Latest news with #tradies
The Australian
2 days ago
- Automotive
- The Australian
LDV Terron 9 review: The Chinese ute that could change the game
This isn't anything like the LDV utes that have come before it. This is one you might actually love. It's the all-new Terron 9 diesel dual-cab, and if you're thinking it looks a bit weird, that's because it has a unibody design, with no gap between the tub and the cabin. That helps allow more tray space – it's one of the biggest in the segment, at 1600mm long with a 1230mm gap between the arches, making it Aussie-pallet-friendly. MORE: Secret Aussie driving rule revealed The big downside? There is no cab-chassis model, and there won't be. So it could be ruled out for a lot of tradies and fleet businesses. Despite that, it still has a ladder-frame chassis, and serious off-road chops – not to mention the expected 3.5-tonne braked towing capacity that utes apparently need to be considered 'real'. And in a plus for buyers, it includes a towbar assembly, hitch, and wiring as standard. A rear diff lock and spray-in tub-liner are standard too, as well as a locking tailgate with assisted lift mechanism. There are two grades on offer, both with ABN discounted prices for tradies – the entry-level model is known as Origin, starting with promotional pricing of $49,990 drive-away, and it comes with 18-inch wheels, auto LED lights and auto wipers, cloth trim, power adjustable front seats, and a pair of 12.3-inch screens – one for driver info, one for media, including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto wirelessly available. MORE: Musk signs $25bn AI deal with tech giant Spend $5000 more and you score heaps of extra kit, like 20-inch wheels, a locking front diff, cargo area lighting and adjustable rails, trailer back-up assistance, and inside it steps it up with massaging front seats with heating and ventilation, heated rear outboard seats, an eight-speaker JBL stereo and ambient lighting. Some of those items aren't available in other utes, let alone at this kind of money. And while it is cheaper than most, it doesn't drive like a cheap ute. The Terron 9 feels sophisticated in ways that many other body-on-frame utes don't, with a well-sorted ride that is comfortable and impressively damped over rough road surfaces and big bumps. It isn't the most enthusiastic thing to steer, but it is predictable enough, and the new diesel engine teams up well with the ZF eight-speed auto, offering strong and – again – predictable response, meaning this one feels more complete than some of the other LDV utes of years gone by. MORE: 'Like Tinder': Huge problem with Aussie cars I also put it through its paces of road, and aside from some clearance concerns due to its enormous 3300mm wheelbase (and huge 13.3m turning circle that also results from that!), it was up to the task with good mechanical ability and technological help, thanks to smart traction management and a very impressive off-road data screen that includes an off-road camera mode – because it has surround-view as standard. The interior is close to complete, too, with a design and execution that belies the price tag. It feels more SUV-like than any other vehicle at this price, and the amenities are all taken care of, including decent storage in the doors and between the front seats. The back seats have a flip-down backrest with proper top-tether attachment points for the window seats to complement the ISOFIX points in those positions. There's no centre top-tether. It is loaded with the expected safety kit, including speed sign detection and lane keeping, and a driver monitoring camera – the latter of which is a bit incessant. Thankfully, the screen offers you a quick drop-down menu to turn those things off if they get on your nerves – it just takes a couple of seconds. LDV is offering a seven-year, 200,000km warranty for the Terron 9, and the brand has five years of roadside assistance included at no cost, too. There is no capped-price servicing plan (yet…!), but the first visit is due at 12 months or 10,000km, then it's every year or 15,000km. This is a peculiar option that, if suitable for your needs, is well worth a look. It's impressively refined, powerful and appointed, and the pricing embarrasses some of the other pick-ups in the segment. MORE: 'Utopia': huge Aussie change no one saw coming 4.0 stars LDV Terron 9 PRICE: From $50,000 to $55,000 drive-away for ABN holders ENGINES: 2.5-litre turbo-diesel four-cyl, eight-speed auto, 4x4 OUTPUTS: 163kW/520Nm FUEL USE: 7.9L/100km PAYLOAD: 1005-1100kg TOWING: 750kg unbraked, 3500kg braked SPARE: Full-size Motoring Aussie drivers are being warned against a common parking trick that could land drivers in prison. Motoring A little known driving rule which could save you plenty of time and traffic jam anguish has come to light.
