Latest news with #WayneSmith
ABC News
16-06-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Wayne and Noah Smith gun deaths inquest calls for licensing reform
A coronial inquest has heard of the need for reforms to NSW gun licensing after a mentally unwell man was handed back his guns less than six months before he used one to kill his son and then himself. Warning: This story contains details that readers may find distressing. Wayne Smith killed his 15-year-old son Noah as he lay sleeping in their Yamba home in the early hours of June 1, 2023, before turning the weapon on himself. State Coroner Teresa O'Sullivan has heard testimony from doctors, police and the NSW Firearms Registry about the circumstances that led to the 58-year-old being reissued with his gun licence despite having a history of mental illness. In her closing statement to the inquest, Counsel Assisting, Donna Ward SC, made several recommendations to improve gun licensing processes, including making it mandatory for GPs to report concerns about patients who own a gun. Ms Ward said there had been a breakdown in communication between the health professionals who had been treating Mr Smith. "We don't have any simple solutions to that problem," she said. The inquest also heard about a lack of community and hospital options in northern News South Wales for mental health treatment. Ms Ward said that at the time of Wayne and Noah Smith's deaths there were deficiencies in NSW Firearms Registry processes. Since then, the Firearms Legislation Amendment Bill 2022 has enacted new laws relating to gun ownership and licensing. Ms Ward made a series of proposed recommendations for the Minister for Police and the Police Commissioner to consider in the post implementation review of those reforms. These included a standard question during GP consultations about whether a patient held a gun licence, and a statutory obligation for GPs to report to police if they had safety concerns for a patient who held a gun licence. She also proposed two separate mental health risk assessments for anyone who had experienced suicidal ideation in the previous five years. Ms Ward proposed gun licence holders be required to give a good reason for acquiring any additional firearms, and the Firearms Registry be more rigorous in assessing hunting and vermin control as the genuine reason for the issue of a gun licence. Family of Wayne and Noah Smith made submissions to the inquest in closed court this afternoon. The Coroner will hand down formal recommendations arising from the inquest in coming months.
Sydney Morning Herald
10-06-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Better bang for buck': NSW to cut battery subsidies as federal scheme kicks in
The NSW government will end its incentive to install a home solar battery from July in favour of an enhanced Commonwealth scheme, and use the savings to encourage households to allow their stored energy to be remotely accessed by the grid. Since last November, NSW consumers have been able to access a rebate of up to $2600 (depending on the size of the battery) to attach storage to their rooftop solar systems. The scheme resulted in 11,400 battery installations across the state in six months. The program will conclude at the end of this month, while the Australian government's $2.3 billion Cheaper Home Batteries Program is set to start on July 1. The federal rebate, announced before the election, will reduce the cost of a battery by about 30 per cent, making it about double the size of the state scheme. The NSW government will redirect the money to its Peak Demand Reduction Scheme, a program designed to reduce electricity demand during peak periods. In particular, the government is doubling the payments to encourage solar households to sign up to a virtual power plant (VPP) – a group of solar-powered batteries linked by software, which are owned by households and small businesses that have consented for excess stored power to be sold to the grid. Smart Energy Council acting chief executive Wayne Smith said VPPs were important because it increased the stability of the grid and this lowered power bills for everyone, not just those households with solar panels and batteries. 'There's a private benefit and a public good,' Smith said. 'It's actually important to find ways to try to integrate the individual home batteries into a much bigger collective battery system.' The Smart Energy Council says a 6 kWh battery at $6000-$8000 would meet the needs of nine out of 10 homes. The federal subsidy would be about $2232 and the NSW incentive to connect to a VPP would be about $444. On an 11.5kWh battery, the federal subsidy would be about $4278 and the NSW support for a VPP connection would be $850.
The Age
10-06-2025
- Business
- The Age
‘Better bang for buck': NSW to cut battery subsidies as federal scheme kicks in
The NSW government will end its incentive to install a home solar battery from July in favour of an enhanced Commonwealth scheme, and use the savings to encourage households to allow their stored energy to be remotely accessed by the grid. Since last November, NSW consumers have been able to access a rebate of up to $2600 (depending on the size of the battery) to attach storage to their rooftop solar systems. The scheme resulted in 11,400 battery installations across the state in six months. The program will conclude at the end of this month, while the Australian government's $2.3 billion Cheaper Home Batteries Program is set to start on July 1. The federal rebate, announced before the election, will reduce the cost of a battery by about 30 per cent, making it about double the size of the state scheme. The NSW government will redirect the money to its Peak Demand Reduction Scheme, a program designed to reduce electricity demand during peak periods. In particular, the government is doubling the payments to encourage solar households to sign up to a virtual power plant (VPP) – a group of solar-powered batteries linked by software, which are owned by households and small businesses that have consented for excess stored power to be sold to the grid. Smart Energy Council acting chief executive Wayne Smith said VPPs were important because it increased the stability of the grid and this lowered power bills for everyone, not just those households with solar panels and batteries. 'There's a private benefit and a public good,' Smith said. 'It's actually important to find ways to try to integrate the individual home batteries into a much bigger collective battery system.' The Smart Energy Council says a 6 kWh battery at $6000-$8000 would meet the needs of nine out of 10 homes. The federal subsidy would be about $2232 and the NSW incentive to connect to a VPP would be about $444. On an 11.5kWh battery, the federal subsidy would be about $4278 and the NSW support for a VPP connection would be $850.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Smith the guiding light for ex-England rugby coach Lancaster
