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By staff writer Eighty-three NSW people are in ICU with Covid, according to NSW Health, up from 79 over the previous 24-hour reporting period. In Orange 35 people tested positive, down from 63. In the 24 hours to 8pm on January 1, 2022, NSW recorded two deaths, and 1,066 people in hospital (up from 901 the day before). There were 18,278 new cases, down from 22,577. There were 90,109 tests conducted, a steep drop from the previous 24-hour reporting period (119,278). Ninety-five percent of NSW people aged 16 and over have had one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine; 93.6 percent of the same group have had two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. In the 12-15 age group 81.5 percent have had one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 78.2 percent of people have had two doses. Up to 8pm last night there were 153 new cases identified in the following local government areas (LGA) in the Western NSW Local Health District: Bathurst - 9 Blayney - 2 Bourke - 4 Brewarrina - 2 Cabonne - 3 Cowra - 4 Dubbo - 53 (inc 1 Wellington address) Forbes - 4 Gilgandra - 2 Lachlan - 2 Mid-Western - 9 (inc 7 with Mudgee addresses) Narromine - 4 Oberon - 6 Orange - 35 Parkes - 4 Walgett - 5 (inc 1 with Lightning Ridge address) Warren - 1 Warrumbungle - 3 (including 1 Coonabarabran address) Weddin - 1

308 Summer St, Orange. Phone: 0415 191 789. By The Plate Reviewed: November 12 and November 27, 2021. Many come for the steaming bowls of comforting, eponymous pho and laksa. Or the lunchtime Vietnamese chicken, pork and salad rolls. Me, I return for the salt and pepper king prawns. Pho Orange is a very low key Vietnamese restaurant on the Summer Street main strip, down near the Hotel Orange. It's the kind of place where you order and pay for your prawns, and five seconds later the chest freezer behind the front desk is opened and a bag of frozen prawns whisked into the kitchen. The kind of place where the owners shuffle about the tight space in socks and thongs. Another five or so minutes and a plastic plate is presented. For $16.50 (on the first visit, $18 on the second) you get six battered king prawns - crunchy and a little rubbery in the style preferred by many Asian restaurants - mixed with stir-fried onions, capsicum, crispy fried onions, shallots and a moreish salt and Schezuan pepper spice mix. Steamed rice is included. Minimum $20 spend on card. The Orange News Examiner does not accept free meals and reviews anonymously.

NSW has recorded 22,577 new Covid cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on New Year's Eve, including 63 in Orange. There are 109,197 active cases in NSW. There are 901 people in hospital in NSW, with 79 in ICU. Twenty-six people require ventilation. Five deaths in NSW were reported. There were 119,278 tests conducted in the state. Up to 8pm last night there were 152 new cases identified in the following local government areas in the Western NSW Local Health District: Bathurst - 7 Blayney - 1 (Millthorpe) Bogan - 3 (Nyngan) Bourke - 2 Brewarrina - 2 Cabonne - 9 Cobar - 3 Coonamble - 1 Dubbo - 28 (inc 1 with Wellington address) Forbes - 2 Gilgandra - 1 Lachlan - 1 (Condobolin) Mid-Western - 6 Orange - 63 Parkes - 4 Walgett - 13 (inc 1 with Lightning Ridge address) Warrumbungle - 6 (inc 3 with Coonabarabran addresses). In NSW 95 percent of people aged 16 and over have had their first vaccination, and 93.6 percent have had their second. In the 12-to-15-year-old demographic in NSW, 81.5 percent have had their first shot, and 78.2 percent have had their second. Nationally, 78.8 percent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people over the age of 16 have had one dose, and 71 percent of people over the age of 16 are fully vaccinated.

By Peter Holmes A new apartment in the CBD will have a lap pool on the first floor. The mc07 development at 7 McNamara Street is slated to begin construction in February. There will be two apartments, and a commercial property on the ground floor. Agents did not give a price estimate on the apartments, but the commercial space is for sale for $720,000 plus GST. The 7 McNamara Street property sold on November 7, 2018 for $700,000. Apartment one will have three to four bedrooms, 215.8sqm total lot area, two car spaces, onsite storage shed, built-in sound system, car charging station connection, strata title and onsite visitor car parking. The PR guff states: "From the moment you enter the foyer and travel in the lift to your apartment you’ll know that you have arrived home to ultimate luxury." Apartment one is at the front of the property overlooking McNamara Street and Wade Park. Apartment two will feature three to four bedrooms, 266.8sqm total lot area, three car spaces, onsite storage shed, built-in sound system, car charging station connection, strata title and onsite visitor car parking. It will have timber parquetry floors, marble benchtops and splashbacks, Miele appliances, Zip tap, moulded Corian basins and ceiling heights ranging from almost three to six metres. The website states: "With its atrium loft, two terraces and lap pool, [it] is the pinnacle in luxury apartment living ... The generous lofted rumpus and study create a vaulted space overlooking the lower level of the apartment. "The atrium loft creates a breathtaking warehouse feature in the apartment. "Apartment Two features two terraces, one with views over the Orange skyline towards Mt Canobolas, and the other housing the lap pool. Swim laps whilst overlooking the Orange skyline!" Job architects Source state: “For us, the highlight of this apartment is unquestionably the pool. "This apartment has two separate terraces with the pool enjoying a terrace of its own with a spectacular northern aspect."

By Peter Holmes Police have reported a quiet night in Orange on New Year's Eve. As the sun rose over the city on Saturday morning, all was still. The main drag was clean, tidy and empty, with no debris of the human or rubbish kind to be found. Inspector David Maher from Orange Police told The Orange News Examiner ahead of New Year's Eve that there would be an increased police presence in the city, with extra officers rostered on. Early on Saturday morning police said it had been low-key night, with revellers well-behaved and "no dramas". One petrol station employee on an early shift told The Orange News Examiner that it was a very low key scene in her neck of the woods, with the only irritant "the bloody [fire] crackers going off". It was also a quiet night for firies, with Orange Fire Station reporting no call-outs of note.