News.com.au
2 days ago
- Automotive
- News.com.au
2025 LDV Terron 9 review
This isn't anything like the LDV utes that have come before it. This is one you might actually love. It's the all-new Terron 9 diesel dual-cab, and if you're thinking it looks a bit weird, that's because it has a unibody design, with no gap between the tub and the cabin. That helps allow more tray space – it's one of the biggest in the segment, at 1600mm long with a 1230mm gap between the arches, making it Aussie-pallet-friendly. The big downside? There is no cab-chassis model, and there won't be. So it could be ruled out for a lot of tradies and fleet businesses. Despite that, it still has a ladder-frame chassis, and serious off-road chops – not to mention the expected 3.5-tonne braked towing capacity that utes apparently need to be considered 'real'. And in a plus for buyers, it includes a towbar assembly, hitch, and wiring as standard. A rear diff lock and spray-in tub-liner are standard too, as well as a locking tailgate with assisted lift mechanism. There are two grades on offer, both with ABN discounted prices for tradies – the entry-level model is known as Origin, starting with promotional pricing of $49,990 drive-away, and it comes with 18-inch wheels, auto LED lights and auto wipers, cloth trim, power adjustable front seats, and a pair of 12.3-inch screens – one for driver info, one for media, including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto wirelessly available. Spend $5000 more and you score heaps of extra kit, like 20-inch wheels, a locking front diff, cargo area lighting and adjustable rails, trailer back-up assistance, and inside it steps it up with massaging front seats with heating and ventilation, heated rear outboard seats, an eight-speaker JBL stereo and ambient lighting. Some of those items aren't available in other utes, let alone at this kind of money. And while it is cheaper than most, it doesn't drive like a cheap ute. The Terron 9 feels sophisticated in ways that many other body-on-frame utes don't, with a well-sorted ride that is comfortable and impressively damped over rough road surfaces and big bumps. It isn't the most enthusiastic thing to steer, but it is predictable enough, and the new diesel engine teams up well with the ZF eight-speed auto, offering strong and – again – predictable response, meaning this one feels more complete than some of the other LDV utes of years gone by. I also put it through its paces of road, and aside from some clearance concerns due to its enormous 3300mm wheelbase (and huge 13.3m turning circle that also results from that!), it was up to the task with good mechanical ability and technological help, thanks to smart traction management and a very impressive off-road data screen that includes an off-road camera mode – because it has surround-view as standard. The interior is close to complete, too, with a design and execution that belies the price tag. It feels more SUV-like than any other vehicle at this price, and the amenities are all taken care of, including decent storage in the doors and between the front seats. The back seats have a flip-down backrest with proper top-tether attachment points for the window seats to complement the ISOFIX points in those positions. There's no centre top-tether. It is loaded with the expected safety kit, including speed sign detection and lane keeping, and a driver monitoring camera – the latter of which is a bit incessant. Thankfully, the screen offers you a quick drop-down menu to turn those things off if they get on your nerves – it just takes a couple of seconds. LDV is offering a seven-year, 200,000km warranty for the Terron 9, and the brand has five years of roadside assistance included at no cost, too. There is no capped-price servicing plan (yet…!), but the first visit is due at 12 months or 10,000km, then it's every year or 15,000km. This is a peculiar option that, if suitable for your needs, is well worth a look. It's impressively refined, powerful and appointed, and the pricing embarrasses some of the other pick-ups in the segment. 4.0 stars LDV Terron 9 OUTPUTS: 163kW/520Nm FUEL USE: 7.9L/100km PAYLOAD: 1005-1100kg
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Tradie's thoughtless act leads to painful incident near building site
WARNING - DISTRESSING IMAGES: A thoughtless act by tradies has led to an iconic Australian animal being impaled on a steel spike. Disturbing photos taken next to a building site in Melbourne's southeast show a thick, rusted rebar sticking through the body of a young kangaroo. The tiny wild animal was unusually calm when she was discovered by a passerby on the weekend in the outer suburb of Officer. When wildlife rescuer Sarah Cooke got the call, she had hoped the roo was simply caught in a string of abandoned wire, so she brought along a pair of bolt cutters. 'Where those rebars are, there's runoff, like a drain. And builders in the area look to have just dumped crap there,' she told Yahoo News. Related: Anger in Aussie tourist region after council kangaroo ban rejected Cooke volunteers at Wildlife Incident Safe Haven (WISH) where she rescues and cares for native animals. As you would expect, she regularly sees terrible situations, but the little kangaroo's predicament was one of the worst. 'I went straight over and stabilised her, so she couldn't move much. I sedated her so I could safely get her off. Ideally, I would have cut the rebar, but it was too thick, and an angle grinder would have caused too many sparks,' Cooke said. 'Glimmer of hope' as kangaroo removed from bar There was little blood or smell, leading her to suspect the rebar had missed the kangaroo's vital organs. As Cooke removed her from the rebar, it became clear how the unfortunate incident had occurred. 