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This dentist-directed teeth straightening treatment used by millions of shoppers is half the price of Invisalign

This dentist-directed teeth straightening treatment used by millions of shoppers is half the price of Invisalign

7NEWS28-05-2025
Confidence starts with your smile and achieving straight white teeth can be the key to increasing it.
It's no secret that dentist appointments can be incredibly expensive, but one Aussie-owned brand is determined to provide shoppers with incredible results, for a much more affordable price tag.
Meet Linea, the dental aligners brand, offering effective and safe solutions to straightening teeth.
Used by millions of shoppers in the last 20 years, Linea is a dentist-directed treatment with involves partnering with licensed dentists all over Australia.
Selling clear aligners directly to shoppers, you can score a happier smile than half the price of other aligner brands such as Invisalign.
Kickstart your teeth alignment journey by taking the FREE 30-second online smile quiz to see how Linea can help you achieve your goals.
Clear aligners have transformed the orthodontics landscape over the last two decades, used by millions worldwide to achieve straighter, healthier smiles.
But the clear aligner market has long been split into two models: dentist-directed treatments and at-home kits.
At-home brands surged in popularity during the pandemic due to their convenience, but they've since faced criticism — and even regulatory scrutiny for poor outcomes, medical risks, and lack of professional oversight.
These kits typically rely on DIY impressions without scans, x-rays, or dental involvement, leading to unsafe or ineffective results.
On the other end, dentist-directed brands like Invisalign provide a higher standard of care but come with a hefty price tag, thanks to a distribution model that passes costs down to the consumer.
The result? Identical treatment plans quoted at wildly different prices, depending on which dentist you visit.
Linea bridges this gap. Its hybrid business model offers direct-to-customer pricing while preserving the clinical oversight of licensed dentists. That means consistent, lower costs — without compromising on safety nor quality.
Linea Co-Founder, Nicholas Van Leeuwen explains that Linea's unique business model is the reason the company has so many return customers.
'We cut the middleman out but retain a high level of dentist involvement. It's the best of both worlds. '
The Linea journey starts with a 30-second Smile Quiz to assess your suitability. From there, the experience is seamless, professional, and transparent.
Firstly you receive a consultation and you're matched with one of Linea's partner dentists across Australia for a full assessment, including x-rays, 3D scans, and intraoral images.
Then you're provided with a customised plan which is a tailored treatment created with Linea's dental team, and you'll preview your future smile through a 3D simulation
Your dentist fits your aligners, performs any required procedures (like IPR or attachments), and monitors your progress. The Linea app provides 7-day support, reminders, photo uploads for monitoring, and direct access to Linea's clinical team.
Post-Treatment which is included in your plan are medical-grade retainers and professional teeth whitening, to ensure your results last and your smile shines.
'I had an amazing experience, brilliant customer service every step of the way,' one person wrote.
'The results are beyond my expectations,' another shopper added.
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A young Aussie worker has made waves after revealing she was slugged more than $30,000 by Australian Taxation Office
A young Aussie worker has made waves after revealing she was slugged more than $30,000 by Australian Taxation Office

Sky News AU

time6 hours ago

  • Sky News AU

A young Aussie worker has made waves after revealing she was slugged more than $30,000 by Australian Taxation Office

