Australian state rolls out machete ‘disposal bins' ahead of ban
Australia's state of Victoria on Thursday announced that more than 40 machete disposal bins will be available at police stations across the state to allow citizens to safely get rid of the weapons without a penalty before the Sept. 1 ban begins.
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'Owning, carrying, using, buying, or selling a machete without a valid exemption or approval will be a criminal offense,' the Victorian government said in a statement.
The government is running a 'Machete Amnesty' period from Sept. 1 to Nov. 30 to support the safe disposal of machetes. Those who do not surrender their machetes during the amnesty period may face imprisonment of up to two years or a fine of more than $47,000 AUD ($31,725 US dollars).
'These knives destroy lives – so we're taking them off the streets,' Victoria Premier Jacinta Allan said in a statement.
3 Australia's state of Victoria on Thursday announced that more than 40 machete disposal bins will be available at police stations across the state.
Instagram / Lily D'Ambrosio MP
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Victoria police have seized a record number of illegal knives from the streets, averaging at least 44 knives a day, Sky News Australia reported.
Minister for Police Anthony Carbines said the government is backing Victoria Police to get the weapons out of the hands of young people to keep citizens safe.
3 The government is running a 'Machete Amnesty' period from Sept. 1 to Nov. 30 to support the safe disposal of machetes.
State Government of Victoria
'Our message to anyone with these weapons is simple – get rid of them or face the consequences,' Carbines said in a statement.
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Exemptions for those who can possess a machete include agricultural workers who use them as part of their job, along with machetes that are used in a traditional, historical or cultural capacity, according to the government. Individuals exempt must comply with strict conditions and be able to demonstrate eligibility if asked by police.
3 Victoria police have seized a record number of illegal knives from the streets, averaging at least 44 knives a day.
Con Chronis/EPA/Shutterstock
The Victoria government said it had already issued a temporary ban on the sale of machetes in May, resulting in Amazon removing the weapons for purchase from its website.
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Yahoo
42 minutes ago
- Yahoo
'Final call' before lotto winner loses $670k, Robert Irwin face of new $130m push, woman charged after toddler found in suitcase
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Addressing the win via video, she said she didn't feel the honour was due to her blood cancer diagnosis. Fan favourite Jelena Dokic was praised for her powerful acceptance speech after her documentary 'Unbreakable: The Jelena Dokic Story' took out the prize for Best Factual or Documentary Program. She said it was a big win for survivors and the Australian public hailed her ongoing courage to address the issue. For more on what was a big night, read our coverage here. OK, let's have a little recap of last night's Logies now. Departing Home and Away veteran Lynne McGranger claimed the coveted Gold Logie while it was a big night for ABC comedy Fisk which claimed a staggering five awards. Magda Szubanski was inducted into the Hall of Fame at the 65th Annual TV WEEK Logies Awards, and while there was an outpouring of love for the comedy great, some questioned why it has taken so long for her to receive recognition for her longstanding career. Addressing the win via video, she said she didn't feel the honour was due to her blood cancer diagnosis. Fan favourite Jelena Dokic was praised for her powerful acceptance speech after her documentary 'Unbreakable: The Jelena Dokic Story' took out the prize for Best Factual or Documentary Program. She said it was a big win for survivors and the Australian public hailed her ongoing courage to address the issue. For more on what was a big night, read our coverage here. The struggling industry Albo forgot in tax break While beer drinkers will be spared from another price hike this month, those who prefer spirits will have to dig a little deeper into their wallets. The government put a pause on the alcohol excise duty for beer after serious concerns were raised by brewers and pubs about the impact it was having on the industry. But that election goodwill didn't extend to those who drink vodka, rum, whisky, gin and other spirits. A spokesperson for the Australian Taxation Office told Yahoo Finance the excise undergoes a twice-yearly indexation update "based on the upward movement" of inflation, and Monday will be the second time this year that this type of booze goes up in price. "This is incredibly disappointing," Australian Distillers Association general manager Cameron Mackenzie said. "It's not just another tax hike, it's a significant one that distillers and hospitality venues simply can't absorb." Read more from Yahoo Finance here. While beer drinkers will be spared from another price hike this month, those who prefer spirits will have to dig a little deeper into their wallets. The government put a pause on the alcohol excise duty for beer after serious concerns were raised by brewers and pubs about the impact it was having on the industry. But that election goodwill didn't extend to those who drink vodka, rum, whisky, gin and other spirits. A spokesperson for the Australian Taxation Office told Yahoo Finance the excise undergoes a twice-yearly indexation update "based on the upward movement" of inflation, and Monday will be the second time this year that this type of booze goes up in price. "This is incredibly disappointing," Australian Distillers Association general manager Cameron Mackenzie said. "It's not just another tax hike, it's a significant one that distillers and hospitality venues simply can't absorb." Read more from Yahoo Finance here. Boy charged after 'dangerous' discovery on roads Police in Queensland are urging parents to get strict with children after a 15-year-old boy was charged following the discovery of a "dangerous" modified BMX frame. Police forces around the country are ramping up efforts to tackle illegal e-bike use and modification, and on July 15 police in Gympie intercepted the teen allegedly driving a homemade motorbike. Police allege the motorbike had been created by modifying a BMX bike frame to remove pedals and add electric motors controlled by a throttle. 