Corner Farrell and Northern Distributor roads, Orange. Phone: 6360 1281. Reviewed December 1, 2021. By The Plate . I have a beef with McDonald's North Orange. About a year ago I wrote to Maccas HQ to complain about the quality of fries at McDonald's North Orange. In the fast food world there is little so pleasant as a fresh, piping hot McDonald's fry - it stands to attention and has a crunch. You know when your fries are fresh because you enjoy eating them, and each fry is a moment worth savouring. However, there is little so unpleasant as a fry that is past its best. Limp, soggy and oily, it flops and bends and has no business being anywhere near the customer's mouth. In the Orange takeaway world you can go to a stack of places that will cook your chips or fries to order, including Stan's, Village Bakehouse, Mackie's, Mad Hatter and Choox. Against these, the limp chip doesn't stand a chance. Over repeated visits to North Orange McDonald's, the fries were usually not very good. Upon receiving my complaint, I was called by a man in management who thanked me for my email, and offered me a free Big Mac meal (I never got around to collecting it.) The man said he knew what the issue was with the fries, and that it would be resolved. Well, here we are a year on and the fries are still way below where they need to be. Sometimes they are good, but rarely. There is simply no excuse - fast food or not - for letting chips sit for too long before selling them. I find the staff at McDonald's North Orange friendly and helpful; the orders are correct; and the hamburgers are fresh. The fries, though, continue to let the side down. * The Orange News Examiner does not accept free meals and reviews anonymously.

By Peter Holmes Dateline: 1995. I am at Festival Records in Pyrmont, on the outskirts of the Sydney CBD, to interview American singer Andy Prieboy, a slight fellow in the rock'n'roll mould with an impressive pile of black hair. He wants to sit outside on the steps near an emergency exit so he can smoke. Prieboy replaced Stan Ridgway as the singer in Wall Of Voodoo, a strange '80s band that threw drum machines, synthesisers, post-punk, garage rock and spaghetti western country into a blender and emerged with a wonky rattle and twang that was cinematic and theatrical. Ridgway (Mexican Radio) and Prieboy (Far Side Of Crazy) each had a hit single with the band, and both went on to make very good solo albums that mostly didn't do much business. Prieboy is best known for Tomorrow Wendy, a song about a woman with AIDS. But he's here today to discuss his new solo album Sins of the Father. He sucks the living daylights out of a cigarette, as if he's vacuuming up a thickshake through a straw. I ask how he coped with the new regulations banning smoking on the 14-hour haul from Los Angeles to Sydney. The look on his face tells me he did not cope very well at all. So not well, in fact, that given the choice of getting in trouble for lighting up in the jumbo jet's bathroom, or eating a cigarette, he went with the latter. Yep, he just mashed the tobacco into his airline food and chowed on down. Andy Prieboy is not proud of what he's done, but he did it nonetheless, and there is no taking it back. What's more, I suspect that under duress, he will do it again.

By Laura Ryan and Charlie Huveneers The presumed death of 57-year-old Paul Millachip in an apparently fatal shark bite incident near Perth on November 6, 2021, is a traumatising reminder that while shark bites are rare, they can have tragic consequences. Despite the understandably huge media attention these incidents generate, there has been little scientific insight into how and why they happen. Sharks in general, and white sharks in particular, have long been described as “mindless killers” and “man-eaters”. But our recent research confirms that some bites on humans may be the result of mistaken identity, whereby the sharks mistake humans for their natural prey based on visual similarities. Sharks have an impressive array of senses, but vision is thought to be particularly important for prey detection in white sharks. For example, they can attack seal-shaped decoys at the surface of the water even though these decoys lack other sensory cues such as scent. The visual world of a white shark varies substantially from that of our own. White sharks are likely colourblind and rely on brightness, essentially experiencing their world in shades of grey. Their eyesight is also much less acute than ours – in fact, it’s probably more akin to the blurry images a human would see underwater without a mask or goggles. The mistaken identity theory Bites on surfers have often been explained by the fact that, seen from underneath, a paddling surfer looks a lot like a seal. But this presumed similarity has only previously been assessed based on human vision, using underwater photographs to compare their silhouettes. Recent developments in our understanding of sharks’ vision have now made it possible to examine the mistaken identity theory from the shark’s perspective, using a virtual system that generates “shark’s-eye” images. In our study, published in October 2021, we and our colleagues in Australia, South Africa and the United Kingdom compared video footage of seals and of humans swimming and paddling surfboards, to predict what a young white shark sees when looking up from below. We specifically studied juvenile white sharks – between of 2m and 2.5m in length – because data from New South Wales suggests they are more common in the surf zone and are disproportionately involved in bites on humans. This might be because juvenile sharks are more likely to make mistakes as they switch to hunting larger prey such as seals. Our results showed it was impossible for the virtual visual system to distinguish swimming or paddling humans from seals. This suggests both activities pose a risk, and that the greater occurrence of bites on surfers might be linked to the times and locations of when and where people surf. Our analysis suggests the “mistaken identity” theory is indeed plausible, from a visual perspective at least. But sharks can also detect prey using other sensory systems, such as smell, sound, touch and detection of electrical fields. While it seems unlikely every bite on a human by a white shark is a case of mistaken identity, it is certainly a possibility in cases where the human is on the surface and the shark approaches from below. However, the mistaken identity theory cannot explain all shark bites and other factors, such as curiosity, hunger or aggression are likely to also explains some shark bites. Can this knowledge help protect us? [Over summer] and [as] COVID restrictions lift, more Australians will head to the beach ... increasing the chances they might come into close proximity with a shark. Often, people may not even realise a shark is close by. Understanding why shark bites happen is a good first step towards helping reduce the risk. Our research has inspired the design of non-invasive, vision-based shark mitigation devices that are currently being tested, and which change the shape of the silhouette. We still have a lot to learn about how sharks experience their world, and therefore what measures will most effectively reduce the risks of a shark bite. There is a plethora of devices being developed or commercially available, but only a few of them have been scientifically tested, and even fewer – such as the devices made by Ocean Guardian that create an electrical field to ward off sharks – have been found to genuinely reduce the risk of being bitten. This article republished with permission of The Conversation. Laura Ryan is a postdoctoral researcher, Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University. Laura Ryan receives funding from State and Federal government agencies and non-governmental organisations. Charlie Huveneers is an associate professor, Flinders University. Charlie Huveneers receives funding from State and Federal government agencies, private donors, and non-governmental organisations.

