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Concerns raised about child sex definitions under criminal law Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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An association representing Australian lawyers has expressed concern about inconsistencies in the criminal law when it comes to child sex offences. The Australian Lawyers Alliance says the legal definitions of child exploitation material can be too broad and they change depending on where you are in the country.
Topics: child-abuse, crime, laws, sexual-offences, australia
Indigenous Advisory Council always had a limited tenure: Professor Ngaire Brown Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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Despite the recent dissolution of the Indigenous Advisory Council, the Government insists the Prime Minister remains committed to having a forum to advise him on Indigenous issues. Professor Ngaire Brown is a Yuin nation woman and a health specialist from the University of Wollongong, who was a member of the Indigenous Advisory Council. She says the tenure of the first council was only ever going to be three years.
Topics: indigenous-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander, government-and-politics, australia
Peak body criticises mental health spending Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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The latest report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare says expenditure on mental health services in Australia increased by $911 million from 2010-11 to 2014-15. But the peak body Mental Health Australia says the total expenditure of $8.5 billion doesn't necessarily give an accurate picture of what the money is being spent on. And more money needs to be directed to community based services rather than acute care n hospitals.
Topics: mental-health, health, australia
True veteran suicide figures unknown Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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A senate inquiry has heard that unemployment is a major contributor to high rates of veteran suicide in Australia. Specialists have also given evidence that there's also no clear data about the exact number of Australian veterans who take their own lives each year. Frontline clinicians say there seems to be a lack of will to collate the figures.
Wait, what is 'clean coal'? Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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If you've paid any attention to the news over the past few years, you may have heard the term 'clean coal', but what exactly is it? The World Today puts that question to the people who should know. Representatives of the electricity companies say it's a technology that doesn't exist in Australia, and suggest there is no longer an appetite for the little black rock from within the industry. However, the Minerals Council of Australia says the technology does exist, it simply hasn't been invested in, in Australia yet. The Minerals Council says the coal industry is buoyed by the Government's change in attitude, which it believes could signal a whole new future for coal.
Topics: business-economics-and-finance, australia
NDIS will be too late to maintain therapy for many autistic children Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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More than 16,000 children access early intervention services through the Helping Children With Autism (HCWA) program. It provides a maximum of $12,000 for children on the autism spectrum to pay for assistance like speech and occupational therapy. Once that funding ends, many families are hoping therapy will continue to be funded under the NDIS. But in areas where the scheme hasn't rolled out yet, families could be waiting for a year or more.
Topics: autism-spectrum-disorder, insurance, doctors-and-medical-professionals, health-policy, australia
Family of domestic violence murder victim call for bail overhaul, GPS tracking Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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In Queensland, the family of the latest victim of a horrendous domestic violence murder have spoken out - calling for an overhaul of bail laws and GPS tracking of those awaiting trial. David Bradford was on bail facing strangulation charges when he murdered his estranged wife. Three of their four children were home. Strangulation is a predictor of murder - and police opposed bail - yet victims and support services are not automatically told when bail is granted.
Topics: murder-and-manslaughter, domestic-violence, brisbane-4000, qld
Landscape photographer lobbies NT Govt for $1 mln to build 'Desert Cross' Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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Award-winning landscape photographer Ken Duncan is driving plans to build a million-dollar, LED-illuminated cross 230 kilometres west of Alice Springs. His Christian organisation, the Walk-a-While Foundation, is lobbying the Northern Territory Government for an additional million. He says the cross will create local jobs and attract tourists, but not everyone has given the project their blessing.
Topics: christianity, sculpture, alice-springs-0870, nt
Brexit inevitable after House of Commons vote Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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After years of debate, the British House of Commons has voted in favour of the United Kingdom's separation from the European Union, handing Prime Minister Theresa may the power to start divorce proceedings. Even MPs who argued long and hard against leaving the EU, voted for the bill - acknowledging that the British people had spoken last year and shouldn't be ignored.
Topics: world-politics, trade, united-kingdom
High efficiency, low emissions coal power crucial to transition to clean energy: Frydenberg Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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In his first major speech of the year, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has announced a shift of focus towards 'clean' coal, as part of efforts to stablise the nation's electricity grid. Coal-fired power has long been a battleline in Australia's effort to do its part to lower carbon emissions, with many calling for a moratorium on new coal mines in the inevitable evolution away from fossil fuel. AM spoke to Environment and energy minister Josh Frydenberg, who said countries throughout our region are building high efficiency, low emissions coal plants to help meet their Paris commitments.
Topics: coal, alternative-energy, pollution, air-pollution, turnbull-malcolm, australia
Working more than 39 hours a week can affect your mental health, new research shows Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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New research claims that people who work more than 39 hours a week are putting their health at risk. The Australian National University used data from 8,000 working adults. It found that the work limit for a healthy life should be set at 39 hours a week. Beyond 39 hours, researchers say, and workers are at risk of developing mental health problems.
Trump wants the rules changed if Congress hits standoff on Supreme Court Nominee Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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US president Donald Trump has urged his Senate Majority leader to 'go nuclear' and change the rules if Congress stalls on approving his controversial Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch. The deciding vote on an evenly split and highly influential Supreme Court has been empty for almost a year and many Democrats are still angry that Republicans refused to approve Barack Obama's nominee.
Topics: world-politics, international-law, united-states
Labor says Malcolm Turnbull's donation bought him the election Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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The Prime Minister's admission that he gave $1.75 million to the Liberal Party is a political gift for the Opposition. Labor says that the Prime Minister's contribution to the party bought him the election. Malcolm Turnbull says there's nothing wrong with dipping into his pockets and putting his money where his mouth is. But it's renewed calls for reform of the political donation system.
