Basic fix-it skills lost

Robert Shaw shows how to hang a picture. Picture: Matthew Poon Source: PerthNow

A GENERATION that is time poor and more likely to own an X-Box than a tool box means basic "dad skills'' like fixing a tap or hanging a picture are being lost.

Owner of Perth handyman service Men Behaving Handy, Caroline Devenish-Meares, said young people were more likely to call a professional when something goes wrong in the house than roll up their sleeves and attempt to fix it themselves.

She said her company has been called out for the most basic of tasks, like assembling flat packs and even taking rubbish to the tip.

``People are a lot more time deprived now,'' she said. ``They don't want to spend time figuring out how to do things.

``And the younger generation are not going out and buying the basic screwdrivers, hammers or drills their parents or grandparents would have had.

``They'd rather get a company like us to do it.''

Master Builders Association state president Robert Shaw blamed technology for people losing the skills to do basic tasks around the house.

And, he said it wasn't just Gen Y that didn't know how to unclog a drain or fix a leaky tap.

``Even people my age are busy doing things on technology and its taking away from time we would have spent with our sons and nephews messing around in a shed,'' he said.

However, Mr Shaw said technology wasn't all bad news - it could be a great help for DIY information.

``In the past you either had to be that way inclined or your father, grandfather or a relation would show you,'' he said. ``But these days you can use technology to your advantage.

``You can actually have that advice you want on hand  straight away.''

Social research Mark McCrindle said because young people were more likely to rent than own their home they were happier to outsource repairs - or simply buy something new.

``Traditionally, skills were handed down from father to son, but in this You-Tube era, young people get their training directly and on a `just-in-time' basis,'' he said. ``They are more likely to have skills in the areas that are directly relevant to them than skills that are there just-in-case.''

MBA WA president Robert Shaw's guide for five "dad skills''

Robert Shaw showing how to fix / install 5 common house hold problems. How to fix a leaky tap. Picture: Matthew Poon Source: PerthNow

Changing a washer in a machine tap

1.            Turn the water off at the metre
2.            Drain the water in the tap by turning it on and leave this on while changing the washer.
3.            Remove the handle and body of the tap, and then remove the spindle with a wrench.
4.            Replace the old washer with a new one and put back into the body of the tap.
5.            Replace the other parts and tighten. 
*Note: there are different size washers. Take a photo of your tap and washer before you go to the hardware store so you can be sure you buy the right one. If in doubt of how to put it back together , take photos when initially removing parts step-by-step.

Robert Shaw showing how to fix / install 5 common house hold problems. How to clean a blocked drain pipe. Picture: Matthew Poon Source: PerthNow

Unclogging a drain

1.            Make sure you have a bucket ready to go.
2.            Unscrew the bolts around the S-trap and place in the bucket.
3.            You will notice sludge inside, remove this from the piping into the bucket.
4.            Take your bucket and the S-trap outside and wash out with a hose.
5.            Then simply reassemble back into place.
*Note: There are several different causes of blockages. The majority can be cleared with a plunger or a worm which you feed by twisting it down the drain pipe to clear the blockage. The most common type of blockage is in girls bathrooms where hair and makeup builds up in the S-trap. The S-trap is the piping directly underneath a basin.

Robert Shaw showing how to fix / install 5 common house hold problems. Robert takes a photo of his toilet problem on his iPhone, so he can take it to a hardware store to see if they can give him the right part. Picture: Matthew Poon Source: PerthNow

Leaking Toilet

1.            First establish the problem by taking a photo and heading to the hardware store.
2.            You can buy cheap kits that can help you to fix the leak.
3.            Come back and remove the cistern lid (there is generally no screws to hold these in place) then simply remove the parts that need replacing and put back into place.

Robert Shaw showing how to fix / install 5 common house hold problems. Robert hanging a picture. Picture: Matthew Poon Source: PerthNow

Hanging a picture

1.            You need to get your tools ready -a vacuum, hammer drill, wall plug or a knock-in nail.
2.            Measure the height of your frame and then divide into two this is your central point. Measure the central point of the frame to the hanging cord.
3.            Think about the height you want things on the wall. Robert uses 1650mm as it is a good centre height for people walking into the room. Add together your preferred wall height to the height between the centre of the frame and the hanging cord. This is where you want to place your screw.
4.            Grab your drill and vacuum cleaner and begin drilling your hole.
5.            Then hammer in your knock-in nail and hang picture.

