An Australian bank has scrapped a new requirement for employees to fit GPS trackers to their company vehicles after the measure was found to conflict with NSW workplace surveillance laws.

Australian Teachers Mutual, a financial institution catering to teachers and their families, rolled out the GPS devices in July under a revised fleet management policy.

The bank said the tracking system was intended to support fleet administration, vehicle oversight, record-keeping obligations and Fringe Benefits Tax reporting.

But Australian Teachers Mutual was later forced to reverse course after concerns about the legality of directing staff to install the GPS devices in their cars were taken to the Finance Sector Union.

A key issue was that the devices could not be deactivated outside working hours, including when employees were using the vehicles privately — a use they were permitted to make of the cars.

The Finance Sector Union said the GPS tracking policy left employees with salary-packaged vehicles, including those used for personal trips, deeply uncomfortable. Some regarded the constant monitoring as a ‘gross violation of privacy’.

It was subsequently determined that the arrangement did not comply with the Workplace Surveillance Act 2005, which prevents employers from surveilling staff when they are off duty.

The policy was also flagged as potentially breaching NSW’s Surveillance Devices Act 2007, along with comparable surveillance legislation operating in other states and territories.

Further complicating matters for workers was that the only way to stop the tracking was to uninstall the device – which was a direct breach of the bank’s vehicle policy.

Another complaint raised by workers was the reported lack of consultation prior to the policy’s introduction, which was ‘just presented to staff as something they had to do’.

‘They hadn’t consulted at all, they just bought these things and then their staff were told to install them only to find out it’s illegal in the last month,’ a source said.

Teachers Mutual Bank Limited merged with Australian Mutual Bank in May. It also also operates Health Professionals Bank, Firefighters Mutual Bank, and UniBank as associated brands, and overall has about 280,000 members.

The bank purchased the devices from the company Linxio, which supplies a range of fleet management software and various GPS tracking devices to over 3,500 companies.

According to Linxio’s website, the tools allow businesses to ‘track and manage all your assets with advanced monitoring capabilities and real-time data insights’, through ‘live GPS tracking, historical trip reporting and driver behaviour scores’.

The company’s pricing brochure also states that their fleet tracking software enables real-time location tracking and collates data about driving time, distance travelled, rest periods, and historical routes taken.

‘With Linxio’s software, businesses can actively monitor driving behaviour, including speeding, harsh acceleration, cornering, braking, and idling in real-time,’ the company brochure says.

A Linxio spokesperson, said they could not comment specifically on the situation at Teacher’s Mutual Bank, but said that its technology did feature privacy controls which enabled tracking and location reporting to be disabled during after work hours. 

However, Linxio indicated that the configuration of these settings, and how employees were consulted, were matters for individual employers.

Teachers Mutual Bank did not respond to detailed questions or repeated requests for comment, but it is understood the bank maintains the devices were not used for performance evaluation purposes.

The bank is now believed to be consulting with the FSU regarding its vehicle tracking practices.

The FSU’s National Assistant Manager, Nicole McPherson, said the rollout only stopped because of the ‘serious concerns’ raised by union members about their invasion of privacy.

‘When employers are considering any new systems to monitor workers, the first step is to talk to the workers concerned and their union. Consultation is critical,’ she said.

Ms McPherson also said that workplace surveillance was a ‘growing problem for all workers’ which was ‘destroying trust’ with employers.

‘This serves as a warning to all employers. Workers’ privacy matters and if any employer crosses the line or breaks the law, the FSU will fight it.’

A leading bullfighter known as the “Messi of matadors” was violently thrown about by a bull after becoming caught between the animal’s horns.

Andres Roca Rey, 29, was swept off his feet and left clinging to the horns of the charging bull as it lifted him and carried him across the Arles amphitheatre in southern France.

Footage of the frightening encounter shows the black bull charging into Roca Rey, leaving the matador struggling desperately to pull himself free from the space between its horns.

Fellow bullfighters rushed in to help, attempting to restrain the animal, named Vicioso. After several tense seconds, about 10 men succeeded in stopping the bull and supporting Roca Rey long enough to release him.

They then used brightly coloured capes to draw the bull away from the bloodied Peruvian matador, who was assisted back onto his feet.

Despite the apparent beating, Roca Rey remarkably returned to confront the bull. Vicioso was later struck with a banderilla, the barbed wooden dart used during Spanish-style bullfighting.

Roca Rey is among bullfighting’s most prominent figures, celebrated for a daring approach that has earned him comparisons with Argentine football icon Lionel Messi. He moved to Spain at 13 to pursue the sport and has since acquired Spanish citizenship.

