Midday News Bulletin 6 December 2024
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TRANSCRIPT
- Australia’s peak medical body says mental health system is failing
- Chair of financial abuse inquiry says victim-survivors must lead reforms
- Cameron Smith scores a halfway lead at the Saudi International
Australia’s Medical Association says the mental healthcare system is failing some of the most vulnerable people in the community.
The Association is calling for all governments to work together to invest in mental health and address severe workforce shortages.
President of the Australian Medical Association Dr Danielle McMullen says the industry is underfunded and a nightmare to navigate.
“It is time for us to stop working in silos and for all levels of government and the NGO sector to work together to build a mental health system that meets the needs of our patients. General practice is the frontline of our mental health system and where most patients will turn to for their first bit of care. It is now, mental illness is now the most common reason that patients come into general practice clinics like mine and seek help and support.”
A global security expert says young people are increasingly radicalised online through being exploited by internet friendships.
A report by anglosphere intelligence agency Five Eyes recommends a whole-of-society approach to prevent violent extremism, involving law enforcement, the education sector, mental health services, and technology companies.
The Australian Federal Police said in the last four years 35 minors were investigated or charged with state or commonwealth offences.
He told Channel Nine there are warning signs that parents can look out for.
“The kids don’t understand that the friendships are dangerous at first. The friendships present themselves as exciting. Somebody showing an interest in me. They think I’m cool, they’re sharing stuff with me. I’m important. Obviously, if kids are a bit lonely or going through some moments of trauma, they’re more vulnerable, but parents can see changes in their ideas, changes in the friendships that they have on and offline, and often signs of more transgressive behavior. These all sort of point to somebody in that young person’s life that the parents can’t see themselves.”
MPs from all sides of politics have agreed to 61 recommendations made by a parliamentary committee addressing financial abuse in Australia.
This form of abuse costs victims $5.7 billion a year, nearly $3 billion more than is lost to scams.
The recommendations include a proposal requiring financial institutions to take reasonable steps to ensure borrowers and guarantors are not experiencing financial abuse, and that banks, insurers and government departments adopt a safety framework.
Labor Senator Deborah O’Neil chaired the inquiry and told ABC while adopting the recommendations will take a while she is optimistic the government will take important steps towards adopting reforms.
The report highlights there is $2 billion outstanding in child support which the Australian Tax Office should collect it and recoup it.
“These victim survivors were very clear that the system as it is, is not working. And their suggestions around the A TO are that basically the ATO has power to interact with these perpetrators of financial abuse after the period of separation. In a way that matters because at the moment, they’re just, these perpetrators of financial abuse are just simply walking away and laughing at any sense of responsibility for their former partner and the children.”
A large blaze that engulfed a synagogue in south Melbourne is being treated as suspicious by police.
Around 60 firefighters and 17 trucks were called to the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne’s southeastern suburb Ripponlea on Glen Eira avenue around 4.18am this morning.
Fire Rescue Victoria’s Assistant Chief Fire Officer Brayden Sinnamon said the building was “fully involved” in the fire and the blaze severity was escalated.
He said two people were evacuated with minor injuries but no other properties were damaged.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a statement on X that he ‘unequivocally condemns’ the attack on the synagogue and has ‘zero tolerance for antisemitism in Australia’.
A tsunami warning has been cancelled following a magnitude 7 earthquake off the northern California coast.
The National Weather Service said some 4.7 million residents of California and Oregon had been under the tsunami warning before it was cancelled.
The quake, which hit on Thursday at a shallow depth of 10km, was centred about 65km west of the town of Ferndale, a sparsely populated portion of the northern California coast.
Jet lag hasn’t stopped Cameron Smith from scoring a halfway lead at the multi-million-dollar Saudi International.
Contesting his fifth event in six weeks, Smith showed no signs of fatigue in carving out a seven-under-par 64 in the second round.
Smith is backing up after a disappointing weekend fade at last week’s Australian Open in Melbourne and looking to end his thus-far winless 2024 campaign with a bang.