Robert Shaw showing how to fix / install 5 common house hold problems. Robert taking off a door as part of 'how to fix a tight door', pulling out one of the two door pins. Picture: Matthew Poon Source: PerthNow

Fixing a sticking door

1.            Make sure you have a punch or a hammer.
2.            Remove your door by knocking out the pin in your hinges and lift off.
3.            Measure how much you need to remove from the door. Usually you allow 2.5mm margin.
4.            Mark it off and start to plane your door.
5.            After sand it off and finish it with paint.

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Heroic gran tells of stabbing chaos

Peggy Kew acted bravely when two women were attacked in a hair salon. Picture: Ross Swanborough Source: PerthNow

FOR Peggy Kew it was meant to be just another Monday morning trip to the local hair salon. But within minutes the grandmother of 10 became an unlikely hero in the middle of chaos.

The Sunday Times can today reveal that Ms Kew was the 67-year-old grandmother at Plush Hair salon in Como on Monday who, in her own words, "tried desperately" to help Angela Ferullo and her daughter, Selina Bello.

Police will allege a man entered the salon that morning intending to kill Ms Ferullo and her daughter.

Armed with a knife, the man allegedly attacked Ms Bello first before turning on her mother.

Customers sat frozen in fear, until Ms Kew stood up, threw a chair at the man and demanded he leave.

"All I could think of was picking up the chair and hitting him on the head - and that's what I did," Ms Kew told The Sunday Times.

Police will allege the man then turned the knife on Ms Kew and stabbed her in the chest and shoulder.

Ms Ferullo, a 43-year-old mother of four, died in hospital later that day from her injuries, while Ms Bello, who is five months pregnant with a baby boy, suffered serious injuries and has spent the week in hospital.

In an emotional interview this week, Ms Kew said she didn't see herself as a hero.

"A lady has died and I've got my friend Selina in hospital," she said. "I was trying desperately to save both of them."

She said Ms Ferullo was in a back room of the salon, but quickly emerged into the main parlour when the man came in.

Ms Kew said "all I could think of" was trying to help.

"But I don't feel like a hero at all," she said. "If you were to ask me who is the real hero, it's Angela, Selina's mother."

Ms Kew's stab wounds were treated at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. She was discharged on Tuesday afternoon. "I didn't even know I had been injured," she said. "It's still very raw and it's such a terrible thing what has happened.

"I am trying to put it in the back of my mind."

Ms Kew revealed also that she had spoken to Ms Bello in hospital on Thursday night and had a "good chat" with the expectant mother. She described the 22-year-old as a "beautiful girl".

Ms Kew's son, Mark, praised the emergency service personnel and hospital staff who helped his mother.

"They have all been exceptional and really good to her," he said.

Ms Ferullo's former husband, James Bill Payet, 48, has been charged.

He faces one count each of murder, attempted murder and aggravated wounding.

He faced a bedside court hearing this week and will appear in court again on July 31.

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Plan for booze on Good Friday

Alcohol bans on Good Friday and other public holidays may be scrapped. Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied

THE scrapping of booze bans on Good Friday, Christmas Day and Anzac Day is being considered as part of a major overhaul of WA's alcohol licensing laws.

The Tourism Council of WA said outdated laws that prevented bottle shops and nightclubs from opening on religious holidays, and force pubs to close early on public holidays, were costing the state money.

Under a plan put to a Government committee reviewing WA's liquor laws, the council also called for Sunday trading restrictions  such as forcing pubs to close at 10pm instead of midnight  to be scrapped.

Tourism Council WA chief executive Evan Hall told The Sunday Times that he met members of the committee this week to convince them of the merits of the plan.

Mr Hall said food and alcohol experiences were the single most popular activities among visitors to WA  well ahead of shopping, the beach and nature-based activities.