The high-profile matador has also endured previous injuries in the ring.

The incident last week came only months after he was gored in Seville, Spain, in April. During that encounter, Roca Rey suffered a deep leg wound after a bull impaled him and lifted him into the air.

The Peruvian matador has had several uncomfortably close encounters with the horned beasts, including in October 2024 when he was tossed like a rag doll while attached to the bull’s horns.

Mr Roca Rey was then flipped over into a somersault before he came crashing down onto the sand and curled into a ball to try and protect himself.

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The animal then launched into a second attack and speared the matador’s uniform, shaking him violently as bystanders rushed in to assist as he laid in a crumpled heap on the ground.

The bullfighter was gored five times in his first five fights.

He caught media attention when a shocking video of him being gored by a rampant bull emerged in 2016.

The incident marked the fourth time Mr Roca Rey had been gored that year. He had been back on his feet for only a few days after being knocked unconscious during an earlier event.

The footage shows how the bullfighter had a near miss, leaving some questioning whether he should consider a different career.

The bull could be seen catching Mr Roca Rey on its horns as he attempted a flamboyant pass with his cloak. Stunned spectators watched the then-teenager being sent spinning around the bull’s horns before being thrown to the arena’s sand floor.

Then – for a heart-stopping moment before help can get to him – the young bullfighter was gored and trampled by the angry 1,400-lb animal.

Spectators feared the worst as his seemingly lifeless body was carried away by helpers while others tried to tame the bull.

The extent of his injuries was not made clear but he is said to have suffered concussion and a shattered right cheek bone and has been ordered to rest by medics.

According to polling in 2025, around 77 per cent of Spaniards oppose bullfighting. This includes more than 80 per cent of those under 35. 

A newlywed in upstate New York is mourning an unimaginable loss after her husband was found dead in the woods nearly a week after he disappeared from their home.

Dominick Bianchi, 35, was last seen at his East Greenbush property, roughly five miles south of Albany, at about 10am last Tuesday.

After several days of searching, police said Sunday evening that Bianchi’s body had been located in a wooded area.

Authorities have not said precisely where Bianchi was found, and no suspected cause of death has been released.

His wife, Julianna Zyra, had previously said that Bianchi was experiencing mental health struggles before he went missing.

Bianchi also lived with type 1 diabetes, and relatives feared he had been in the woods without access to the insulin he needed.

The East Greenbush Police Department extended its “deepest condolences” to Bianchi’s family and friends following what it described as a tragic loss.

“Our thoughts are with them as they navigate this incredibly difficult time,” Detective Sergeant Michael Guadagnino said in a statement obtained by the Daily Mail.

“At this time, we respectfully ask that the privacy of Dominick’s family and loved ones be honored as they grieve and begin to process this tremendous loss.”

After his disappearance, his wife of just a few months, Zyra, 33, issued a plea for her husband to come home.

‘Whatever it is that’s going on, there are so many people who care about you and want you to be OK,’ Zyra said to Bianchi through an interview with WTEN last week.

‘I know you feel really alone, but there are people who want to help you. If you’re seeing this, please, come home.’

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She told the local news station that Bianchi had been ‘struggling mentally for quite some time, and nobody really knows about it.’

‘It’s not fair. And I really wish people would stay off the internet, hypothesizing things that happened; he’s very sick, and he is not in the right headspace,’ she added. 

Bianchi’s father-in-law Joseph Zyra issued a statement to WTEN on Sunday after learning of his passing.

Joseph shared how four months ago they welcomed Bianchi into their lives and are now faced with the ‘intense pain of his loss.’

‘Dom was a husband, a son, a brother, a nephew, and a friend. He will be so missed by so many people. But even in this darkness, there is light,’ Joseph wrote. 

‘Although we were new to this community, we were treated as though we were lifelong residents. Thank you all for the notes you left at our door; the food; the coffee; and the words of encouragement. Thank you for allowing us to put posters in your places of business. Thank you to the young boys who searched the trail every night on their bikes. 

‘Kindness reverberates; anything hateful or insensitive directed at Dom’s family and friends who are deeply grieving this loss is not how he would have wanted his memory to be preserved.’

He went on to thank the lead detectives on Bianchi’s case and all the other law enforcement officers who aided them.

Joseph also urged anyone else who is struggling with mental health to know help is available and that ‘you are never alone.’

He said there is ‘always a reason to go on’ and ‘sometimes we just need someone to remind us of those reasons.’

‘Please know that you matter,’ he concluded.

• If you or someone you know is in crisis, you can call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 for 24-hour, confidential support.