A young Australian worker has caused a commotion after revealing she owes the tax office a hefty $32,000. Christie, a 21-year-old worker based in Brisbane posted on TikTok that 'apparently I owe, $32,459' to the Australian Taxation Office, adding 'they defs meant to say that's my deduction right?' The video, which the majority of followers thought was satire, caused an instant buzz, with commentors questioning how a tax bill could fetch so high. One shocked commentor asked 'how do you owe 32k!!' while another said, 'if this happened to me, I'd rip my boss a new one.' 'If your caption is for real, how do you owe that much' one person queried, adding that the ATO were 'rip offs.' 'Are you doing ABN work? If not you should certainly not be having a tax bill anywhere near than even if you aren't working multiple jobs correctly,' one stunned commentor wrote. Speaking to Christie, who works in event management and promotional marketing said it was a 'lose-lose' situation and that she was no stranger to exorbitant tax bills. 'I make a decent amount of money so wasn't too shocked to see the bill. I usually have a tax bill, but it hasn't been this large,' Christie said. Christie stated in the comment section that she 'works a lot' yet insisted she had never received an invoice this high from the ATO, and that the extraordinary fee caught her by complete surprise. Christie, who works multiple jobs and uses an Australian Business Number, said that she squirrels away enough money in anticipation of being hit with a substantial fee every year. 'I end up making pretty much the same net income as years where I was working less so it feels like a bit of a lose-lose situation,' Christie said. Despite the new financial year beginning only a few days ago, Christie is not the only Aussie sharing nightmarish tax stories on social media, with users criticising the ATO for lobbing them with massive bills. One user on a separate post said, 'I work casually and still owe 2k' while another moaned 'I owe $3,300.' The string of disgruntled comments continued with one stating 'I had a three grand bill last year. I'm too scared to do this year's.' Another user despaired that they 'work casually and still owe 2k. Like no I barely get $350 a week – make it make sense.' However, experts stress there are numerous reasons a taxpayer may unexpectedly receive a rude awakening. These can include your employer neglecting to make HECS-HELP contributions leaving workers with a mammoth bill come tax time, or sole traders not making repayments through the pay as you go system. Other factors can include the Medicare levy surcharge, failing to include your partners income and not accounting for capital gains made throughout the year.

‘Lose-lose situation': Young Aussie worker cops $32,000 tax bill
‘Lose-lose situation': Young Aussie worker cops $32,000 tax bill

News.com.au

time9 hours ago

  • News.com.au

‘Lose-lose situation': Young Aussie worker cops $32,000 tax bill

A young Aussie has left people gobsmacked after being hit with a more than $32,000 tax bill, revealing she feels as if she is in a 'lose-lose' situation. Kristy recently took to TikTok after completing her tax return and discovering she owed the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) a staggering amount of money. 'Apparently I owe $32,459, they defs meant to say that's my refund right,' the young worker said in the caption of the video. The clip sparked multiple shocked comments, with one person questioning how she could owe that much money. 'I work a lot,' Kristy responded in the comment section. Another person was in disbelief, asking if she was being serious, before branding the tax bill a 'rip off'. Speaking to the 21-year-old Queensland local revealed she works in the event management and promotional marketing space. Given the nature of her work, she wasn't overly surprised to see that she owed the ATO money, however, the figure did catch her slightly off guard. 'I make a decent amount of money so wasn't too shocked to see the bill. I usually have a tax bill but it hasn't been this large,' Kristy said. Thankfully, the young woman puts away a percentage of her earnings throughout the financial year to prepare for tax time, so she isn't concerned about being able to pay the debt. However, Kristy said it is disheartening to see how much more of her income goes towards tax now that she is earning a higher salary. 'I end up making pretty much the same net income as years where I was working less so it feels like a bit of a lose-lose situation,' she said. The 21-year-old is far from the only Aussie complaining about their tax return – or lack thereof – this year. We are only a few days into the new financial year and already social media had been flooded with posts from people taking issue with the ATO. 'I owe $3300,' one person said, with another saying they were 'still paying off last year's debt'. 'I work casually and still owe $2k. Like no I barely get $350 a week – make it make sense,' another wrote. One added: 'I had a three grand bill last year. I'm too scared to do this years'. 'I'm 100% just not doing my tax return anymore,' another claimed. There are multiple reasons someone may receive a tax bill. One reason may be your employer not withholding your HECS-HELP repayments, which means that, at tax time, you are left with a big chunk of money you need to pay towards that debt. Sole traders can also receive a debt if they haven't paid enough in instalments through the pay as you go (PAYG) system The Medicare levy surcharge income threshold, which is $97,000 for individuals and $194,000 for couples, is another area where people tend to get tripped up. Speaking to last year, Australian tax lawyer Harry Dell said people can get stuck with bills because they are just over threshold, don't include their partners income when lodging their return or have the wrong private health cover. He said that not budgeting for capital gains tax is another area people need to look out for. 'This could be crypto, shares, or anything, as amounts aren't withheld for tax like your salary and wages,' he said. For people that lodge their return and find out they have been hit with a bill, Mr Dell said the priority needs to be finding out why they owe money. 'The Pay As You Go Withholding system is designed so you overpay a little and get a refund at the end of the year – without any deductions,' he said. 'If you can't see why enough wasn't withheld, get a professional to explain your tax return and what caused the surprise bill.'