Removing holiday liquor restrictions would be a "huge step forward" for the state as a tourism destination, he said.

Under WA's existing laws, liquor stores are prevented from opening on Christmas Day and Good Friday and can open only between noon and 10pm on Anzac Day.

Nightclubs are also forced to close on Christmas Day and Good Friday, while pubs and small bars can serve liquor from noon to 10pm with a meal.

Mr Hall said he understood why some people might object to selling alcohol on these days, but it was up to the Government, not individuals, to decide if it should be allowed.

 "Other states like Victoria manage to do this perfectly well," he said. "Europe manages to do this perfectly well.

"I just don't understand why somehow we're different."

But Australian Christian Lobby state director Rhys Vallance said public holidays and Sundays were important family times and should not be exploited for money.

"As Christians we still see Christmas Day and Good Friday as sacred," Mr Vallance said. "They're also great opportunities, even if you're not a practising Christian, to have time together as a family."

Mr Hall said he did not believe the interests of tourism and hospitality businesses outweighed those of public health, but said licences were too often refused without a proper risk assessment being carried out.

The review committee will report to Racing, Gaming and Liquor Minister Terry Waldron later this year.
 

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Sex offender trackers don't work

GPS monitoring devices drop out in big buildings. Picture: Supplied Source: Herald Sun

GPS devices that are supposed to track our worst child-sex predators lose their signal inside big buildings - including shopping centres.

The State Government has admitted the devices, which were recently fitted to 18 offenders, have "building mass limitations".

"They work like mobile phones so there may be black spots," a Corrective Services spokesman said.

 "Some shopping centres may be affected."

This is despite a shopping centre being the scene of one of the state's most shocking child-sex crimes  when Sofia Rodriguez-Urrutia-Shu, 8, was raped and killed inside a centre toilet in Canning Vale.

The Sunday Times can reveal the technology is so limited that one of the 18 offenders fitted with them contacted the newspaper this week to say he constantly "goes off the grid".

The dangerous sex offender claimed he was phoned several times last week because authorities could not pick up his location.

He said the device had blacked out in underground carparks, shopping centres, regional areas and even in his own home.

He sent a picture showing his signal had been lost inside a shopping centre.

The offender said he was speaking out because he believed the devices were ineffective and no deterrent.

"I've cleaned up my act and I've done enough jail time to know I don't want to go back," he said. "But they're lying to the general public when they say these things work. It's a joke." A Corrective Services spokesman said the department carried out tests on the devices before they were rolled out and found "some places had better coverage than others".

"It's another tool in our arsenal for monitoring dangerous sex offenders," he said.

The Barnett Government has previously said the GPS tracking devices would be a vital tool to monitor sex offenders.

But in April, The Sunday Times revealed the company awarded the $750,000 contract to provide the ankle bracelets had been dumped in California for producing devices "inundated with defects".

The Corrective Services spokesman said they were working to "address issues" with the new bracelets.

"When an alert is received that there is no GPS signal an automated message is sent to the offender to go outside to enable the system to re-establish GPS connection," he said.

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Julia graceful when I switched: Bill

In parliament, Kevin Rudd chats with Bill Shorten, the Victorian powerbroker who switched his support to the new Prime Minister just before the Labor leadership vote. Picture: Kym Smith Source: The Australian

BILL Shorten broke the news to Julia Gillard by telephone that she had lost his support, in what he describes as a painful decision that has cost him lifelong friendships.

The man who wants to be Labor leader and prime minister one day has now played a role in cutting down the past two Labor PMs, earning him the nickname "Bill the Knife".

Some people are calling him a "rat" or "turncoat" for switching his support to Kevin Rudd.

One MP said Mr Shorten "would forever be known as someone who knifed two prime ministers in three years".

One of his friendships under enormous strain is with Paul Howes, a co-conspirator and "faceless man" in the 2010 coup against Mr Rudd.

Mr Howes heads Mr Shorten's former union, the Australian Workers Union, and backed Ms Gillard.

"Some friends won't be my friends any more," Mr Shorten told the Herald Sun. "Some people will so disagree with what I believe in my heart of hearts, that they won't like me any more.

