BREAKING NEWS Aussie tradie dies in horror workplace accident while operating cherry picker near powerlines
An Aussie tradie and endometriosis advocate has died in a freak workplace accident while operating a cherry picker near powerlines during a storm.
Distribution line worker for Ausgrid, Brett Hinton, was operating a cherry picker near powerlines in Randwick, south-east of Sydney CBD, during a storm on May 22.
Emergency services were called to Darley Road after receiving reports the 47-year-old had been seriously injured.
Paramedics rushed Mr Hinton to St Vincent's Hospital in a critical condition but he was unable to be saved.
Mr Hinton was a passionate campaigner for women's health and advocated to fight and cure endometriosis.
He became a powerful voice in the women's health community after witnessing his wife suffer from the debilitating condition.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
15 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Urgent warning invasive pest will spread across Australia after attempts to eradicate it fail
Biosecurity experts have warned a tiny beetle wreaking havoc in suburban Perth could make its away across the country and devastate Australia's east coast. The polyphagous shot-hole borer has been spreading through metropolitan Perth for the past four years with local authorities at their wit's end on how to deal with it. The invasive beetles bore tunnels through tree trunks causing a fungus to grow inside of it, which it then feeds on. The fungus needs water and nutrients to grow and it disrupts the tree's circulatory system, effectively cutting off its access to water and nutrients, causing it to die. Local authorities have chopped down infected plants and hundreds of trees in an attempt to stop the spread - however the efforts have been futile. The invasive wood boring beetle, about the size of a sesame seed, was first detected in August 2021 in the port city of Fremantle, 20km south of the Perth CBD. Western Australian Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis revealed last week the state had given up the fight to eradicate the pest. The state government has decided to focus on trying to slow the spread after a National Management Group meeting last Wednesday determined it was no longer feasible to eradicate shot-hole borer from WA. The decision came after considering the latest scientific data and advice from the country's chief plant health managers and leading plant biosecurity experts. A new national management plan would now be finalised. Since the destructive pest was detected it has infested thousands of trees, many in iconic Perth parks including Kings Park. Ms Jarvis said protecting Perth's tree canopy and the valuable horticulture sector remained front and centre for WA as the national biosecurity response moved into a management phase. 'We will continue to look for alternative solutions by supporting local scientists to undertake more research under WA conditions,' she said. Exactly how the beetle arrived from its native South East Asia remained a mystery, but it has already established infestations in California, Florida, Texas, South Africa, Israel, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, India, Mexico and Thailand. Despite its global devastation and significant widespread scientific research a cure remained elusive. Part of the problem is the beetles are tiny (2–4mm) and their hidden, tunnel-based life makes them hard to treat chemically. And the fact it attacks nearly 700 known tree species including avocadoes, maples, willows, native gum trees and oaks, further complicated tracking and containment. Trials of plastic wraps had largely failed with the only current intervention to cut down and chip infected trees. The Invasive Species Council has warned the decision to end efforts to eradicate the polyphagous shot-hole borer in WA could put the rest of the country at risk. Council policy director Carol Booth said if the beetle made it east, Sydney's lush urban canopy, already under pressure from development, could face mass dieback, hotter streets and the loss of habitat for fauna. 'This is tragic news not just for Western Australia, but potentially for native trees, towns and cities, and the horticultural industry across the entire country,' she said. 'Fifteen native tree species in WA have already been identified as highly or very highly susceptible to the polyphagous shot-hole borer including iconic species like figs, paperbarks, banksias and eucalypts. 'Another 23 species are moderately susceptible, and that's just in the Perth region. It implies hundreds of native species across the country could be at risk if the borer spreads.' Ms Booth said there was grave concerns about the loss of urban trees, which provided vital habitat, shade, beauty and health benefits in cities and towns. 'The environmental and social toll could be immense,' she said. 'We need to learn from this failure. An independent, transparent review is needed to assess whether more could have been done sooner, whether there were delays, missed early detection opportunities, or gaps in public support. 'This beetle was one of Australia's top biosecurity prevention targets. The regular arrival of harmful new invaders shows our prevention systems are not strong enough.' Australia's forest industries are disappointed the Commonwealth and state governments have given up trying to eradicate the insidious pest. Australian Forest Products Association chief executive Diana Hallam said the likelihood it spread from metropolitan Perth to other parts of the country had increased as a consequence of the decision to move from an eradication to a management strategy. 'The risk this beetle poses to trees in forestry operations, national parks, reserves and even backyards is immense and the cost borne by our industry and other stakeholders, like local councils, to prevent its spread and manage its risk will unfortunately, likely increase,' she said. 'We know in South Africa and California, where the borer has already established itself, the losses and cost of management are in the billions of dollars across local governments, horticulture, forestry and the environment through tree deaths or increased management costs.'