A bride-to-be has prompted a fierce online discussion after asking everyone attending her wedding to follow one clear condition: arrive completely fragrance-free.

The woman said perfume is her most serious migraine trigger, with reactions so intense that they can produce stroke-like symptoms. In preparation for the celebration, she alerted guests that scented products would not be permitted.

Many people felt going without perfume for a single day was a considerate and manageable wedding guest request. But the conversation became more divisive when some commenters proposed stricter measures, including checking guests for scents at the door, avoiding fragranced washing products and purchasing entirely new outfits.

One person backing the bride even argued that guests who ignored the fragrance-free rule should be refused entry.

The contentious wedding etiquette debate has re-emerged on Reddit, where users expressed disbelief at the lengths some suggested taking to ensure the event remained free of fragrance.

The bride initially outlined the request on both her wedding website and her invitations, hoping friends and family would understand the seriousness of her medical condition.

‘Fragrance is my biggest migraine trigger. [I] also get symptoms that mimic a stroke. Hope people take this seriously!’ she wrote.

A note included with the wedding details stressed that the policy was medically necessary and would apply not only to the ceremony and reception, but also to a Monday morning brunch after the wedding.

‘The bride and members of the bridal party have severe fragrance allergies that will trigger significant health reactions,’ the notice read.

‘Thank you for your understanding and support in helping us create a safe & joyful celebration on our special day.’

While the initial request appeared reasonable to many, the conversation soon took a more extreme turn as people began suggesting additional precautions the couple could introduce.

One person enthusiastically backed the rule but argued the bride should make the consequences for ignoring it crystal clear.

‘This is awesome. Personally, I would also add: “Any guest found in violation of this policy will be denied entry to the events”,’ they wrote.

Another suggested perfume and body lotion were only part of the problem and that guests should also be warned about scented laundry products.

‘I love the idea, but I think you should consider adding laundry detergent to the list,’ they said.

They then suggested appointing a ‘trusted sniffer’ to enforce the rule, claiming they had previously heard of a wedding where a bridesmaid deliberately smelled guests as they arrived.

According to the commenter, anyone who failed the sniff test was directed somewhere they could wash off their perfume before joining the celebration.

The discussion became even more bizarre when one person admitted they would happily put up with body odour if the alternative was fragrance.

‘I’d rather smell cat urine and faeces!’ the bride replied.

‘At least that doesn’t give me horrible migraine attacks and stick to my hair and clothes! Disgusting.’

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Others shared their own experiences of fragrance-free events and suggested the bride might need to introduce even more extensive rules if she wanted to completely eliminate scents.

One commenter claimed their cousin had issued a much longer list of instructions for her own wedding, including asking guests to schedule salon visits well in advance.

‘If you’re getting your hair done at a salon, or colouring your hair, make sure it is at least a week before the wedding,’ they recalled of one of the rules.

They said guests had also been warned about laundry products and advised not to use scented products for at least a week beforehand.

Even previously worn coats and jumpers could pose a problem if they still carried traces of fragrance, they claimed.

But perhaps the most extreme proposal was for guests to purchase completely new outfits specifically for the occasion.

‘Clothes that have been worn wearing fragrances in the past are still going to stink,’ one person wrote.

‘Make it a casual celebration and ask attendees to buy some cheap clothes to wear. Then donate the clothes afterwards.’

That suggestion proved a step too far for many Reddit users after screenshots of the conversation were shared, and while some sympathised with the bride’s sensitivity to fragrance, others couldn’t resist poking fun at the increasingly elaborate measures being proposed.

‘I like the idea of the wedding having a bouncer but it’s actually a 90 lb bridesmaid that will sniff each guest before allowing entry,’ one joked.

Another commenter said they were also sensitive to perfume, explaining that strong fragrances made them feel sick and gave them headaches too.

They recalled walking into a Dairy Queen with their seven-year-old when their child suddenly noticed the scent of the person ahead of them.

‘She immediately turned around and yelled across the crowded restaurant, “stay back daddy, this guy stinks!” as she pointed at the guy in front of her in line,’ they wrote.

‘I would rather skip the wedding than be subjected to anyone sniffing me or my body,’ one person declared.

‘I just saw the last one about suggesting fragrance-free casual clothes to change everyone into. THAT IS ABSURD,’ one wrote.

‘Honestly they should just provide hospital gowns,’ another joked.

‘Yes, cheap, disposable clothes: famously chemical-free,’ someone else sarcastically added.

Another was left wondering exactly how the proposed post-wedding clothing donation would work in practice.

‘Do they get naked and hand their clothes to the clothing donation bin to leave?’ they asked.