'I realised she must have somehow gone to jump the rebar, and her pouch has gotten caught. So she's just dropped straight on it, and it's gone through her pouch and then come up next to her leg, beside her hip bone,' Cooke said. 'I was holding out a glimmer of hope that if there was just muscle damage, she might pull through.' After the kangaroo was taken to specialist medical staff an hour away at Healesville Sanctuary, hope began to fade. The rust and dirt on the bar had contaminated the youngster's body, creating a risk of infection, and the muscle on her hip had been damaged. 'Even if she had survived and healed, she wouldn't have been able to keep up with the mob. She would have been able to hop for 20 or 30 minutes and then need to rest for days,' Cooke said. 'It would be different if we could pop her into care for the rest of their life, we could manage that pain if we could have her as a pet. But we can't legally do that.' After she was euthanised, a necropsy of her body revealed there was more damage than originally thought. Not only were multiple muscle bundles severed, there was a slight tear in her abdominal cavity. Dumped rubbish also posed danger to nearby families Dumping of rubbish is becoming a major issue in Australia, with Yahoo publishing multiple reports of building waste abandoned on public land around the country. Cooke has a simple message to anyone looking to cut corners and leave their waste behind for someone else to clean up. 'That could have been a kid, someone's pet. Right behind where the kangaroo was found is an empty paddock next to a housing estate with families,' she said. 'It's not fair. It's not hard to clean up. At least if you're going to leave crap lying around, make it so no one is going to get caught.' Photos show huge problem facing Australia's fastest growing city Calls for action as road safety project remains incomplete after five years Confronting photos expose $2.3 million hidden reality in affordable housing race Cooke plans to report the dumping site to local authorities. In an impassioned post to social media, she shared details of the incident, not to make the general public sad, but to highlight the trauma rescuers experience every day. "The things we see [are] absolutely so traumatic, and it can take a big toll. I have become very stoic over the years... But it still hits us, it still hurts, it still keeps us up at night, it still runs through our head on a daily basis on [whether] we made the right decision," she wrote. "And it still god damn hurts like hell." Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Tradies flock to Bunnings to nab cult $59 item for 'important' reason
Aussies are showing their support for tradies across the country by flocking to their local Bunnings to get their hands on a new limited-edition hoodie. Videos online show eager shoppers snapping up the $59 pullovers just hours after they were released in stores nationwide at 7am last Friday. The Bunnings Trade hoodies, which have a cult-like following, were created in collaboration with TIACS, a free counselling service for blue-collar workers that will receive 100 per cent of the profits, and feature a vibrant print on the lining and a joey pocket It is the second year the organisations have partnered up to shed a light on mental health among tradies, truckers and farmers. Last year, Bunnings Trade and TIACS conversation-starting work shirts and water bottles helped raise over $600,000, a Bunnings spokesperson told Yahoo News. But it appears they might smash that figure this July. 'This is the first year we're selling hoodies,' the spokesperson explained. 'The response has been overwhelmingly positive with nearly 80 per cent of hoodies sold since Friday.' The excitement and interest on social media has been particularly strong, she noted, however some Aussies have shared their disappointment about their local store already selling out of the merchandise. The hoodies are only available while stocks last. 'Our partnership with TIACS plays an important role in reaching tradies across the country, ensuring more workers have access to life-changing mental health support when they need it most,' the spokesperson said. 📱 Sad reason tradie inundated after offer to help those facing silent Aussie crisis 👨 Expat nabs 'elusive' Bunnings item after hunting for years 🔧 Apprentice tradie forced to work 85 hours a week as dire pay issue exposed Apprentice tradies reach out for help amid mental health struggles That sentiment is shared by TIACS co-founders Dan Allen and Ed Ross, who said they were 'stoked' to work with Bunnings to connect people to free, professional support. The non-profit group was created in 2020 after Dan lost a close mate to suicide. The organisation's 2025 Impact Report reveals that more than 10 per cent of TIACS' clients are apprentices, one of which said in a press release that he had long feared that 'opening up and asking for help was a sign of weakness'. Through regular sessions with a TIACS counsellor, he said he 'finally felt heard' and learned the tools to cope and 'find a sense of peace'. For support, text or call TIACS at 0488 846 988 between 8am to 10pm on Monday to Friday. View this post on Instagram A post shared by trademutt (@trademutt) Calls to 'change the narrative' as tradies make tough admissions Tradies are the backbone of many Aussie industries, but their mental health is often overlooked, prompting numerous workers to speak out about their own challenges or offer a helping hand to anyone else who is struggling. Carpenter Bardie Somerville previously told Yahoo Finance the 'normalised' culture of heavy drinking, gambling and drugs in her industry can make it easy for many people to become 'trapped in a cycle' that causes them to deteriorate. After entering the trades industry as a labourer at 18, Bardie said she threw herself into the 'typical tradie' lifestyle, which ultimately 'led her down a pretty difficult path' and prompted her to reach out for help. This month it was revealed that thousands of apprentices are being forced to take on second jobs just to get by, and it's having a huge impact on their mental health. According to a survey conducted by Beyond Blue and boots manufacturer Steel Blue released late last year, the nation's skills shortage crisis has taken its toll on tradies with more than 50 per cent of those interviewed admitting they were struggling mentally. While there has been an increase in workers turning to friends, family and their GPs for support since 2022, a fifth of respondents still said they wouldn't tell anyone if they had depression. 