Australia without volunteers would be a much diminished nation." - Andrew Leigh YOU SAID IT: Garry said men should be banned from working in childcare centres. Louise agrees: I work as a registered nurse, and when male doctors are undertaking gynaecological procedures, a female nurse is always in attendance for safety precautions. Sue doesn't agree: Men should not be banned from working in childcare centres ... cruel and dangerous PEOPLE should be banned from working with children. The childcare system isn't working as it should, guidelines haven't been followed and in some cases avoided to save money. Petrina would like to expand the idea: How can we expand that to protect the 1 in 7 Australian children being sexually abused by men in homes, schools, and other institutions? How about the 1 in 5 Australian women who are victims of sexual violence by men in workplaces, shopping centres, public places and homes? Can we ban men from all those places, too? Or how about men just stop this abhorrent behaviour so women and children can be free to live their lives. Peter comes full circle from Louise's suggestion: The evidence points to the need for a better system in child care to protect children. But male positive role modelling is important. Perhaps a "four eyes" system as used in other sectors might work; males have to have a pair of female eyes present when working with children. This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to Got a partner? Got kids? Chances are that you are a volunteer. About one third of couples who have children volunteer. I can tell you exactly what they are doing. They are blowing whistles on some frozen tundra near Lithgow. They are washing jerseys in the motel sink. They are in WhatsApp groups the nation over, chivvying as they go, making sure everyone's got a lift to the game, even if the game is far from home. I loved being a team manager. So much fun (until the local rep body dumped me for asking too many questions about what participation was costing 400 bucks for a short season. Apparently, you are just meant to hand over your hard-earned money without detail. Anyhow, now the ACT government has decided to impose an $11 charge on working with vulnerable people (WWVP) cards. It's baffling. As Mainul Haique wrote, it is an "outrageous and unjust penalty on those who give so much to keep our community strong". Plus don't you love any government which talks about a new cost being modest? What would they know about the impacts on people's budgets? Why it has decided to do this is beyond me. There is already enough to put people off volunteering. First, we are all pretty short of time. Second, some organisations have people in them who behave as if they are the repository of all knowledge and refuse to pass it on. There's the same array of bad behaviour among volunteer groups as there is among those in regular workplaces. The guidelines are usually a mess, passed from one to the other. Plus, some organisations seem to imagine that all volunteers are the same (not that I have tickets on myself or anything). I arrived on my first day of volunteering at one particular organisation and was asked to open the mail. That was it. Just open the mail. Fortunately, that particular form of boring torture was short - I ended up being able to write the responses, which I loved. Is that snotty of me to expect to be able to engage my brain while volunteering? Maybe, but it turns out that some of us don't volunteer because what we do while we volunteer is boring - and we already have to do enough boring stuff (is laundry the worst or is unstacking the dishwasher the worst? You be the judge). And why anyone would place another hurdle in front of volunteers is baffling to me. We are already short of volunteers. As the lovely people at Volunteering Australia (VA) put it, "Many people find it difficult to prioritise volunteering, or to afford the costs that can be associated with volunteering, such as transport or fuel. Financial pressures are a significant barrier to volunteering, especially among younger people." They've even done the figures. About a quarter of people aged 18 to 34 years gave "financial reasons" as a reason they did not volunteer in 2022. And I think we are all feeling the cost-of-living crisis much more now than three years ago. Volunteer Australia also points out that volunteer-involving organisations are also feeling the pinch. That "affects their capacity to deliver services and safely and effectively engage their volunteers". Turns out, according to VA, that just over half (54 per cent) of volunteers incur out-of-pocket expenses through their volunteering role. So it already costs money, and adding another fee is just another hurdle. Also, I had no idea that you are more likely to volunteer in retirement if you've done it before you retired. And you have no idea how much volunteers are needed. I truly admire those people who are out there caring for our sand dunes and our wetlands, out there organising the kids to run on to fields everywhere, visiting aged care homes and sometimes even taking the biographies of the people who live there. We can't be without them. Let's clear the hurdles and smooth the way. Jenna Price is a guest Echidna and a regular columnist. HAVE YOUR SAY: What's your experience of volunteering, the good and the bad? Do you encourage or discourage others to volunteer? Email us: echidna@ SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: - The Conservation and Biodiversity Research Center at Edith Cowan University in Western Australia Australia has found some black rats living in Australian cities have developed a genetic mutation that potentially increases their resistance to the most popular poisons used to kill them. - Two inmates have been accused of breaking into multiple unauthorised areas at the Alexander Maconochie Centre in the ACT and stealing personal property, including sensitive documents. - Australians are so good at finding lost people. First, we found surfer Darcy Deefholts who'd drifted 13 kilometres off the coast. Then Caroline Wilga, the 26-year-old German backpacker who'd been missing for nearly two weeks. All down to everyone pitching in. Want to nominate someone to be an Australian of the Year? Answer the call of the National Australia Day Council. THEY SAID IT: "Volunteers are at the heart of the Australian story. Volunteers coach kids' sport and plant trees. Volunteers visit people in prison and provide support to people who are sleeping rough. Volunteers assist our veterans and help run arts organisations. An Australia without volunteers would be a much diminished nation." - Andrew Leigh YOU SAID IT: Garry said men should be banned from working in childcare centres. Louise agrees: I work as a registered nurse, and when male doctors are undertaking gynaecological procedures, a female nurse is always in attendance for safety precautions. Sue doesn't agree: Men should not be banned from working in childcare centres ... cruel and dangerous PEOPLE should be banned from working with children. The childcare system isn't working as it should, guidelines haven't been followed and in some cases avoided to save money. Petrina would like to expand the idea: How can we expand that to protect the 1 in 7 Australian children being sexually abused by men in homes, schools, and other institutions? How about the 1 in 5 Australian women who are victims of sexual violence by men in workplaces, shopping centres, public places and homes? Can we ban men from all those places, too? Or how about men just stop this abhorrent behaviour so women and children can be free to live their lives. Peter comes full circle from Louise's suggestion: The evidence points to the need for a better system in child care to protect children. But male positive role modelling is important. Perhaps a "four eyes" system as used in other sectors might work; males have to have a pair of female eyes present when working with children.