"Some people will say unkind things, but what I realise is you've got to be true to yourself above all else. I hoped it wouldn't get to this."

For weeks, despite a widespread belief his support for Ms Gillard was wobbly, Mr Shorten repeatedly pledged it, including just hours before the vote.

A visibly exhausted Mr Shorten said he had been talking to people in his electorate for "two to three weeks" about the leadership and found voters had "switched off" from Ms Gillard.

He said he made up his mind only after Ms Gillard called the spill and Mr Rudd said he would stand.

Incongruously, he decided the best way to protect Ms Gillard's legacy - such as carbon pricing, the National Disability Insurance Scheme and education changes - was to switch to Mr Rudd.

"It's sad. Only she could have accomplished what she's accomplished, yet it is he who is the most likely to protect what she has accomplished," he said.

"I don't know how to give up. To do nothing would be, in my opinion, giving up."

At 6pm on Wednesday, an hour before the leadership showdown, Mr Shorten telephoned Ms Gillard.

"I indicated, after three years of very strong support, I felt that Kevin Rudd would give the Australian nation and people who believe in the Labor cause the best choice," he said.

He said Tony Abbott would have won control of the Senate as well as the House of Representatives.

"I wasn't evaluating her as a person. I was saying we're more likely to win and to provide the strongest possible alternative to the Coalition."

He would not reveal what she said. "She was courteous and she was graceful."

He then rang Mr Rudd.

Mr Shorten said he did not seek any personal gain for his support.

Having been one of the strongest critics of Mr Rudd, he said he now believed the man he helped axe had changed.

"He certainly demonstrated to me that he would be a more consultative Prime Minister, and he said that he had learned a lot in the last three years."

Mr Shorten conceded his five years in politics had been bruising. "Do I think I've made mistakes along the way? Absolutely."

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Kids taken away after freeway pursuit

The woman was spotted driving erratically on the Mitchell Freeway.

A BABY and a two-year-old have been taken into care after a woman was spotted driving erratically on one of Perth's busiest stretches of freeway.

At around 3.15pm today, police began receiving reports of a woman in a white Holden Commodore driving dangerously on the Mitchell Freeway, swerving across lanes and hitting side barriers without stopping.

Police said a concerned motorist followed the vehicle with their hazard lights on to alert other motorists, while speaking to police on the phone.

A WA police vehicle was upgraded to highest pursuit authority to intercept vehicle, and the car was eventually stopped.

One female was taken into custody, and police took two children in the car - one baby and one two-year-old - into care.
 

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Pregnant salon stabbing victim thanks supporters

Como hairdresser Angela Ferullo, who was stabbed to death on Monday in her salon. Her former partner has been charged with her murder.  Picture: Facebook Source: PerthNow

A YOUNG woman stabbed in an attack which claimed her mother's life has thanked her friends, family and the community for their support during a "tragic and truly difficult time."

Selina Bello, 22, is recovering in hospital after she and her mother Angela Ferullo, 43, were attacked at their Como hair salon 10.30am on Monday.

Ms Ferullo died from her injuries but Ms Bello, who is five months pregnant, survived.

In a public Facebook post today, Ms Bello said that she was recovering in hospital and hoped to be released as soon as possible.

"I'd like to personally thank everyone from the bottom of my heart for all your concern, prayers and condolences through this tragic time my family and I are facing," Ms Bello wrote.

"Myself and my baby boy are recovering slowly in hospital. I am hoping to be out with my family as soon as possible.

Tributes laid at the Como hair salon where Angie Ferullo was stabbed to death. Picture: Kerris Berrington

"Thank you once again to all our family, close friends and to the community for your ongoing support through this truly difficult time."

Earlier today, a Como business owner described the moment he heard chilling screams and saw a pool of blood inside the salon where the pair was working on Monday.

Neill Tenio was setting up umbrellas at his kebab shop on South Tce when a woman opened the door at the salon 10m away and screamed for help.

"I heard some yelling and screaming," Mr Tenio told PerthNow.

"I looked in the window and I saw Selina and her mum lying there. I saw blood everywhere.