By Peter Holmes This is how councillors were elected in December 2021. Good luck with it. Schedule 5 Counting of votes under proportional system (Clause 351) 1 General This Schedule sets out the method of counting votes according to the proportional system. The counting is to be carried out under the supervision of the returning officer. 2 Definitions In this Schedule: continuing candidate means at any given time a candidate not already elected or not already excluded from the poll. exhausted ballot-paper means a ballot-paper on which there is no indication of a next preference for a continuing candidate. fraction includes a decimal fraction. next preference means the first of the subsequent preferences marked on a ballot-paper that is not given to an elected or excluded candidate. However, if there is a repetition or omission in the consecutive numbering of preferences marked on a ballot-paper (other than a repetition or omission that makes the ballot-paper informal), only those preferences preceding the repetition or omission can be taken into account. quota means the number of votes sufficient to elect a candidate. surplus, at any given time, means: (a) except as provided in paragraph (b)—the number of votes which a candidate has obtained at that time in excess of the quota, or (b) if the number of exhausted ballot-papers counted to a candidate at that time is greater than the quota—the number of votes which the candidate has obtained at that time in excess of the number of those exhausted ballot-papers. 3 Parcels of first preferences The ballot-papers are divided into parcels according to the names of the candidates for whom the first preferences on the ballot-papers are recorded. 4 Quota The aggregate number of first preferences is divided by one more than the number of candidates to be elected. The quotient (disregarding any remainder), increased by one, becomes the quota. Page 225 Local Government (General) Regulation 2005 Counting of votes under proportional system Schedule 5 2005 No 487 5 Election on first preferences (1) A candidate who has, upon the first preferences being counted, a number of first preferences equal to or greater than the quota is elected. (2) If the number of first preferences obtained by the candidate is equal to the quota, all the ballot-papers on which first preferences are recorded for that candidate are set aside as finally dealt with. 6 Surplus on first count (1) If the number of first preferences obtained by any candidate exceeds the quota, the surplus is transferred to the continuing candidates next in the order of voters’ preferences, in accordance with the following directions: (a) the ballot-papers on which first preferences are recorded for the elected candidate are re-examined, and the number of second preferences, or (in accordance with clause 12 of this Schedule) third or next consecutive preferences, recorded on them for each continuing candidate and the number of exhausted ballot-papers is counted, (b) the surplus is divided by the total number of first preferences recorded for such elected candidate (excluding any exhausted ballot-papers). The transfer value is equal to the resulting fraction or the first 4 digits of the resulting decimal fraction or (if the fraction exceeds 1) to 1, (c) the number of second or other preferences, ascertained in paragraph (a) as being recorded for each continuing candidate, is multiplied by the transfer value, (d) the resulting number for each continuing candidate is added to the number of votes obtained by the candidate on the counting of first preferences, (e) however, if as a result of the multiplication referred to in paragraph (c), any fraction results, so many of those fractions (taken in the order of their magnitude and beginning with the largest) as are necessary to ensure that the number of votes transferred equals the number of the elected candidate’s surplus votes are treated as equal to 1, and the remaining fractions are ignored, (f) if, as a result of the multiplication referred to in paragraph (c), 2 or more fractions are equal and one of them is to be treated as equal to 1, the fraction arising from the largest number of second or other preferences referred to in paragraph (a) is treated as the largest, and if the numbers of those preferences are equal, the fraction credited to the candidate with the highest number of Local Government (General) Regulation 2005 Schedule 5 Counting of votes under proportional system Page 226 2005 No 487 votes at the last count or transfer at which the candidates with the equal number of preferences had an unequal number of votes is treated as the largest, and if those candidates have had an equal number of votes at all preceding counts and transfers, the returning officer decides by lot which fraction is taken to be the largest, (g) from the ballot-papers on which a second or other preference is recorded for any continuing candidate, a number of ballot-papers equal to the number of votes directed by paragraph (d) to be credited to the candidate are selected at random, and these are to be placed in a separate parcel and transferred to the candidate, (h) all ballot-papers of the elected candidate not transferred under paragraph (g) (including any exhausted ballot-papers) are set aside as finally dealt with, being the ballot-papers by which the candidate is elected, (i) a transfer of votes under this clause is not made unless the surplus of the elected candidate, together with any other surpluses not transferred, exceeds the difference in numbers between the votes of the 2 continuing candidates lowest on the poll. (2) However, this clause is subject to clause 11 of this Schedule, and if at any time there is one remaining vacancy which can be filled under that clause, no further transfer under this clause can be made. 7 Surplus on transfer (1) If by a transfer of a surplus on the count of first preferences or of a surplus under this clause the number of votes obtained by a candidate equals or exceeds the quota, the candidate is elected. (2) In that case, despite the fact that the candidate has reached the quota, the transfer is to be completed, and all the votes to which the candidate is entitled from the transfer are to be transferred to the candidate. (3) If by a transfer the number of votes obtained by a candidate equals the quota, the whole of the ballot-papers on which those votes are recorded are set aside as finally dealt with, being the ballot-papers by which the candidate is elected. (4) If by a transfer the number of votes obtained by a candidate exceeds the quota, the surplus is transferred to the continuing candidates next in the order of the voters’ respective preferences in the following manner: (a) the ballot-papers transferred to the elected candidate in the last transfer are re-examined, and the number of next consecutive preferences recorded for each continuing candidate on the papers and the number of exhausted ballot-papers are counted, Page 227 Local Government (General) Regulation 2005 Counting of votes under proportional system Schedule 5 2005 No 487 (b) the surplus is divided by the total number of ballot-papers transferred to the elected candidate in the last transfer (excluding any exhausted ballot-papers). The transfer value is equal to the resulting fraction or the first 4 digits of the resulting decimal fraction or (if the fraction exceeds 1) to 1, (c) the surplus is transferred and the papers dealt with in a manner similar to that prescribed by clause 6 of this Schedule for the transfer of a surplus arising at the first count, (d) a transfer of votes under this subclause is not made unless the surplus of the elected candidate, together with any other surpluses not transferred, exceeds the difference in numbers between the votes of the 2 continuing candidates lowest on the poll. (5) However, this clause is subject to clause 11 of this Schedule, and if at any time there is one remaining vacancy which can be filled under that clause, no further transfer under this clause can be made. 8 Transfer of surpluses (1) If, on the counting of the first preferences or on any transfer, more than one candidate has a surplus, the largest of the surpluses is transferred, then the next largest, and so on. (2) However, if there is an untransferred surplus obtained at a previous count or transfer, that surplus is transferred before those caused by subsequent transfers. (3) If there are equal surpluses at the first count, the returning officer decides by lot which surplus is transferred first. (4) If there are equal surpluses at a later count or at a transfer, the surplus of the candidate who was the highest on the poll at the count or transfer at which the tied candidates last had an unequal number of votes is the first to be transferred. If those candidates have had an equal number of votes at all preceding counts or transfers, the returning officer decides by lot which candidate’s surplus is the first to be transferred. 9 Exclusion of lowest candidates (1) If, after the first preferences have been counted and transfers of surpluses have been made, fewer than the number of candidates required to be elected have obtained the quota, the candidate lowest on the poll is excluded. (2) All the unexhausted votes obtained by that candidate are transferred in one transfer to the continuing candidates who, on the ballot-papers on which such votes are recorded, are next in the order of the voters’ respective preferences. Local Government (General) Regulation 2005 Schedule 5 Counting of votes under proportional system Page 228 2005 No 487 (3) Any exhausted ballot-papers are set aside as finally dealt with. (4) The same process of exclusion and transfer is repeated until all the candidates, except the number required to be elected, have been excluded. At that point, the continuing candidates who have not already been elected are elected. (5) Whenever it becomes necessary to exclude a candidate and two or more candidates have the same number of votes and are lowest on the poll, the one who was lowest on the poll at the last count or transfer at which they had an unequal number of votes is first excluded. (6) If those candidates have had equal numbers of votes at all preceding counts or transfers, or there has been no preceding count, the returning officer decides by lot which candidate is first excluded. (7) This clause is subject to clause 11 of this Schedule, and if at any time there is one remaining vacancy which can be filled under that clause, no further exclusion under this clause can be made. 10 Effect of reaching quota while transfers are proceeding (1) If by a transfer under clause 9 of this Schedule, the number of votes obtained by a candidate equals or exceeds the quota, the candidate is elected. (2) In that case, despite the fact that the candidate has reached the quota, the transfer is to be completed, and all the votes to which the candidate is entitled from the transfer are to be transferred to the candidate. (3) If by a transfer under clause 9 of this Schedule, the number of votes obtained by a candidate equals the quota, the whole of the ballot-papers on which those votes are recorded are set aside as finally dealt with, being the ballot-papers by which the candidate is elected. (4) If by a transfer under clause 9 of this Schedule, the number of votes obtained by a candidate exceeds the quota, the surplus is transferred to the continuing candidates next in the order of the voters’ respective preferences in the manner set out in clause 7 (4) of this Schedule. 11 Election without reaching quota (1) When the number of continuing candidates is reduced to the number of vacancies remaining unfilled the continuing candidates are elected, even if they have not reached the quota. (2) When only one vacancy remains unfilled and the votes of one continuing candidate exceed the total of all the votes of the other continuing candidates, together with any surplus not transferred, that candidate is elected. Page 229 Local Government (General) Regulation 2005 Counting of votes under proportional system Schedule 5 2005 No 487 (3) When more than one vacancy remains unfilled and the votes of the candidate who (if all the vacancies were filled by the successive election of the continuing candidates with the largest number of votes) would be the last to be elected exceed the total of any surplus not transferred plus the votes of all the continuing candidates with fewer votes than that candidate, that candidate and all the other continuing candidates who do not have fewer votes than that candidate are elected. (4) When only one vacancy remains unfilled, and there are only 2 continuing candidates, and those 2 candidates each have the same number of votes, and no surplus votes remain capable of transfer, one candidate is excluded in accordance with clause 9 (5) and (6) of this Schedule and the other is elected. 12 Determining order of preference In determining which candidate is next in the order of the voter’s preference, any candidates who have been declared elected or who have been excluded are not considered, and the order of the voter’s preference is determined as if the names of those candidates had not been on the ballot-paper. 13 Deciding by lot (1) For the purposes of excluding a candidate by lot under clause 9 or 11 of this Schedule, the names of the candidates who have equal numbers of votes are written on similar slips of paper by the returning officer, the slips are folded by the returning officer so as to prevent the names being seen, the slips are mixed and one is drawn at random by the returning officer and the candidate whose name is on the drawn slip is excluded. (2) For the purpose of deciding by lot which candidate’s surplus is first to be transferred under clause 8 of this Schedule, the names of the candidates who have equal surpluses are written on similar slips of paper by the returning officer, the slips are folded by the returning officer so as to prevent the names being seen, the slips are mixed, one of the slips is drawn at random by the returning officer and the candidate whose name is on the drawn slip is the one whose surplus is the first to be transferred. (3) For the purposes of determining the largest fraction under clause 6 of this Schedule, the names of the candidates who have been credited with the equal fractions are written on similar slips of paper by the returning officer, the slips are folded by the returning officer so as to prevent the names being seen, the slips are mixed, one of the slips is drawn at random by the returning officer and the candidate whose name is on the drawn slip is taken to have been credited with the largest fraction. Local Government (General) Regulation 2005 Schedule 5 Counting of votes under proportional system Page 230 2005 No 487 14 Check counting (1) A scrutineer may at any time during the counting of the votes, either before the commencement or after the completion of the transfer of the votes (whether original or transferred votes) of any candidate, request the returning officer to make a check count of the papers then comprised in the parcels of all or any candidates (but not of papers set aside as finally dealt with). (2) The returning officer is to make a check count immediately on receiving the request, unless the returning officer has already made a check count of the same votes. (3) The returning officer may also recount votes as often as he or she thinks necessary to establish accuracy. 15 Records and returns of voting and transfers (1) At each step of the proceedings the returning officer is to keep a record of the number of votes counted for each candidate, the transfer of surpluses, the exclusion of candidates and the transfer of their votes, the votes which are found to be informal, and those which at some stage become exhausted votes. (2) At the same time as the declaration of the election, the returning officer is to exhibit in some conspicuous position at the principal polling place and at the office of the relevant council a record of the voting, counting and transfers. (3) The council must, upon application made to it by any person, deliver or send to the person a copy of the record of voting, counting and transfers.