Tarnished Tassal brand targets WA barramundi
Tarnished Tassal brand targets WA barramundi

Sydney Morning Herald

time14 hours ago

  • Sydney Morning Herald

Tarnished Tassal brand targets WA barramundi

Embattled global fish farmer Tassal's proposal for a mega barramundi sea cage operation north of Broome comes promising jobs and fulfilment of market demand. It would also bring up to 50 tonnes of dead fish in landfill a week, the 'smothering' of coral and potential spread of disease and pollution through a marine park. Canadian-owned Tassal Group, Australia's largest seafood producer, recently bailed out the previously loss-making enterprise, acquiring from administration a relatively small, 32-cage operation in the Kimberley's Cone Bay, a zone previously sanctioned for aquaculture as less sensitive than the rest of the region. Now the company proposes to expand across 50 kilometres of more sensitive areas in the Malaya Marine Park, part of the National Heritage-listed Buccaneer Archipelago, with 84 cages across seven sites, ultimately holding up to 17,500 tonnes of fish. Broome-based conservation group Environs Kimberley's submission to the WA environment watchdog regarding the proposal has now emerged, highlighting details of the proposal from Tassal, just as the company faces escalating controversy over the $1.8 billion salmon sea cage industry in Tasmania, where it operates alongside Huon and Petuna. Salmon farming in Tasmania has been blamed for antibiotics leaking into the food chain, algal blooms, endangered species impacts, mass fish escapes and finally an unprecedented kill of one million fish in April, resulting in erosion of consumer trust and revocation of RSPCA animal welfare certification. Escalating 'salmon wars' played a key role in the 2025 federal election and the GoodFish guide has told shoppers to reject Tasmanian farmed salmon. The WA sea cages proposed would be within the proposed general use zone of the marine park, which allows for aquaculture, but some would be close to sanctuary and cultural use zones. Tassal, promising 140 jobs from the operation, aims to achieve no more than 15 per cent fish mortality, equalling up to 2625 tonnes of dead fish per annum, or 50 tonnes a week. Tassal says it is exploring a number of 'mortality programs' for WA. One involves mincing the fish and stabilising it with formic acid for livestock feed, a common global practice, with processing done in Derby. The other option is landfill in Derby. Also, in the event of a 'mass mortality' all stock would be transferred to a licensed Derby landfill. The risks Tassal's documents identify the major risks as: Fish waste and uneaten feed settling on the sea-floor causing algal blooms and water deoxygenation around the sites. 'Smothering and/or shading' of the sea floor and the coral reefs fringing the archipelago's islands, models predicting losses of 1-16 per cent of coral reefs around some islands. Potential algal growth around the reefs, affecting coral and reducing marine life, possibly affecting the Malaya people's hunting practices Net damage from predators or weather events causing fish escapes, with possible 'significant impact on native barramundi' from swiftly spreading, generally fatal pests and diseases, or changes in their genetics. The greatest risks were 'generally from bacteria' (the cause of the Tasmanian fish kill) usually associated with hot temperatures or the rapid salinity changes common to the wet season. Vessel strike, noise and vibrations in a globally significant hotspot and refuge for sawfish, rays and sharks, critically endangered sea snakes and sea turtles The pens causing an artificial reef effect that could attract other fauna, and therefore predators, leading to the predators' entanglement. Tassal was unable to comprehensively survey the Buccaneer Archipelago area and so while it was unsure about whether the area's marine turtles nested near its sites, there was a possibility light pollution would disorient turtle hatchlings en route to the ocean. Tassal wrote of its rigorous testing and vaccination program in which imported hatchlings had to be disease free to a '95 per cent degree of confidence', and said it avoided 'where possible' managing outbreaks with chemicals, except in 'extreme cases'. It acknowledged a dugong hotspot was near the proposal area with little known about important feeding, breeding or movement areas. It noted the three of the proposed sea cage sites fell within a biologically important area for nursing, calving and resting for the largest population of humpback whales in the world. The whole area was also important habitat for Australian snubfin, Australian humpback and spotted bottlenose dolphins. Tassal also said in a statement to this masthead that the project was an exciting opportunity for the Kimberley and with it came a commitment to grow local jobs