Pregnant Selina Bello is recovering in hospital after being stabbed at her Como hairdressing salon. Her mother Angela Ferullo was killed in the attack. Picture: Facebook

"Selina is not just a customer, she is a friend. She is so polite and friendly to everybody."

Police have confirmed a 67-year-old woman who was a customer in the salon at the time tried desperately to help the mother and daughter by hitting their attacker with a chair.

Early this morning, police officers from the Major Crime Squad charged a 48-year-old Success man with one count of murder, one count of attempted murder and one count of aggravated wounding.

The man is currently under police guard in hospital and faced a bedside hearing today.

It's expected further charges will also be laid.

James Bill Payet was arrested over the incident when he attended St John of God Murdoch Hospital on Monday afternoon.
 

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Feral fans boo Brownlow champ Watson

Essendon players surround captain Jobe Watson after the win. Picture: Daniel Wilkins Source: News Limited

WEST Coast fans have been criticised for booing Brownlow Medalist Jobe Watson during the Eagles' loss at Patersons Stadium

The Bombers captain was loudly booed by the parochial West Australian crowd throughout the match as he played his first game since his public admission to taking a potentially banned drug.

Ironically, he was instrumental in the dying minutes and helped Essendon win by seven points. Watson was in tears after the match.

Essendon coach James Hird said he was disappointed by the treatment of Watson by West Coast fans.Former Richmond champion Matthew Richardson labelled the Eagles crowd "a disgrace" and ex-Western Bulldogs ruckman Luke Darcy said he was "staggered" by the treatment Watson copped and questioned whether it was in the spirit of the game.

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"With all these boos, makes you realise how good Jobe Watson is and how often he touches the footy!!" Adelaide Crows player Sam Jacobs posted on Twitter during the match.

Comedian Peter Helliar posted: "Anyone booing Jobe Watson tonight is very, very average indeed".

"Jobe Watson with a mark on the goal line and converts as boos ring out" 6PR radio posted during the game.

Other users said it showed West Coast fans were "officially the ugliest in the game".

Last year, Geelong coach Chris Scott labelled West Coast supporters as the worst in the AFL, declaring he would never want to take his kids to a match at Patersons Stadium.

Scott was left aghast at some of the abuse directed at Tom Hawkins and the Cats' medical staff while the Geelong forward was being stretchered from the ground during a Friday night game.

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Follow Pink's first Perth show live

PINK'S first concert of her 46-show Australian tour kicks off tonight and PerthNow will bring you a live review.

Special guests The Kin will open her first of four sold-out The Truth About Love Tour shows in Perth tonight, with the pop princess expected to be on stage for two hours - which includes her singing in a spinning cage and dangling mid-air from a rope.

Follow the live tweets here and tweet us your own @PerthNow with the hashtag #pinkinperth

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Why Russell Crowe backs Gillard

The latest trailer for Man Of Steel sees villain General Zod demanding the people of Earth hand over Superman or else

THE offensive Liberal Party dinner menu that compared Julia Gillard to a quail was the catalyst for Russell Crowe to throw his support behind the embattled PM.

"If you wrote that about my mum, or my sister, or my wife, I'd be deeply, deeply offended and I would want to have a serious chat with you,'' Russell Crowe said today after The Man of Steel premiere, in which he plays Superman's father Jor-El.

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"I don't think you have to engage in politics without gallantry,'' Crowe said.

"The office of the Prime Minister is the office of the Prime Minister and whoever is Prime Minister still deserves respect."

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In his tweet in support of Gillard, Crowe also gave a shout out to Liberal MP Malcolm Turnbull.

Reading between the lines, it seems obvious that Crowe is not a huge fan of Tony Abbott fan.

"You are painting me in a corner, which is your job.

"But all other political personalities aside, Readers Digest just published a list of the most trusted people in Australia - I came in 52nd this time. I am coming up the charts.

"Malcolm Turnbull (at No 68) was the most trusted politician in Australia..

"So I am not the only person who has noticed his facility to hold a position of authority and still hold on to his personal beliefs which is extremely important if you are going to be the leader of a nation.''

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