The do-gooders and snow flakes are at it again, jumping up and down about so-called global warming, demanding that a wind farm be installed on every suburban street corner. If you'd felt the cold in parts of Australia this week, you'd know this warming stuff was a load of garbage! Now, many socialists choose to listen to well-equipped scientists on this issue, but I believe the science fraternity has lost all credibility and is no longer to be trusted. Except on some issues, where I deem it can be trusted, such as medicine. Except on pandemics, where it cannot. These so-called scientists can't even accurately predict what the weather will be like in a week, so how on earth do they know what will happen in 20 years time! There is none so blind as those who will not see. On matters of climate alarmism I prefer to turn to the wisdom of someone like a Lord Monckton. He may not be trained in this field or fully understand what is going on, but this is not really the point. The point is he is British, and doesn't carry all the negative baggage of being a modern scientist, held captive by Soft Leftism and its march towards a society with no values. First they got rid of the cane in schools, then they went after circuses, and then greyhound owners. What is next? Former and Rightful Prime Minister The Right Hon. Tony Abbott did the right thing by abandoning solar and wind power. Both are trendy modernist rubbish. The champagne socialists are yet to accept that coal is king, and will be for the next 1,000 years or so. How could they look a small sub-Continental child in the eye and say, 'No coal for you, you must starve'. This type of heartlessness is endemic amongst the Soft Left. If we spent less time on this greenie bandwagon, and spent more time stopping the boats and helping PM The Very Reverend Scott Morrison do the heavy lifting in repairing the budget disaster left by Labor, Australia would be headed once more in the right direction. Until next time, Ian Commodore (ret.) Ian Stevens is executive director and sole member of The Institute for Keeping Australia Australian, and the proprietor of sandwich shop A Slice of Loaf.

