Labour and Greens back cashless welfare cards
Federal plans to introduce cashless welfare cards to Queensland has been backed by Labor and the Greens.
A report found some residents in Bundaberg and Hervey Bay spend up to 80% of their welfare money on alcohol and gambling.
However, there is still concern about the efficacy of the scheme which is already operating in Western and South Australia.
Study reveals Google monitors user locations for corporate practices
Google is still recording your whereabouts even when you turn off location on your Apple or Android apps, according to a new study from the Associated Press.
Google Maps monitors when you open the app, pinpoints user location via automatic weather updates and identifies precise longitude and latitude. This data mining of personal information can be used by Google for corporate practices.
To stop your location being saved and shared, phone users need to switch off a default setting called Web and App Activity.
Israeli Broadcasting Corporation resolves $18 million funding dispute
Israel’s Eurovision crisis is over after the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation made an $18 million dollar payment to the European Broadcasting Union.
A funding dispute between the Israeli broadcaster and the government threatened the country’s ability to host Eurovision after winning this year’s competition.
Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory and ultra-Orthodox Jewish protest against violations of the Jewish Sabbath may also be obstacles for the 2019 host nation.
Former school principal declared fit to stand extradition trial
A former school principal accused of abusing girls at a Melbourne orthodox Jewish school has been ruled fit to face an extradition hearing by Jerusalem’s chief psychiatrist.
Australia has been seeking the extradition of Malka Leifer, who is an Australian-Israeli national, since 2014.
The case stalled due to Ms Leifer presenting evidence she was unfit to stand trial, however, she was arrested in February this year and has been in a Israeli high-security women’s prison.
9am Zedlines
This has been Vivienne and Phoebe with your 9am Zedlines.
Lockyer Valley farmers are warning consumers if there is no rainfall this summer, the drought will affect the price of vegetables.
The President of the Lockyer Valley Growers Association says farmers have enough underground water to get them through until next year, but if dry conditions persist throughout summer, vegetable production will be cut next winter and increase the price of lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage.
Polio vaccination program set to curb PNG polio outbreaks
More than 1 million children in Papua New Guinea will receive polio vaccines in push by the government to avoid a wider polio outbreak.
The government is working with UNICEF and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative to bring in further vaccines as there have been three confirmed cases and 55 suspected polio cases in PNG.
As the vaccines need to be kept cold across the whole delivery chain, it has been a challenge to deliver them to rural and remote areas of the country which don’t always have electricity available.
Bridge collapse in Italy leaves 26 people dead
The Morandi bridge in Italy has collapsed, leaving 26 people dead and 15 people injured.
Almost 40 cars and trucks have been caught up in the debris, with emergency services workers still trying to rescue survivors from the ruins.
In a comment to the media, Transport Minister Danino Toninelli suggests the collapse reflects a dilapidated state of infrastructure and lack of maintenance.
Fines and prison sentences increased under 'revenge porn' law revision
New revenge porn laws will see perpetrators spend up to seven years in jail or face fines over half a million dollars.
The laws to be introduced by the federal government will crackdown on “online creeps,” to defend users who are victimised by the sharing of personal images.
Of the 119 image-based abuses reported as of early June, 79% of people depicted were and one in three were under eighteen.
Intergenerational impacts still being felt by Stolen Generation and their descendants
For the first time, a comprehensive analysis shows the social and economic impacts being felt by the Stolen Generations and their descendants.
Study results about the intergenerational socioeconomic impacts of the Stolen Generation have confirmed Indigenous Australians affected, experience increased hardships regarding 38 health and welfare concerns.
A national compensation scheme has been suggested in response to the report, which takes into consideration the pain passed from the Stolen Generation to their descendants.
Energex maintenance workers criticised for 'hacking' trees
Energex workers have been hacking council trees while conducting emergency or maintenance work across Brisbane.
Brisbane City Council have received numerous complains of trees being excessively pruned by Energex maintenance workers and left struggling to survive.
Guidelines will be discussed on Friday between Energex and the council to prevent this excessive pruning.