and invest in local suppliers and communities, while sustainably managing the environment. The elephant in the room Environs Kimberley is concerned Tassal's proposal fails to list climate change as a risk in a region recently hit by coral-bleaching marine heatwaves. They say warming oceans, severe weather and reduced ecosystem resilience will make it hard to avoid significant 'unplanned' impacts including fish kills, infrastructure damage, escapes and diseases. Executive director Martin Pritchard said Tassal's document glossed over the 220,000 barramundi killed at the existing Cone Bay operation in 2019, only noting the cause: an algal bloom caused by a combination of warm seas, warm air and pollution flushed by rain from rivers to the sea. In naming this cause it cited a report into the incident commissioned by and for the previous operator, which was not publicly released. Environs Kimberley voiced a 'strong concern' that the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, as primary regulator, was 'an active promoter of sea cage fish farming' and did not investigate the 2019 fish kill, perceiving a conflict of interest, especially as WA Premier Roger Cook last year called the Tassal plan 'great news' and awarded the company a $5 million incentive. The department's Fisheries and Aquaculture executive director Nathan Harrison said after the 2019 Cone Bay fish kill, its testing confirmed the cause of death to be the algal bloom, so further investigation was not required. 'DPIRD continues to closely monitor and respond to environmental changes that affect fisheries and aquaculture, including marine heatwaves,' he said. WA Environmental Protection Authority chair Darren Walsh visited the region last month as part of the public environmental review. He said the proponent would be required to address all relevant issues raised during the public review. The EPA expected to publish those responses by the end of the year. Pritchard said the landfilling aspect was also concerning. 'Which facilities in Derby have the capacity and appropriate licencing to safely dispose of this quantity of dead and rotting fish, let alone huge quantities arising from a mass death event?' he said. He said the impacts and risks of intensive industry should not be spread across wide areas of a globally significant and unique marine park. He said Tassal downplayed the potential impacts but it was evident some level of pollution was expected and the risks were unacceptable, especially when heightened by climate change, and in the context of Tassal's track record in Tasmania. 'Because of its remoteness, high tides, fast currents, narrow channels and cyclones, if there is a major event like mass fish escape or mass disease and death event, it will be logistically very difficult to address,' he said. He said this proposal was one of several industrial projects under way or proposed in the Buccaneer Archipelago, representing the potential for significant, cumulative, long-term impacts. Environs Kimberley submitted to the watchdog that such industries should be on land, close to population centres, as with barramundi farming in the Northern Territory, so impacts could be contained and rapid support provided during incidents. A Tassal spokesperson said the company removed around 400 hectares from the proposal previously submitted by the past operators, recognising concerns of traditional owners and recreational fishers. 'If approved, we will grow the operations cautiously and sustainably, in line with market demands,' they said. 'We are proud and humbled to have secured the consent for the project via a voluntary Indigenous Land Use Agreement … we welcome the passion for the local environment from groups like Environs Kimberley, something we share, and hope they'll take up our offer to engage with us directly on this project.' They supplied a document outlining why barramundi was considered a climate-resilient aquaculture species. The Shire of Derby/West Kimberley acknowledged the public interest in the proposal and said it had confidence in the EPA process and was engaging with the regulator to better understand the project. Loading 'The shire would work with Tassal to assess and potentially accommodate waste disposal; however, if the volumes were beyond the capacity of local infrastructure, alternative arrangements would need to be found,' it stated. In December, before the Tasmanian fish kill, in giving consent to enter into the Indigenous Land Use Agreement, Mayala traditional owners said they felt Tassal would be able to manage any environmental issues. Mayala Inninalang Aboriginal Corporation was contacted for updated comment. The federal environment department is running its own public environment review parallel to the state process, with a public comment period yet to open.

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