Exclusive: anonymised notes reveal concerns about injuries, self-harm, security incidents and sickness in overcrowded cells
A child locked in the Cairns police watch house is self-harming by banging his head against the cell walls.
Anonymised notes about more than a dozen children in the far north Queensland watch house last week, seen by Guardian Australia, detail concerns about sickness spreading in the overcrowded cells, injuries and serious security incidents.
Continue reading...Peak body also campaigning for a reduction in the growing gap fee as the cost-of-living crisis puts increases financial strain
Psychologists are renewing calls for the federal government to double the number of subsidised psychology sessions a patient can access, along with reducing the growing gap fee, as the cost-of-living crisis puts households under financial strain.
The Australian Association of Psychologists Inc, one of two psychology peak bodies, wants the federal government to lift the Medicare rebate by more than $50 for some sessions and increase the number of subsidised sessions from 10 to 20.
Continue reading...University of Newcastle research has found some women in emergency shelters during the devastating Lismore floods reported sexual assaults and violence
Safety protocols at mass evacuation centres will be investigated after researchers found women had been subjected to violence and sexual assaults in the immediate aftermath of the devastating northern rivers floods of 2022.
The review by the Department of Communities and Justice and the New South Wales police is slated to begin later this year and will consider the role of police officers and triaging, as recommended by University of Newcastle researchers.
Continue reading...Palestinian diplomat Izzat Abdulhadi says Australia must do more than express disappointment at Benjamin Netanyahu’s stance
A Palestinian diplomat has implored the Australian government to recognise Palestine as a state “without further delay” after what he called the Israeli prime minister’s “appalling but not surprising” rejection of a two-state solution.
The comments from the head of the general delegation of Palestine to Australia, Izzat Abdulhadi, come after two Labor MPs also urged the government to fast-track recognition of Palestinian statehood, whereas the Coalition said the immediate priority should be “security and stability”.
Continue reading...Exclusive: Consultancy firm supported oil and gas industry lobbying while being paid for independent advice on Albanese’s signature climate policy
Consultancy firm EY Oceania was supporting the oil and gas industry’s lobbying efforts while being paid by the federal government for independent advice on its signature climate policy and gas emissions.
The firm, which is a member of the oil and gas lobby and audits Santos, insists there was no conflict of interest between its work for industry and government. But a bipartisan group of politicians and transparency advocates is not convinced and has demanded more information.
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Homelessness increasing across Australia, report finds
In January every year, the Productivity Commission releases its Report on Government Services, which “monitor[s] the performance of Australian governments in the delivery of important services to the community”.
The first thing is to stay connected with the emergency messaging and understand the alerts that may and will come out as the cyclone approaches the coast.
But more importantly, use the next 48 hours to 72 hours to prepare yourself and your family for a potential cyclone crossing and flooding event after. You can do simple things like keep the fuel in your car topped up now, make sure you have enough food in your house for 72 hours, [and] make sure you have battery charging packs for your phone. Very simple things you can do.
Continue reading...Pat Cummins has called for a change to the date of Australia Day, backing the decision for the term not to be used in marketing for the Brisbane Test.
Cricket Australia (CA) have chosen not to brand this week’s second Test against West Indies as “the Australia Day match”, or use the term at the Gabba on day two on 26 January.
Continue reading...Rugby union player pleads not guilty and denies groping and sexually assaulting the complainant, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, at Bondi Beach venue in 2022
Footage showing the Wallabies star Kurtley Beale allegedly groping a woman at a pub before sexually assaulting her in a bathroom will be played to a jury as he fights the accusations.
More than an hour of recorded CCTV from the Beach Road Hotel near Bondi beach is expected to be played to the New South Wales district court jury hearing the case on Tuesday.
Continue reading...Government uses cyber sanctions powers under Magnitsky laws for first time to target Aleksandr Gennadievich Ermakov, alleged to be responsible for hack
Australia has used its new cyber sanctions powers for the first time against a Russian citizen, Aleksandr Ermakov, in connection with the Medibank Private data breach.
Magnitsky-style sanctions laws that were introduced in Australia in late 2021 include a world-leading measure to allow the imposition of Australian travel bans and asset freezes on those allegedly involved in “significant” cyber-attacks.
Continue reading...Former prime minister quitting after 16 years in parliament to also ‘spend more time with my family’
The former prime minister Scott Morrison has announced he will quit parliament at the end of February, triggering a byelection in his seat of Cook.
In a statement on social media on Tuesday, Morrison said he had decided “to take on new challenges in the global corporate sector and spend more time with my family”.