'We must change the narrative around depression and other mental health conditions. Taking action, getting support, talking with friends or family is such an important step to take to get better,' Beyond Blue's CEO Georgie Harman said at the you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Apprentice tradie forced to work 85 hours a week as dire pay issue exposed: 'Draining'
Thousands of apprentice tradespeople are being forced to take on second jobs or side hustles just to get by, and it's taking a huge toll on their mental health. It's no secret that tradies in training don't earn much money. However, with the rising cost of living, some are struggling to make ends meet. Aidan Garcia has been loving his mechanic apprenticeship, but the 18-year-old said it's impossible to live off his roughly $600 per week salary. "It's draining having barely any money," he told Yahoo Finance. RELATED Tradie apprentice shocks with $100,000 salary as she reveals reality of lucrative job Centrelink's 'balancing' move could provide cash boost or expose debt Commonwealth Bank's fresh alert for millions over mass text messages He has to pay $250 per week in rent, living with his brother, and around $110 per week in fuel. After also buying food and paying off his phone bill and other expenses, he has virtually nothing left at the end of each pay cycle to spend on hanging with friends, his partner, or even just squirrelling some cash into his savings. As a result, the second-year trainee has taken on a second job at a My Muscle Chef warehouse, where he does a variety of jobs like cooking food or packing meals into boxes. When he initially started that side gig, he was working eight-and-a-half-hour days at a mechanic shop starting at 7:30am, and then would do an overnight shift at the warehouse from 10:15pm to 6:15am. He did that five days a weekends, he picked up odd jobs on Airtasker, like removing rubbish and helping fix people's gearboxes. At his peak, he was working 85 hours a week. He's since dropped back to just three overnight shifts, but is still doing about 67 hours. He would try to squeeze in sleep whenever he could, whether that was on his lunch break, during his lessons at TAFE, or the few hours between shifts. "It does make you second-guess the apprenticeship," he said, adding that he's been close to dropping out several times. Extra gigs have doubled his income, but at what cost? Garcia admitted it has been a brutal slog, but the extra jobs have lifted his weekly wage from $600 to $1,400. It's given him more financial breathing room, but it meant he had next to zero downtime and is still only just getting by. He's keen to stick with his apprenticeship, as he'll soon be earning much more money. By the time he's fully qualified, his hourly rate is set to go up from the current $16 per hour to at least $28 per hour. But it still bothers him that he could be earning better money elsewhere. "My mates are all doing much better than me," he said. "Some are making good money in the Army and loving it. Another mate told me about a job where he works, and I can make more money there in just three shifts than for a whole week as an apprentice mechanic." But he's not alone. "Most of the people I know either had second jobs or would just be scraping the bottom of the barrel," he added. Research from Apprenticeships Are Us (ARU) has revealed more than 40 per cent of apprentices take on second jobs to help cover rising expenses. This results in extreme burnout and can cause many to drop out of their apprenticeship altogether. Low wages contributing to mass apprentice exodus Australia is in the midst of a trade shortage, and many experts have been sounding the alarm that the housing crisis could become even worse because there aren't enough young people picking up a trade. The National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) recently found there has been a 17.4 per cent drop in apprenticeship commencements, and the non-completion rate for apprenticeships sits at 60 per cent. Dennis Rodgers, apprentice employment manager at ARU, said with many trainees earning between $26,800 and $29,400 per year, it's no wonder some are dropping out. 'These young workers are forced to make tough choices about basic living costs. On top of that, they're expected to invest thousands of dollars into mandatory tools they need just to do their job,' he said. 'We're at real risk of losing the next generation of skilled workers altogether, and of our skills shortage worsening. "Many young people are simply walking away from apprenticeships because they can't see a viable path forward — financially or mentally.' Garcia said even the most basic toolkit that's essential for his job can cost from $4,000 up to $10,000. Some of his apprentice mates have taken out loans to get these tools, which has put them in further financial strife. The government has announced a $10,000 incentive for apprentices, which gets paid out in instalments over the four-year training program. Garcia said that would be a huge help, but said more needs to be done to help apprentices get paid more and not be forced into working around the clock to survive.
