Longman by-election heats up

Bill Shorten and Annastacia Palaszczuk joined Susan Lamb at her campaign for the Longman by-election on Sunday, emphasising their commitment to increases in school and hospital funding.

 

Mr Shorten committed to more staffing at Centrelink centres in Caboolture and restoring the energy supplement, as a ReachTel poll puts Labor 49 per cent in Longman.

 

Trad lashes out at “total crap” and “fake news”

Deputy Premier Jackie Trad has attacked a Sunday Mail story claiming she was going to switch seats in the next state election as “total crap” and “fake news”.

 

The article stated the Labor party wanted to move Ms Trad to a safer seat as she only won her seat of South Brisbane by fewer than 500 votes, narrowly defeating Greens candidate Amy MacMahon.

 

Children to be weighed and measured at school to tackle obesity

The Global Obesity Centre at Deakin University is proposing children’s height and weight to be measured every two years at school to tackle Australia’s obesity epidemic.  

 

The proposal made to a Senate committee argues data could map childhood obesity to better target where the problem is at its worse.

 

GLOBE’s Steven Allender says trained clinicians instead of teachers would take measurements, names would not be recorded and parents are able to opt-out.

NSW Barristers calling for change in sexual consent laws

NSW barristers are calling on the state government to amend sexual consent laws so that a person who has an unreasonable but honest belief in consent is not guilty of a crime.

 

This comes after the government commissioned a review of sexual consent laws in May after the high-profile acquittal of Luke Lazarus after finding his belief in consent was reasonable.

 

Iranian President warns Trump

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani warned US President Donald Trump about pursuing hostile policies against Iran after Iran faces pressures from looming sanctions after President Trump withdrew from the 2015 international deal over Iran’s nuclear arsenal.

 

President Rouhani said America should know peace with Iran is the mother of all peace and war with Iran is the mother of all wars.

 

Julian Assange facing eviction from Ecuador

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange could be evicted from the Ecuador embassy in London which he has called home for the past six years.

 

The report from journalist Glenn Greenwald says Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno went to London on Friday to finalise a deal where the Australian National would be handed over to British Authorities.

 

British backpackers honoured with British gallantry award

Two British backpackers have been honoured with the Queen’s Gallantry Medal after rushing to protect a third backpacker stabbed at a Queensland backpacker’s hostel in 2016.

 

Tom Jackson and Daniel Richards are being recognised for civilian courage in the face of danger after being untrained, unprotected and unarmed during the attack.

 

Mr Jackson who was also stabbed died a week later in hospital with father Les Jackson said it was a bittersweet moment, wishing Tom was here to receive the award himself.

City of Maryborough gets interactive military memorial trail

An interactive military memorial trail has been put in place in the city of Maryborough, telling the story of the Anzacs in World War I.

 

The $5 million Walk with the Anzacs memorial funded by three levels of government and the community is now a centrepiece for the city and a landmark of national significance.

 

Queensland premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk said we need markers like this to tell our stories long after those who have lived the history are no longer here to explain it.

 

WA push for new laws to combat domestic violence

The Western Australian Council for Domestic and Family Violence Services is pushing to have specific legislation introduced to combat non-fatal strangulation.

 

The proposed laws, similar to those in Queensland, would mean those who are only currently charged with low-level assault charges for an assault which could cause strokes and brain damage.