Welcome to my first column for The Orange News Examiner! My aim as a Social Influencer and Style Goddess is to help normal-ordinary people inject a little luxe living into their lifestyle portfolio. Having worked for Vogue, Gourmet Luxe Digest, Harper's Bizarre, And Then There's Maude, Cosmo, DeLuxe Luxe, Elle, Bachelor's Pudding, W, InStyle and Oprah's mYSTERIOUS, I know it will be a gargantuan task to educate the readers of a publication such as this, which has a "style" that might best be described as "in desperate need of expert assistance". Like my besties Trinny Woodall and Susannah Constantine of Trinny & Susannah global fame, I do love a fash challenge! If they can make a sickly yet well-fed woman from Manchester look less hideous, then I can take The Orange News Examiner's readers on a soulful, spiritual journey into the heart of Luxe Living! This is our journey together. Be the person you can be. I have known I was stylish since age three, even though I grew up in Perth. There is a gorgeous photo of me at the sprawling family weekender in Margaret River when I was five. I am wearing a pair of Eggmoth sandals, Louis Vuitton creme-crime cardigan, Bromtiere skivvy with a thread count of 1900 and an uber rare Patati Ensalata sailor's cap. Priceless! I would describe my style as "playful and stylish sleek modern luxe classico". Cool fabrics, warm wraps, and razor-sharp jaws with a hot and spicy attitude that is also totally chilled. Normal-ordinary women often ask me the secret to having such a carefree luxe style that seems so totally effortless. Well, girls, as you know, looking effortless takes a lot of effort! But first, you must commit to luxe. Luxe will not come to you. I have taken a holistic approach to Luxe Living. Crucial to this is creating a Circle of Me. My Circle of Me includes my personal trainer Gonzalez, my dietitian Ormonde, my tennis coach Jake-Brad, my chef Britney-Annalise, my Luxe Guru Stefano and my fashion radar intern Ashleigh. So, the first step in creating a Luxe Lifestyle is to create your own Circle of Me. Without it, you will be unable to progress. Do it now. Be cool and be you, Sash xxx Sasha De Courgette-Winslow is the founder, director and CEO of The Modern Luxe Style Collective. She is a social influencer, fashion writer, style guru and life coach to Central West women with a net worth in excess of $25 million.

EXCLUSIVE By Cran Cramston Orange area hipster Matt Erkle has been posing as a Bitcoin billionaire in order to woo the ladies, we can reveal. Erkle has been posting on social describing himself as a "cool hipster and a Bitcoin billionaire looking for love". He says he is looking for a woman with "straight hair, an orange glow, and artificially oversized lips". An exhaustive investigation by our cryptocurrency wing can reveal that Erkle, 24, is actually an accountancy student with a vast collection of Star Wars toys who lives with his parents somewhere near Cudal. When confronted, Erkle conceded he was not actually a Bitcoin billionaire, and that his scheme had gone awry when a woman with straight hair, an orange glow, and artificially oversized lips, left her bikie boyfriend in order to play with Erkle. Erkle had promised the woman a life of yachts, diamonds, plastic surgery and personalised meals, however she became suspicious when their first date was held at Hungry Jack's. "I told her the venue was ironic," he said. "She didn't buy it." Then a man on a bike came calling. More to come ...

WORLD EXCLUSIVE By staff writers THE Central West relatives of a man who is still recovering from the Worst Christmas Ever have recounted in harrowing detail the scene that greeted them at his remote Top End property this Christmas. Weather-beaten Vernon Wibble, 52, was due to host Christmas lunch at his 989,000-acre Outback spread in Haggard Hills West, north-east of the main mining wedge. He had been badgering family members for 23 years, and finally convinced 18 siblings, cousins, parents and children to make the long journey from around the country and, in some cases, overseas. "Vern is still feeling very weak about what happened this Christmas," said Wibble's cousin Len "Chickens" Borderman, an Orange local. Borderman had flown from Orange into Alice Springs via various locales, and then taken a connecting light aircraft flight into the official Tiny Town of Numb. He had then driven 745km through the hot and dusty badlands to attend the groundbreaking holiday beano at Vernon Wibble's property. Borderman explained that Wibble had accidentally left the fridge door ajar two days before Christmas, shortly before heading off to shear sheep in searing 47C heat at one of the property's outstations. "Vern returned late on Christmas Eve to get the house in order for the guests," Borderman revealed. "But all the food had gone off – the turkey, the ham, the salads, the prawns, the milk, the butter, the cakes, the fixings for ambrosia, the strawberries, the trifle and a wide selection of heavily-aged cheeses and loose deli meats. And all the ice to keep the drinks cool had melted." Borderman, who has lived in Orange since 1972, said the stench was so putrid that upon returning to the house, Wibble's cattle dog Mortein had promptly turned around, walked slowly but with purpose off the property, and died by the side of the road. Les Borderman - who was travelling with third wife Beryl Borderman - finally arrived at Wibble's house on Christmas morning, after a torturous three-day journey from Orange involving heavy and light aircraft, buses, trains, rent-a-cars, horse and carriage and hot air balloon. He found his cousin Vernon - who he had failed to properly keep in touch with over the years - sat on the lino floor of the kitchen, staring off into the middle distance. No presents had been wrapped, and the Christmas tree had been tipped over. Baubles were strewn about; Wibble had nicked a toe after treading on a yellow one. "The pathos was overwhelming," said Len. "I didn't know whether to laugh or to cry, so I did both." Psychologist Merry Whey, who spoke with Wibble's approval, said it would be a long, slow recovery for Vernon, but that he was already showing signs of progress. That said, Wibble has been advised to never host Christmas lunch again, as Whey said there was "a fine line between getting back on a live horse, and flogging a dead one". "The guests will be talking about this for decades to come," she said thoughtfully. "It will be passed down through the generations: 'Do you remember the time Vernon made a mess of Christmas?' 'Do you remember the ants, and the cockroaches the size of a child's shoe, feasting on the rotten food?'" Whey added more: "Eighteen people turned up that fateful day, although Vernon's 89-year-old mother Maureen did succumb on Boxing Day to heatstroke at the Numb portable base hospital-cum-bingo hall. The ripples from the pebble in the pond ..."