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
From Labour's spending review to singing in the shower: Edith Pritchett's week in Venn diagrams
Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning Sign up for our email Guardian Australia acknowledges the traditional owners and custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, waters and community. We pay respect by giving voice to social justice, acknowledging our shared history and valuing the cultures of First Nations.
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
‘You must step in': family of Kumanjayi White demand federal government support after death in custody
The grandfather of a 24-year-old man who died in custody last month is pleading with the prime minister to 'step in' amid what he calls a 'justice crisis' in the Northern Territory. Kumanjayi White, a Warlpiri man with disabilities died after being restrained by police at an Alice Springs supermarket last month. His death sparked multiple rallies and vigils both in the Northern Territory and in cities and towns nationally, including at the weekend. In an open letter, White's grandfather, respected elder Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves, urged Anthony Albanese to 'match your fine words with action' and claimed that the NT criminal justice system is failing and in 'crisis'. 'This madness must stop. You must step in now,' he wrote. The letter was released ahead of protests in Sydney and Alice Springs on Saturday. Hargraves said there was 'no trust' between the community of Yuendumu and the NT police. White was from the same remote community devastated by the fatal 2019 shooting of Kumanjayi Walker by an NT police officer, Zachary Rolfe. Rolfe was later charged with murder but acquitted of all charges in a supreme court trial. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email The inquest into Walker's death revealed shocking allegations of racism from NT police officers, including racist mock awards given to police officers and offensive racist text messages. The findings are due to be handed down by the coroner next month. The open letter was released on the 18th anniversary of the NT intervention, a controversial 'emergency response' policy implemented by the Howard government, with bipartisan support, using as justification a report documenting child sexual abuse. It saw the government compulsorily acquire township leases over Aboriginal-owned land; abolish the permit system which gave Aboriginal people control over who entered their land; introduce income management to all community residents receiving welfare payments; send the army in to police communities; and post signs declaring bans on alcohol and pornography in township or 'prescribed' areas. Hargraves said the federal government used sweeping powers to 'take away all our rights, our jobs and our assets' under the intervention, so it had the power to step in and help communities. 'Our communities were devastated and we have not recovered,' he wrote. 'Now we demand action from Canberra to see that our rights are restored.' The family are renewing their demands for an independent investigation, the release of CCTV footage, and for the officers involved to be stood down while the investigation is ongoing. Sign up to Breaking News Australia Get the most important news as it breaks after newsletter promotion The NT police and territory government have repeatedly ruled out another jurisdiction taking over the investigation into White's death. Hargraves also expressed his community's solidarity with the Warlpiri community after the death of an Aboriginal man who died in custody in Darwin a week after his grandson. The 68-year-old from the remote community of Wadeye died in intensive care at Darwin hospital after he was arrested by Australian federal police over reports he was 'intoxicated' and unable to board a flight out of Darwin. NT police said the cause of death was undetermined, pending a postmortem examination. He was a respected and senior elder who lobbied for bilingual schooling and better education funding for his community. The prime minister's office, the minister for Indigenous Australians and the NT government have been contacted for further response. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Indigenous Australians can call 13YARN on 13 92 76 for information and crisis support. Other international helplines can be found at
