White House pressures Australia to boost defence spending
White House pressures Australia to boost defence spending
Published 27 June 2025, 9:42 am
The White House has delivered a veiled warning to the Australian Government to increase defence spending as a proportion of GDP, in the wake of NATO's commitments to boost support. It comes after Spain broke with the NATO position and is now facing the threat of increased US tariffs.
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‘It was punishment': MP urges Chris Minns to scrap protest laws after former Greens candidate allegedly injured in police scuffle
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News.com.au
an hour ago
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‘You beauty': Aussie lotto winners reveal what happened after they won
The next time an unknown number pops up on your screen, don't hit decline - you might be ignoring a million-dollar phone call. A call out of the blue was how a quarter of Australian lottery winners discovered the life-changing news in 2024, according to The Lott's Annual Winners Report. There were 441 division one winning entries across Australia, collectively dishing out more than $1.56bn in prize money. The findings come as the search for the elusive mystery winner of the $100m Powerball jackpot stretches into its third week, with officials still hoping to track down the holder of the winning ticket purchased in Bondi. The ticket was unregistered, meaning the winner has not been able to be contacted directly. Of those who have claimed their new fortunes, another 24 per cent made the happy discovery by checking their tickets online. 'I let out a number of swear words and then spent most the night checking my numbers,' one winner said. '(I) yelled out, 'You beauty!' and scared the dog with my excitement,' another said. While most winners agreed the experience was 'life-changing', the most common ways they enjoyed their prize varied from investing to using it to help their family and friends or buying a car. 'I was emotional because of what it meant for my family,' one winner said. 'I felt a great sigh of relief that so much pressure to provide for my family had been lifted, and our future felt far more secure.' Others opted to use their winnings in delightfully unexpected ways, with one winner heading all the way to Istanbul for a confidence-boosting hair transplant. One splurged on a pair of handcrafted leather dress shoes, while another tapped into some classic car nostalgia by picking up a vintage 1936 Oldsmobile. Another marked the occasion by gifting luxury watches to close relatives, and another jetted off to Las Vegas to attend a mate's Elvis-themed wedding. Seventeen per cent donated to charities close to their hearts, and on average, six other people benefited directly from each winner's prize. The Lott's report also asked past winners what advice they'd give to future recipients. 'It's very easy to go crazy early on, but my advice would be to calm down and carefully think about your future plans,' one winner said. 'Treat your win as an opportunity to improve your circumstances, so don't waste it.' The other bit of advice was to keep the win quiet, and keep track of who you told. The Lott spokesperson Anna Hobdell said the emotional reactions are often intense and immediate. 'Winners often tell us their bodies go into overdrive the moment they hear the life-changing news, with hearts racing, hands trembling, and even a wave of nausea setting in,' she said. 'But once the news sinks in, most winners can't wait to share the joy with people in the know. 'Only about eight per cent keep it completely under wraps and tell absolutely no one. 'For many, the best part of winning is being able to give back, whether it's helping their kids buy their first home, shouting a holiday for their friends, or even strangers who could use a helping hand.'