THE SOFT left is working itself into a big soapy lather regarding Mr President Mr Donald J. Trump. The fear in their eyes is telling: Judgement Day is near and they are terrified their elite little club is about to be shut down forever. Mr President Mr Trump started the Job but was then SHUT DOWN BY FAKE NEWS and Fake Votes. Now Fake President "Handsy" Joe Biden is wasting money on things like building roads and bridges and other things that should be None of the Government's Business. The flabby, latte-sipping Do-Gooders point to Mr President Mr Trump's many, many flaws as evidence he is unfit to be President. For example, he caused a riot at the Seat of American Democracy on January 6, 2021, these loser sheeple claim. I call shenanigans! Just because Mr President Mr Trump brought the kindling and the gasoline and a big bag of matches doesn't mean he is personally responsible. The Soft Left wants everybody Else to take responsibility Except themselves. Does this make ANY sense? Yes, Mr President Mr Trump is not perfect. None of us is Perfect. I can be too fair-minded, too generous, and too partial to Toasted Cheese and Tinned Peach Sandwiches when I am stressed. I work on these weaknesses, as has Mr President Mr Trump on his. We should thank the heavens that he is surrounded by such competent businesspeople such as sons Don-Don and Eric, and beautiful daughter Ivanka, of whom I have a poster. It is obvious to any clear thinker that Mr President Mr Trump is the victim of a conspiracy between the Fake News media, the judiciary, fake Republicans, Ben & Jerry's, Los Lobos, big pharma, Black Lives Matter, Saturday Night Live and China/Iran. When I approach Customers in my Central West sandwich shop A Slice of Loaf about their View of Mr President Mr Trump, there seems to be A LOT of negative opinion. On more than one occasion I have had to Man-handle a Soft Left plant from the Premises. Business is down by 35 percent, and Centre Management has demanded I remove the "Lock Up Joe Biden" posters, however I will not be Bullied by socialists and communists and the Soft Rainbow Left. If we don't stand up now, it will be too late for humankind. If Mr President Mr Donald J. Trump Loses the 2024 election there will be no Doubt that it was rigged by Illegal immigrants; angry gun-toters from the projects; sour-faced sexual experimenters; shadowy, abundantly fertile fascists; the swamp in Washington DC; soft-left academics; the secret army that wipes out enemies of the Clintons; Anthony Fauci; Hollywood; and MSNBC. The only solution to this treason will be a military coup. There, I said it. I for one would VERY HEAVILY CONSIDER flying across the Pacific to join the movement to keep the USA free from The Namby Pamby PC Brigade. You must remember that not only is Mr President Mr Trump a world leader, he is also an incredible businessman. They say his Trump Steaks, Trump Airline, Trump University and Trump Casinos all went bust, and that working class contractors struggled to get paid for the jobs they did for Trump, but all this Soft-Left Moaning only goes to hide the truth, and that is that Mr President Mr Trump is a Risk-Taker, a Myth-Maker and a Mover'N'Shaker, and sometimes the wheel falls off on the road to GREATNESS. And it's all FAKE NEWS. Meanwhile, there has been talk about Mr President Mr Trump's Relationship with Russia and widely admired strongman Vladimir Putin. Well, this is Pure racism from the pinkos of the Soft Left. Four months ago I met a lovely Russian woman online. Her name is Olga, and we plan to wed in Coming Months. Olga is remarkably beautiful and has studied law and biochemistry. We just "clicked" online :) and Olga is hoping to come to Australia as soon as I can raise the funds for her business class flight [she is very tall]. Olga said lawyers and biochemists work for the government and don't get paid much, if at all, and her mother is ill, so she doesn't have the available money right now. It doesn't matter, though, for once we are married what's mine will be hers. And to be honest, she'll probably end up earning a lot more than me, as there is more cash in legal courts than food courts! Until next time, Ian Commodore (ret.) Ian Stevens is executive director of The Institute for Keeping Australia Australian, and the owner of sandwich shop A Slice of Loaf.

EXCLUSIVE Extravaganza D'Summers A worldwide epidemic of models wandering without purpose in fields of flowers is worsening, with waif-like women being spotted at locations all around the globe. Sources recently spotted Swiss uber model Joan Smorgasbord looking lost in a field of flowers somewhere between Orange and Molong. Smorgasbord said she had entered the field in the hope of bumping into a fashion photographer. "I find that if I just start walking around a field of flowers, inevitably a fashion photographer appears," said Smorgasbord, who struts the boho waif rural style. Smorgasbord said she had encountered fashion photographers at flower fields in Paris, London and Abu Dhabi. More news as it comes to hand.