Stuart Lancaster says he sees former All Blacks coach Wayne Smith's journey back to the top as his inspiration (Sylvain THOMAS) Wayne Smith's rebuilding of his reputation as a coach has served as an example to former England head coach Stuart Lancaster, he told the Sunday Times. Lancaster bounced back once with Leinster when he was cast aside by England after their disastrous first round exit at the 2015 Rugby World Cup they hosted. Advertisement Now the 55-year-old Englishman must do it all over again, this time with Ireland's weakest province Connacht, after being dismissed by Top 14 side Racing 92 earlier this season. Smith's path to coaching redemption after being fired as All Blacks coach in 2001 came via English Premiership side Northampton Saints. It ended with him becoming a two-time World Cup winner (2011/15) as assistant coach of the All Blacks to first Graham Henry and then Steve Hansen -- a knighthood followed to boot. "He's won the World Cup but he wasn't the head coach," said Lancaster of Smith. "He's respected as a coach who's made a difference to people. Advertisement "That means more to me than anything. Making sure you're there to enjoy your time with your mates, and that your family enjoy it. "Everyone's part of the journey." Lancaster, who guided Leinster to four European Cup finals with the highlight winning the 2018 edition, said he has to pinch himself at times to grasp what he has made of his career. "I was asked this question: if you look back to when you were a teacher, would you take where you're at?" he said. "If you said to me when I was a teacher at 28 years old that I would end up coaching England, coaching in France, coaching in Ireland, winning the European Cup, beating the All Blacks? I'd pull your hand off." Advertisement - 'Top of Everest' - At the same time, though, he feels he still has to accomplish more if he is to retire a contented man. "But if you said to me right now, am I satisfied and ready to finish?" he said. "No, I'm not. "I'm still seeking the real true fulfilment. A New Zealand psychologist, Dave Hadfield, said if you were to retire now, would your soul be at rest? I went, no, I don't think it is. "Until that happens, I'll keep on going. My wife (Nina) says to me, 'When the hell is that going to be?'" To that he replied dryly "when Connacht win the European (Champions) Cup)" which given he has signed a two year contract is asking something as they finished 13th in the URC Championship this term. Advertisement Lancaster says things did not work out at Racing because of a combination of things, although he believes he was moving things in the right direction. "I was promised to be in control of the rugby programme but that never really happened," he said. "The lack of patience: it takes more than 16 months to turn around an organisation and to have it pulled away from you when, yeah, it's not going great but it's going in the right direction. "You look at Manchester United. Once you're in that downward slide of poor recruitment, poor coaching, poor culture, poor identity, there's no magic wand you can wave in a club environment." Advertisement Lancaster may have been let go by Racing 92 but he remained very much in demand. Wales and Australia were linked with him, but after seemingly been in pole position for the Wallabies post he lost out to Les Kiss. Lancaster said he was mindful of there being a life outside rugby. "What I don't want to do is keep trying to get to the very top of Everest all the time and then get to 70 years old and realise 'Jesus Christ, I've just missed life'. "That balancing in life, it's been on my mind." pi/lp
Scottish Sun
01-06-2025
- Scottish Sun
‘Mummified' baby found at dry cleaners wrapped in dirty laundry from funeral home as cops probe ‘disturbing' mystery
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A MUMMIFIED baby wrapped in dirty laundry was found by a horrified employee at a dry cleaner. Cops have now launched a probe to investigate the sickening ordeal and figure out how the baby was shipped with soiled linens to a cleaning facility in Louisiana. 3 A mummified baby was found wrapped in dirty clothes at a dry cleaner Credit: Local 12 3 Cops rushed to the chilling scene at Alsco Uniforms Credit: Local 12 3 The shipment was received from Golden Gate Funeral Home, in Dallas, Texas Credit: Local 12 The embalmed infant was tragically stillborn earlier this month on May 3 in Dallas. But in a haunting twist, the baby's remains were wrapped in worn clothes and accidentally sent to another state. The nightmarish mix-up occurred despite the baby having had a funeral on May 17 at Golden Gate Funeral Home & Crematory. Cops said the linens which were holding the corpse were sent from this same funeral home. READ MORE US NEWS MUM'S PAIN Mom elephant spends 5HRS trying to rescue dead baby calf trapped under lorry Preliminary findings indicate that the child's remains were somehow mistakenly transported along with dirty linens to Alsco Uniforms, in Shreveport. Local cops said the harrowing discovery was made on early Tuesday morning, at around 5:30am. The employee who first found the tot was seemingly unaware of the fact that they had uncovered a human baby at first. They reportedly believed the disturbing find was a doll wrapped in linen. The local Violent Crimes Unit was immediately dispatched to the scene in the 500 block of Hollywood Avenue. Authorities are currently investigating how the remains were misplaced, and whether any parties were aware of the horrifying error. Driver who took 'at least 20 lines of cocaine' before killing girl, 3, in horror tram crash is jailed Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith said: "This is a deeply distressing situation. "Our thoughts are with the family of the child as this investigation unfolds." Local cops ruled out foul play for the time being, but this could change as the probe goes on. In February, a teenager was arrested after she threw her newborn baby out of a hotel window. The baby plummeted 30ft to his death in the senseless killing. American Mia McQuillin, 18, was charged with "child homicide" after her baby boy from the second floor of the Ibis Styles hotel in Paris just moments after he was born. The Oregon student was reportedly on a study trip to the French capital with fellow US students, before she allegedly threw her baby from the window with the umbilical cord still attached.