Topics: turnbull-malcolm, political-parties, corruption, australia
Aussie songbirds believed to be the masterminds behind open-cup nests Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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When it comes to natural ingenuity, it appears that Aussie songbirds are among fauna's cream of the crop. There's evidence to suggest they're responsible for the creation of the globally popular open cup birds nest, as opposed to the enclosed variety. Scientists believe they made the switch around 40 million years ago with one of the benefits being that birds now have better escape routes when they're in danger. However there is now concern about how birds in open nests will cope in the face of climate change, and scientists are looking to the trees to see if change is afoot.
Topics: birds, science-and-technology, australia
20170201-pm09-droudissentencing Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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In New South Wales, the girlfriend of Sydney siege gunman Man Haron Monis, has been sentenced to 44 years in prison for the murder of his ex-wife. Amirah Droudis was found guilty of stabbing the woman 18 times and setting her alight at Werrington in western Sydney in 2013. She's been given a non-parole period of 33 years.
Topics: prisons-and-punishment, law-crime-and-justice, crime, courts-and-trials, sydney-2000, australia, nsw
Calls for tougher bail laws after woman is murdered in Queensland Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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Queensland's bail laws could be tightened after a Gold Coast woman was murdered by her estranged husband, who was out on bail for domestic violence charges. The Police Service has publicly revealed its court submission which opposed the Magistrate's decision to release David Bradford.
Topics: domestic-violence, community-and-society, law-crime-and-justice, crime, laws, police, crime-prevention, qld, australia
Bushwalkers win national award for clearing weeds in Tas West Coast wilderness Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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It's taken $1.5 million dollars worth of free labour and 10 years but volunteers have cleared most of the sea spurge weeds from 600 kilometres of coast in Tasmania's West Coast World Heritage Area. The not-for-profit Invasive Species Council has rewarded the bushwalkers extraordinary work with a national award.
Topics: weeds, environment, conservation, rural, australia
WA election campaign begins with Liberal insiders pessimistic and ALP strategists confident about th Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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The starters gun for the West Australian election is about to be fired with the writs due to be issued this evening. Liberal insiders are pessimistic about their chances of holding power and if the polls are to be believed, Labor's Mark McGowan will become Premier in just over a month.
Topics: political-parties, government-and-politics, australia
White House condemnation of US diplomats 'deeply disturbing': former adviser, Matthew Levitt Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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Nearly 1,000 US diplomats have signed a dissent message condemning Donald Trump's ban on migration from seven Muslim-majority nations. Former senior US counter-terrorism official Dr Matthew Levitt tells PM the Trump administration's response to the dissent cable is 'chilling' and 'deeply disturbing'.
Topics: world-politics, government-and-politics, united-states, australia
Judge Gorsuch to fill Supreme Court seat set to face a contentious confirmation before the Senate Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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In the United States, a fresh political battle is looming over President Donald Trump's nominee to fill the Supreme Court seat that's been vacant for almost a year since the death of Justice Antonin Scalia. The President's pick, federal appeals court judge Neil Gorsuch was revealed in a prime time television announcement. The 49-year-old is set to face a contentious confirmation hearing before the Senate, with some Democrats already expressing serious doubts.
Topics: world-politics, government-and-politics, australia, united-states
20170201-pm03-benphillips Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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The Prime Minister says he'll be asking the Senate to support the government's new childcare reform bill, that will deliver the highest rate of subsidy to those who most need it. During his press club address today he said a family earning $60,000 a year would pay around $15 a day per child for care. The government says phasing out of family tax benefits supplements will pay for the more generous subsidies. But economists who've modelled various child care reform packages, say any promise to make child care more affordable, flexible and accessible is a tall order.
Topics: family-and-children, community-and-society, government-and-politics, tax, australia
Turnbull's energy policy disappoints clean energy sector Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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The renewable energy industry and its advocates are disappointed with the energy policy outlined by the Prime Minister. They say his desire to see clean coal plants in Australia is backward-looking and he's wrong to say renewable energy won't create jobs. A leading energy industry analyst says international investors are struggling to understand Australian energy policy and the Prime Minister's latest speech won't encourage more investment.
Topics: environment, government-and-politics, budget, energy, coal, australia
'Company tax cuts may benefit workers ': Malcolm Turnbull Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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In his first set-piece speech for the year, the Prime Minister has made the pitch that regular Australians will be better off if businesses pay less tax. Malcolm Turnbull also said electricity prices and energy security are some of the main issues dividing the Government and Labor. And with political donations being revealed just hours before his speech, the PM declined the opportunity to say just how much he's donated to the Liberal Party.
Topics: parliament, business-economics-and-finance, industry, coal, australia
Holden to build fastest and most powerful car at Adelaide plant Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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The last Holden to roll off the assembly line before the factory closes in Adelaide later this year will be the fastest and most powerful car ever built in Australia. And with a price tag of $170,000 dollars, the latest Holden Commodore HSV has already sold out on pre-order. But those in the know insist that buyers will own a special slice of history.
Topics: automotive, industry, australia
Why is an appointement to the US Supreme Court such a highly charged political issue? Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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President Donald Trump has just announced Neil Gorsuch as his nominee to one of the most powerful institutions in the country - the Supreme Court. Dr David Smith from the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney tells us what it could mean.
Topics: international-law, world-politics, law-crime-and-justice, courts-and-trials, united-states