By Peter Holmes Dateline: 1995. Part 2 The public seats were in the back row, which put us about 10 metres from the defendant, his defence team and the prosecution. Beyond them was the judge. My head was about to explode, and it took some moments to process the scene. I couldn't quite believe we'd managed to jag our way into the trial, and now here I was, and just over there were O.J. Simpson, defence lawyers Johnnie Cochrane, Robert Shapiro, F. Lee Bailey and Robert Kardashian, prosecutors Marcia Clarke and Christopher Darden, and Judge Lance Ito. But no jury. At this point in the trial the court was dealing with a potentially key witness, Rosa Lopez. Lopez was a maid who was living and working next to Simpson in the upmarket suburb of Brentwood on the night Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman were killed. The defence said Lopez would place Simpson's Ford Bronco at his home at 10:15pm on the night of the murders, meaning Simpson would have been at home at the time Brown Simpson and Goldman were murdered. A small woman with short dark hair, Rosa Lopez had a face carved in granite. It was a face that betrayed a hard life, and one marked by tragedy. Since fleeing her native El Salvador in 1969 and finding (initially undocumented) refuge in the United States, she had worked as a domestic maid, tending to the needs of the upper classes. However the trial and her potential involvement had cost her a job with Simpson's neighbours - the Salingers - and she was currently unencumbered by labour. Lopez was not thrilled with the way her life in recent times had panned out, all because she took her employer's dog out for a wee one night. Her English was rudimentary and she gave her evidence in Spanish via an interpreter. On occasion she answered in English and had to be reminded by Judge Ito to answer in Spanish. Upon which the translator explained this to Lopez, who then answered in Spanish. Lopez wanted out and was threatening to return to El Salvador before her slated appearance, in coming months, as a defence witness. In an attempt to ensure her testimony was heard should she scarper, Judge Ito directed her evidence be filmed, with the footage to be possibly shown to the jury at a later date, should the defence so choose. Lopez, though, was still unhappy, as legal argument and other issues were causing her to have to stay in Los Angeles - where she had no accommodation - for several days. At one point she told Judge Ito that she had booked a ticket to El Salvador and intended to leave the following day, as her life had become a misery. She said she had been stalked and hounded by reporters; stared at by members of the public, and rejected by a family member, who said if Lopez ever gave evidence on behalf of O.J. Simpson she would never speak to Lopez again. Ito was sympathetic but firm with Lopez, and insisted she guarantee that she wouldn't leave the country. If she didn't, he would have no choice but to demand she lodge a bond, or be locked up. Reluctantly, and after back and forth about whether she had actually booked a flight or merely made a refundable reservation, Lopez promised to stay in Los Angeles, and Ito agreed to take care of her lodgings and deal with any flight issues. He said he would do his best to stop her being approached by reporters, but the way he said it suggested he had no faith whatsoever that his best would alter the media's hounding of those involved in the trial. During an adjournment the public gallery exited the courtroom and hovered about in the ninth floor lobby. Simpson's lawyer Robert Shapiro chatted and laughed with a few people. Though my thoughts about Simpson's guilt would change significantly as the trial proceeded, right now at this moment my view was that Simpson was probably not guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Why? For one, the timeline seemed scratchy, and there was reasonable uncertainty over whether Simpson could really have driven to the murder scene, hacked two people to death with a knife, changed and disposed of his clothes, and returned home, all without leaving swathes of evidence at the scene and in his vehicle. Also, the investigation appeared incredibly sloppy. And DNA was new and not to be trusted when it came to a man's freedom. Furthermore, there was a lot of gossip about LA detective Mark Fuhrman, and his use of racial epithets to describe African Americans. And what about Rosa Lopez, who was before me in the court, who six months ago told a defence investigator that she saw Simpson's white Ford Bronco parked outside Simpson's house at the time Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman were being killed outside Brown Simpson's condominium? ... Figuring I would only ever have one chance, I strode up to Shapiro, waited for a pause in the conversation, and introduced myself as an Australian reporter who has been closely following the trial. We chatted briefly and then, as we wrapped it up, I found myself caught up in the moment and - for reasons I still don't fully understand - offered O.J. Simpson, via his lawyer Robert Shapiro, the good wishes of the Australian people. Although Shapiro no doubt knew I was not qualified to offer this sort of support on behalf of a whole continent, he nonetheless seemed mildly pleased with this message of support from the Antipodes. And then we returned to the courtroom. My eyes were fixed on my new best friend Bob Shapiro, who was sat next to Simpson, leaning in to talk to him. Suddenly, Shapiro swivelled in his chair and pointed in my direction. No, not in my direction. He seemed to be pointing right at me. Simpson also swivelled in his chair, and then O.J. Simpson was looking at me, expressionless, while Shapiro continued to point at me and talk to Simpson. I exchanged a half nod with Simpson and then the pair swivelled around again to face the bench. I looked at the people in front of me - members of families involved, court staff, journalists - and none seemed to be making eye contact with, or signalling to, Simpson or Shapiro. I was in the back row of the gallery, and there was only a small standing space between the back of my seat and the back wall of the court, and when I looked behind me, no-one was standing there. Postscript 1: In the coming days Lopez's filmed testimony would be picked apart by prosecutor Chris Darden, and her potential as a key defence witness would evaporate. Two of O.J. Simpson's lawyers would be fined by a furious Judge Ito after it emerged that the defence had withheld information about Lopez giving a second interview to the defence, in which she had made no mention of seeing Simpson's Bronco at the crucial time of 10:30pm. Postscript 2: After 24 years occasionally wondering if Robert Shapiro really had been pointing at me as he relayed the good wishes of the Australian people to his desperate client, I was watching the superb 10-episode drama The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, in which John Travolta played Shapiro. I was living in Orange but working for the New York-based BuzzFeed News at the time, and so I found Shapiro's email address and wrote to him from my work email on the off chance he recalled the incident, as it would have made for an interesting story. A response had promptly arrived, which surprised me. In it, Shapiro said that he hadn't recalled pointing at me, or sending the good tidings of Australia to his client, but qualified this by saying things at the time had been rather hectic.

I have been doing yoga for seven years. I would like to think that I am admired within my circle as a pioneer, as many friends and friends of friends around the achiever suburbs seemed to embrace yoga after me. Coincidence? Maybe not. My bestie gal pals Miffoire (PR Princess), Jasm'n (Viral Virtuoso) and Ker-lo-wee (Design Diva) now do yoga. I don't gloat about this, because as a fashion and social influencer, I see it as my role to direct people towards a more meaningful existence. Gratitude and maybe a thank you T2 gift voucher would be nice, but I don't expect it, as I choose not to allow disappointment into my circle. My cosmetic surgeon Henri always says that beauty comes from within, and that is true. To a point. This is where things like yoga and steel cut oats come in. However, external beauty is also very important if you want to make your mark in the crazy modern space known as "the world". I am still on my Yoga Journey. My goal is to be the best that I can be. I also think I can help yoga build its global brand. Its current positioning is all wrong. My personal assistant is a phone call away if the World Yoga CEO wants to go for growth. So, how would I fix yoga going forward in the future? Well, aside from a multi-million dollar viral campaign on Facebook and Insta pitching yoga as the Ultimate Lifestyle Choice, the first thing I'd do is put all the focus on stretching, and forget the meditation stuff. From a personal perspective, I am able to stretch, but have been unable to master the overrated, so-called skill of meditation. I find it impossible to empty my mind. This is the price of having an unusually large brain. During my last yoga session I was thinking about the following: * Jay-Z and Beyonce - how did they survive Lemonade?; * How my fash prediction for sailor-wear has been proven correct; * Why my former gal pal Tiffany continues to be such a total bee-yartch; * If the nanny is stealing my Borthwick Cold-Pressed Cucumber Water and my Bitcoins (sorry Lolandra if you aren't!); * How much I crave a Porsche SUV - yummy!; * My favourite Kardashian (Kimmy!); * Whether the cute Italian waiter at Bar Bituate will be serving at lunch today; * Why women with butts the size of prize-winning pumpkins should think twice about Lorna Jane active wear; * Starvation in, you know, Africa (even after all those charity concerts last century!). I mean, seriously, how much more can you/we/I give? And on and on it goes. Would I date Keanu Reeves if he asked me out (Yes!). Is my thigh gap acceptable (Double Yes!! #buttcrunches). Should I get the dolphin tattoo that Flick got last week but tell everyone I got it first (Of course!!!). Anyway. The fact is meditation is a complete waste of time for high achievers in the modern continuum. As a Luxe Goddess, Social Influencer, Mother, Lover and Employer, I am always required to be 'On'. Thoughts are my currency. It's what makes me unique. To switch off in yoga is to switch off in life and invite decay. I believe my time as a Yogi will come, once yoga adapts to a time-poor, fully-digitized world. Like me, yoga can be cool, understated, romantic, sexy and a little playful! Bring it on! Be cool and be you, Sash xxx Sasha De Courgette-Winslow is the founder, director and CEO of The Modern Luxe Style Collective. She is a social influencer, fashion writer, style guru and life coach to Central West women with a net worth in excess of $25 million.