'A powerful bike in the hands of an unlicenced and inexperienced driver is extremely dangerous to not only the rider, but also the other road users,' Inspector Shane Draper said. 'I especially urge parents to be familiar with the regulations and road rules regarding e-bikes and to work with their child to understand and respect those rules. 'This is all aimed at reducing the significant road trauma, fatalities and life-changing injuries we have seen from the use of the e-bikes." The boy has been charged with one count each of driving of motor vehicle without a driver licence, vehicles used on roads must be registered and drive uninsured vehicle. He is due to front a child's court later this month. 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With aP A New Zealand woman has been charged with child neglect after a bus driver found a two-year-old girl alive in a suitcase that was stowed in the vehicle's luggage compartment, police say. The bus driver noticed movement inside the bag during a planned stop at the settlement of Kaiwaka, north of Auckland, after a passenger asked for access to the luggage compartment, Detective Inspector Simon Harrison said in a statement. When the driver opened the suitcase they discovered the toddler, who was very hot but otherwise appeared physically unharmed, Harrison said. The child was taken to a hospital, where she remained Sunday night. The woman will front court later today. With aP Robert Irwin face of new $130m push Robert Irwin is the big name in Australia's latest bid to lure tourists to our shores. A new $130 million advertising campaign will be used in a host of countries including the US and China over the coming months as Tourism Australia anticipates another surge in tourism in 2026 in the wake of the Covid pandemic. Check out one of the ads below. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Australia (@australia) Robert Irwin is the big name in Australia's latest bid to lure tourists to our shores. A new $130 million advertising campaign will be used in a host of countries including the US and China over the coming months as Tourism Australia anticipates another surge in tourism in 2026 in the wake of the Covid pandemic. Check out one of the ads below. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Australia (@australia)
Yahoo
42 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Why copper, aluminium and steel are at the core of Trump's MAGA ideology
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"Trump's greatest base of support, primarily blue collar non-college educated men, has seen the largest drop in employment opportunities as a result of this offshoring," Stritch told Euronews. Increasing costs, especially in green-adjacent industries Trump's sweeping 50% tariffs on copper, steel and aluminium are likely to disrupt industries that rely heavily on these materials, from construction and defence and even green technologies. "Practically, all three materials are used extensively from solar panels to car batteries, one may assume that it would thus be the US manufacturing base that suffers to the largest extent," Stritch continued. Nowhere is this pressure felt more acutely than in sectors like electric vehicles and renewable energy, where these metals are essential and profit margins are already minimal. Stritch added: "We may further speculate that owing to the high tariff placed on these goods and the general fragility of the electric car market at present, the high inputs of all three materials and the thin average industry profit margin of 5%, EV producers may endure the worst of the increased input costs." Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data
Fast Company
44 minutes ago
- Fast Company
Almost half of U.S. employees have experienced political discrimination
Feeling comfortable enough at work to speak your mind can undoubtedly make for a pleasant work environment. But today many employees are biting their tongues at the office, especially when it comes to their political leanings. According to a recent My Perfect Resume survey of 1,000 U.S. employees, in today's fraught political climate free speech is hard to come by at work. Nearly three-quarters (74%) of employees say they feel the need to exercise caution around how they communicate with their employer and their workmates. Largely, they are worried about backlash over their political views: 68% say they don't talk about politics. This fear stands to reason: 43% of U.S. employees say they have either witnessed or personally experienced discrimination over political viewpoints. Likewise, employees whose politics don't align with their companies' feel they have to smile and nod: 41% said they felt pressured to agree with a 'workplace stance' on social and political views to avoid blowback. Over half (56%) say that cancel culture has destroyed open dialogue. 'On the surface, it might look like we're having more open conversations at work—but beneath that is a culture of fear and self-silencing,' said Jasmine Escalera, a career expert at MyPerfectResume. 'Employees are being told they can speak up, but they're also reading the room—and staying quiet.' While there's always been an old school belief that religion and politics should only be brought up in good company, in recent years cooperations have become more vocal on political matters. One study found that partisan speech from companies rose sharply from from 2012, with a major shift starting in late 2017, when political tweets from corporations doubled. Politically vocal companies may be appreciated by some consumers who want to know where to spend their dollars and what brands to boycott. However, the vast majority of people wants businesses to stay quiet on politics. According to a 2024 Axios Harris poll, less than four in 10 U.S. adults (38%) believe businesses should take public stances—a decline of 10 points since two years earlier. Still, in the current political climate, it may be more important than ever to seek out employment at a company whose values align with your own.