Continue reading...Cyclone expected to make landfall as severe category-three system as cyclonic winds, flooding rain and tides among weather forecast in Queensland
Tropical Cyclone Kirrily is considered “most likely” to make landfall as a severe category-three system, causing flooding in large north Queensland cities such as Townsville and Rockhampton.
Queensland emergency services are planning to respond to two disasters: cyclonic winds, followed by flooding rain and tides, according to authorities.
Continue reading...Exclusive: Leader of successful class action says government should ‘step in to overturn the convictions’, amid calls for a formal apology
The Indonesian fisher who led the challenge against Australia’s unlawful detention of hundreds of children found on people-smuggling boats has urged the government to help quash all remaining convictions linked to the scandal.
The federal government relied on a deeply flawed age assessment technique – interpretations of wrist X-rays – to detain hundreds of Indonesian children found crewing people-smuggling boats in 2009 and the early 2010s.
Continue reading...Bureau of Meteorology forecasts category three storm to make landfall near Townsville, warns of damaging winds and heavy rainfall
Queenslanders are being urged to stock up on 72 hours of supplies as a “severe” cyclone begins to swing towards the state’s coast.
A cyclone watch has been issued for communities across north Queensland, with the Bureau of Meteorology forecasting that tropical Cyclone Kirrily will make landfall near Townsville as a category three storm on Thursday.
Continue reading...Move comes as pressure mounts on broadcaster’s management with union members passing vote of no confidence in managing director David Anderson
The ABC has claimed it did not sack the journalist Antoinette Lattouf from her casual radio role, paving the way to attempt to have her termination case thrown out.
It comes as pressure mounts on the broadcaster’s management, with union members passing a vote of no confidence in the managing director, David Anderson.
Continue reading...Criticism from the assistant foreign minister, Tim Watts, comes as backbencher says Israeli prime minister ‘is not a partner for peace’
The Australian government has said it is deeply disappointed by comments from the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, in which he rebuffed international calls for a pathway to a Palestinian state.
The assistant foreign minister, Tim Watts, said the remarks undermined prospects for peace. He also urged Israel to “live up to” its commitment to uphold international law in its military operations in Gaza, where the death toll has passed 25,000 Palestinians.
Continue reading...PM says Labor government will receive advice by Wednesday’s caucus meeting on how best to assist Australians struggling with rising costs
Anthony Albanese has continued to raise expectations of further cost-of-living relief as some backbench MPs debate the possibility Labor could modify stage-three income tax cuts to pay for new measures.
On Monday the prime minister said “if we can find ways to put extra dollars in people’s pockets, particularly those low and middle income earners who are doing it tough, then we’re prepared to do so”.
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‘No plans to change’ Australia Day, minister says
Speaking on the Today show, Amanda Rishworth is asked about a decision by Cricket Australia to scrap the term Australia Day at the Brisbane Test match this Friday.
We have absolutely no plans to change that. The prime minister has said that on a number of occasions.
I think it is important that we do, though, acknowledge that Australia Day for some people is a difficult day. For others, it’s a day that is the day they became an Australian citizen and that’s really important to them.
This is something you’ve been aware of for several months, in fact, perhaps longer than that. So, why fly to Canberra now?
This year will be a year of delivery. And so at the beginning of the year, it’s not uncommon for political parties to get together. I would suggest that the opposition, from time to time, has flown people to all one place. So, it is a bit two-faced to be criticising the Labor party here. But it will be an important meeting, as will this year be of us continuing to deliver help for Australians.
We don’t have parliament by Zoom. We don’t have a number of political meetings, committee meetings by Zoom. They are done in person. It is important that MPs do get together and actually put their views forward.
Continue reading...The Coalition backed a bill in 2022 to start the treaty process but spokesman Peter Walsh says ‘things have changed’
The Victorian opposition has dropped its support for a treaty with the state’s Indigenous people, citing concerns about cultural heritage laws.
The move was described by the state’s First People’s Assembly as “disappointing but not surprising”.
Continue reading...Former police officer was serving a life sentence for the 2014 murder of Sydney drug dealer Jamie Gao
Disgraced former New South Wales police officer Roger Rogerson has died in hospital aged 83.
Known as “The Dodger”, the controversial and charismatic tough cop turned killer was moved from Long Bay prison to Sydney’s Prince of Wales hospital last Thursday where he was receiving end-of-life care.
Continue reading...Deal aimed at keeping energy bills affordable will see 260 petajoules supplied to gas-fired power stations in Australia’s south-east coast until 2033
Australia’s south-east coast will be further guaranteed gas supply in an effort to keep lights on and energy bills affordable before predicted supply shortages at the decade’s end.
It comes as the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has called Labor MPs and senators to Canberra on Wednesday for a snap caucus to discuss further cost-of-living relief measures put forward by Treasury.
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