EXCLUSIVE By staff writers AN Orange family remains in good spirits, despite being glued together for the past three weeks. Hippies Grant and Wendy Wentyborg from the outskirts of town were stuck to their daughter Enth after a Spiritual Craft Class went terribly wrong. "We were building a Papier-mâché Kombi Van with industrial glue, and also meditating at the same time, and the next thing we knew we had woken up and we were all stuck together," said Wendy Wentyborg in an exclusive interview. The family is currently sleeping standing up. Mrs Wentyborg said her husband Grant "smells worse than I thought. Although maybe that's the baby". Grant Wentyborg said it was definitely Enth who was stinking up their commune hut, but conceded it was becoming "difficult to tell where Enth's fragrance tapered off and mine and Wendy's began". Bits of the Papier-mâché Kombi Van are still stuck to Grant. As evidenced by our world exclusive photo, Enth is having the best time.

By Nicole Lee and Jarryd Bartle As part of a Halloween-inspired campaign, the Australian Federal Police has released a series of ill-advised memes attempting to highlight the “lesser-known impacts” of illicit drug use. The campaign demonstrates a skewed and overly simplistic understanding of drug problems. It’s superficial, inaccurate and demonises people who use drugs. People who use drugs are depicted as spine-chilling zombies that “bankroll criminals who enslave women and destroy the environment”. Cocaine use is linked to infertility, jokingly exclaiming “get off the junk to protect your junk”. People who use heroin are blamed for increasing insurance premiums. Arguably the worst of the memes is a computer generated image, manufactured by the AFP’s Forensics Facial Recognition team, claiming to be “before” and “after” methamphetamine use. It seems to be inspired by the infamous American “Faces of Meth” and Montana Meth Project campaigns, which have been widely criticised as ineffective, inaccurate and highly stigmatising. In fact, they may have increased risk of use. Concerned community organisations are calling on the AFP to remove the posts. Here’s what the AFP campaign gets wrong. Scare campaigns and distorted ‘facts’ don’t reduce use or harms The AFP campaign uses confronting imagery and distorted and exaggerated claims in an attempt to scare people from using drugs. Decades of evidence show scare tactics don’t work. And mass media campaigns aren’t very effective in reducing illicit drug use. The overwhelming majority of the 16.4% of Australians who currently use illicit drugs do so occasionally and without harmful consequences. So when they see exaggerated images or messages trying to make drugs seem more dangerous or risky than they are, they switch off. Scare tactics have been shown to make drugs seem more alluring, increasing the risk of use, not decreasing it. Some may see it as a challenge, it can increase awareness of specific drugs, and sometimes young people are attracted to activities that are forbidden. It’s best to stick to the facts Most people who use methamphetamine don’t look like the “Faces of Meth” images. The typical person who uses methamphetamine is in their 20s, and they use the powdered form of the drug (commonly referred to as “speed”) just once or twice a year. There are multiple and very complex reasons why people’s appearance might change when they use drugs over a long period. Most of them aren’t to do with the drug itself but are related to a range of other social factors, like poor diet, lack of access to health care and mental health problems that often predate the drug use. The “Faces of Meth” are really the faces of poverty, trauma and exclusion. The belief that bugs are crawling under your skin can occur with methamphetamine-related psychosis. But it isn’t very common, and people with other forms of psychosis, unrelated to drug use, also sometimes experience this delusion. The role of cocaine use on male fertility still isn’t clear. The link between drug use and crime isn’t straightforward. Most people who use illicit drugs don’t commit crimes, other than the drug use itself. Even among people who are dependent on drugs, risk of offending actually increases when they can’t access treatment. Treatment reduces criminal behaviour. For every A$1 spent on drug treatment, the community saves $7 in other costs. This includes a reduction in the costs to society related to crime. Demonising people increases problems Even if you have a moral objection to drug use, making simplistic links between drug use and physical appearance, offending and other behaviours does nothing to stop people using. The campaign tagline, “have a conscience”, suggests people who use drugs are morally corrupt. This makes the problem worse by increasing stigma. Stigma is one of the biggest barriers to seeking help for drug problems. It delays help-seeking and increases the risk of dropout from treatment. Any public messaging about drugs should follow well-established guidelines for reporting on drug-related issues, including those from Mindframe and AOD Media Watch. Blaming individuals for structural problems doesn’t reduce use or harms The AFP’s cocaine post tries to link individual drug use to large scale structural problems, like organised crime and the global drug trade. This ignores the key underlying causes of organised crime, which are linked to the massive profits made possible by the prohibition of drugs. If drugs were regulated, it could significantly reduce the black market and generate revenue for more treatment. Drugs are more harmful because they’re illegal. They’re manufactured in backyard labs with no quality or dose control. This is why most experts support drug law reform, such as decriminalisation or legalisation. Public support for legalisation of drugs has been increasing, with more people now supporting the legalisation of cannabis than opposing it. Some argue that with the massive amount of money spent on drug law enforcement (66% of the entire spend on drugs) and the very small long-term impact on the drug market, we need a different approach. Regulating drugs could significantly reduce harms. What does work? What works in preventing uptake is providing good factual information about drugs from an early age, including evidence-based school drug education. Harm reduction strategies, like needle and syringe programs and medically supervised injecting facilities, reduce harms from drug use. Often these activities also reduce use, although this isn’t their main aim. Treatment is effective in reducing drug use and harms. There has been a significant shift in Australia and internationally to viewing drug use as a health and human rights issue rather than a criminal justice issue. Law enforcement should stick to policing. Drug prevention and harm reduction are specialised areas of health science, and public health isn’t served by the AFP acting outside its area of expertise. Getting help If you’re worried about your own or someone else’s use of alcohol or other drugs call the National Alcohol and other Drug Hotline on 1800 250 015, free from anywhere in Australia. You can also chat online with a counsellor at Alcohol & Drug Counselling Online, join an online support group at SMART Recovery, or talk to your GP about seeing a psychologist or counsellor. You may be able to access support via telehealth. This article republished with permission of The Conversation. Nicole Lee is a professor at the National Drug Research Institute (Melbourne), Curtin University. Jarryd Bartle is a sessional lecturer, RMIT University. Nicole Lee works as a consultant in the alcohol and other drug sector and a psychologist in private practice. She has previously been awarded funding from Australian and state governments, NHMRC and other bodies for evaluation and research into drug prevention and treatment. She is a member of the Australian National Advisory Council on Alcohol and other Drugs (ANACAD) and the Board of Directors of Hello Sunday Morning and The Loop Australia. Jarryd Bartle works as a consultant in the alcohol and other drug sector.

Here is a selection of images of some of the art from the latest exhibition of Orange Art Society, which has been running since December 5, 2021. The works of a wide range of artists are on display and for sale, with featured artists Peter Douglas, Kelvin Hines and John Douglas. The exhibition is on until February 5, 2022, at the gallery in the Cultural Centre Rooms, Woolworths car park, opposite Harris Farm.