What did the lazy person do after Friday?

Sat. And listened to the Beatles’ final “new” song, ‘Now and Then’, on repeat.

The quote
"We don't expect it to peak until some time in December." – NSW Health's Director of Communicable Diseases Christine Selvey speaking to the ABC on the possibility of a third 'COVID Christmas', amid a fresh wave of the virus spreading.

The stat
$1.3 million
The amount Kmart has been fined for breaching Australian spam laws. The company sent over 200,000 marketing emails to unsubscribed customers between July 2022 and May 2023, according to the national communications regulator, ACMA.

Today in history
1985: The first Australian Formula One Grand Prix took place in Adelaide.

Some headlines from this morning:

Police have arrested and charged a 49-year-old woman in Victoria’s south-east over three suspected deaths linked to an allegedly poisoned meal.

Erin Patterson was charged with three counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder over a meal that was served at her property in the town of Leongatha in July. She has denied any wrongdoing.

What happened?
Erin Patterson cooked a meal at her Leongatha home on 29 July. She said she served up beef wellington for lunch, which she and her four guests ate.

A day later, four people were taken to hospital feeling ill after the meal.

Within days, three out of the four people had died. They were Patterson’s in-laws, Gail and Don Patterson, and Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson.

Ian Wilkinson, Heather’s husband, was treated in a critical condition and released from hospital after almost two months in September.

Vigils have since been held for the three people who died.

Patterson’s response:
In a statement to the ABC in August, Patterson claimed she used a combination of button mushrooms and dried mushrooms she’d bought from an unspecified grocer in Melbourne weeks earlier.

Patterson said: "I am now devastated to think that these mushrooms may have contributed to the illness suffered by my loved ones. I really want to repeat that I had absolutely no reason to hurt these people whom I loved."

The charge:
Patterson has now been charged with three counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder. The further three attempted murder charges relate to three separate incidents in Victoria between 2021-2022.

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The ACT Government has introduced the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2023.

Voluntary assisted dying (VAD) allows eligible people with terminal illnesses to choose the time and manner of their death.

If passed, the ACT will have some of the most progressive VAD laws in Australia.

Background:
Each state is responsible for its own VAD laws, and every state has now legalised it.

There was previously a ban on the ACT and the Northern Territory making laws about assisted dying, but this was lifted late last year.

The ACT’s draft law:
Under the draft laws, a person in the ACT can access VAD if they are 18 or older, have a condition that is "advanced, progressive and expected to cause death," are suffering intolerably, are acting voluntarily, and have decision-making capacity.

It will require a multi-step request and assessment process.

Unlike other Australian jurisdictions, the ACT won’t require a time frame to death to be eligible.

It also would be the first time nurses would be allowed to "initiate a conversation about voluntary assisted dying" with a patient under certain circumstances.

Next steps:
This bill will be voted on via a conscience vote. This means parliamentarians can freely vote how they want to (so they are not bound to support a party position).

The ACT Government said the new scheme would be implemented 18 months after the legislation is passed.

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Queensland will continue its free flu vaccine program in 2024.

It follows the successful vaccine rollout in 2022 and 2023, when almost one million people received a free jab. The measure is aimed at reducing pressure on the public health system and providing cost-of-living support.

Are you putting off looking for a GP, dentist or any other health service?

We want to introduce you to the healthdirect service finder, the user-friendly online tool that efficiently connects you to nearby healthcare services.

Simply use the ‘Open Now’ filter and discover easy ways to book an appointment in just a few clicks.

Everyone please take your seats while we announce this year’s Shonky Awards.

What’s a Shonky Award? It recognises “the worst products and services” causing “distress, disappointment and difficulty” to Australians.

And this year, Coles and Woolworths were among the recipients named by consumer advocate group CHOICE for “cashing in on a cost of living crisis”.

It said the supermarket giants didn’t do enough to bring down the cost of groceries for Australians struggling to pay for food.

Coles and Woolworths recorded significant profits for the 2022-2023 financial year. Woolworths posted $1.62 billion, while Coles made $1.1 billion in profits.

Woolworths told TDA it is "acutely aware" of the pressures facing Australians in a cost-of-living crisis. "We know there’s more to do and that’s why we’ll continue to invest in the future," a spokesperson said.

Coles told TDA it’s "always looking at ways to reduce prices."

What a coincidence! That’s exactly who The Daily Aus reaches. Get in touch with us to see how we can work together.