Aussies flying to US warned after tourists strip searched, thrown in federal prison
Charlotte Pohl, 19, and Maria Lepere, 18, arrived in Honolulu, Hawaii after backpacking in Thailand and New Zealand when they were denied entry and were detained until deportation.
The teens told a German publication that US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials were 'suspicious' they hadn't booked hotels for their entire stay and claimed interrogation transcripts contained words they didn't say.
CBP said the women intended to work in the US which is prohibited on a visitor visa and when using the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) under the Visa Waiver Program.
Melissa Vincenty, a US immigration lawyer and Australian migration agent who is managing director of Worldwide Migration Partners, told news.com.au that either way, being taken to federal prison with no criminal record, no drugs on them or anything that is a danger to society is an extreme measure — but it's the reality of being denied entry to the US in Hawaii.
Ms Vincenty, a dual-citizen who was a deportation defence lawyer in Honolulu before moving to Australia, explained the state did not have an immigration facility so people were taken to the Federal Detention Center Honolulu, where there was no separate wing for immigration.
It meant tourists who were denied entry to the US could be held alongside those awaiting trial — or who have been convicted and were waiting to be transferred to a mainland prison for serious federal crimes, such as kidnapping, bank robbery or drug crimes.
'It's like in the movies; you go there and there's bars, you get strip searched, all your stuff is taken away from you, you're not allowed to call anybody, nobody knows where you are,' Ms Vincenty said.
She said it would have been a 'horrific' experience for the young German tourists.
Ms Vincenty said for Australians who were denied entry to the US in other locations like Los Angeles, San Francisco or Dallas, being held in detention facilities until the next available flight home was a real risk as there weren't constant return flights to Australia — meaning you might have to wait until the next day.
If not taken to a detention facility, some travellers may stay sitting for hours in what is called a secondary inspection at the airport.
A secondary inspection includes further vetting such as searching a travellers' electronic devices.
'That period can last from half an hour to 15 hours or more,' she said.
Ms Vincenty warned it was crucial Australians travelling to the US had the correct paperwork for what they were there for, and should 'absolutely' wait for the right visa if they planned to work.
'Now more than ever, understand what the parameters are of what you can and can't do, and don't try to 'get around it',' she said.
'Over the years I've had a lot of people get around it and think 'I'm invincible, I can do whatever I want'. Now is not the time to play that game. Don't do it.'
Dr Lee Morgenbesser, an associate professor in comparative politics at Griffith University, said in his opinion, Australians planning to go to the US now 'need to ask themselves whether their travel is absolutely essential'.
He personally cancelled a business trip for research purposes in July.
'I am somewhat outspoken of the Trump administration,' he said of his reasoning. 'It is important what you say about the Trump administration online. It does have a bearing, which is certainly something that's different to the past.'
Fewer Australians are already travelling to the US
March saw the sharpest drop in Australians travelling to the US since during the height of the Covid pandemic, according to US International Trade Administration statistics.
Australian visitor numbers fell 7 per cent in March this year, compared to March 2024 — the biggest drop since March 2021.
Foreign traveller arrivals in the US are expected to sharply decline this year, according to Tourism Economics.
The travel data company revised its outlook after Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs announcement on April 2 — forecasting a 9.4 per cent decline in international visitor arrivals.
Their spending is expected to decline 5 per cent, representing a loss of $9 billion in spending.
It is a significantly different 2025 forecast than that released in December, which anticipated a 8.8 per cent growth in international visitation and 16 per cent increase in visitor spending.
Tourism Economics' report says decisions from the Trump Administration are creating a 'negative sentiment shift toward the US among travellers' — with Mr Trump's stance on border security and immigration one of the factors cited as discouraging visits.
James Robertson, head of global security for the firm International SOS, told news.com.au the company's overall security case folio for the US (people wanting advice before travelling or while already over there) had tripled from January to April, compared to the same period last year.
He said the Los Angeles wildfires were responsible for some of that spike, but so was Mr Trump's border crackdown.
Ms Vincenty said Worldwide Migration Partners had seen 'a huge drop' in clients wanting to go to the US.
'We handle immigration in both directions. We've seen a big drop in inquiries about visas to go the US and a huge uptick in people wanting to come back to Australia and bring their families,' she said.
'That's only happened in the last 60 days. We get hundreds of calls in a month so we can kind of see the trend and that's absolutely what the trend is.'
How to prepare for travel to the US
Mr Robertson said International SOS was encouraging people to plan ahead and think through how the rules will affect them.
'It's obviously better to prepare for these sorts of things and consider what information might be on your devices before you go, then end up missing your connecting flight for example because you've shared memes or messages critical of the government,' Mr Robertson said.
Dr Morgenbesser said it was important Australians do not assume they will be safe from enhanced vetting because their travel is innocuous.
'I make the assumption that I might be a bit more at risk because the work I do and what I say online but we're seeing instances of German tourists, French scientists, Australian UFC trainers — clearly this enhanced vetting is hitting a lot of people regardless of their profession.'
He advises rehearsing answers for CBP officers about why you are in the US, how long you'll be there for, where you are staying and when you are leaving, so you can answer confidently.
Dr Morgenbesser said one idea to prepare for the worst case scenario of being detained is setting up an email with details about where you are that will automatically send if not manually cancelled.
Ms Vincenty warns travellers from Australia to be alert when they arrive into the US and not be affected by sleeping pills or alcohol.
She advises travellers to print out their itinerary that shows their accommodation bookings, return flights and even evidence of funds in their bank account.
This is so you do not have to open up your phone in front of CBP officers unnecessarily.
If you are instructed to show your phone and choose to do so to avoid being denied entry, Ms Vincenty encourages people to enter their passcodes themselves instead of providing that information to the officer. She also recommended removing biometric access to your phone, such as a fingerprint or facial recognition to unlock.
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7NEWS
6 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Convicted neo-Nazi now in women's prison after gender change under new German self-ID law
A notorious neo-Nazi jailed for hate speech is now serving time in a women's prison after changing gender under a new self-identification law. Sven Liebich, 50, legally changed name and gender to Marla-Svenja after sentenced to 18 months behind bars for inciting hatred, defamation and public insult in August 2024 in Germany. The Justice Ministry in Saxony told German news outlet BILD the inmate 'must be admitted' in line with their new gender identity. Liebich now has to report to the Women's prison in Chemnitz. The controversial transfer was enabled by Germany's new Self-Determination Act, which took effect in November 2024. The law allows individuals aged 14 and over to legally change their name and gender with a simple declaration at the registry office without any medical assessments, hormone therapy or surgery required. The Self-Determination Act aims to make the process easier for transgender and intersex individuals by removing previous requirements such as psychiatric evaluations and family court approval. The old system was criticised by many affected individuals as intrusive and degrading. But now, there is neither a plausibility check nor a counselling requirement. Critics are calling it a legal loophole, noting Liebich had previously mocked gender diversity and 'woke' policies. One viral quote shows Liebich attacking 'gender idiocy' — yet now benefits from the very legislation he opposed. Prosecutors confirmed Liebich had changed gender and relocated to Saxony, thereby placing legal responsibility for their imprisonment with the state. Liebich will now serve time in the same prison as convicted NSU terrorist Beate Zschäpe, a German far-right extremist and a member of the National Socialist Underground (NSU), a neo-Nazi terrorist organisation. The prison will decide where exactly Liebich is housed, including any safety or isolation measures. The justice department has not commented on whether Marla-Svenja will be placed in a shared cell. Under German law, prisons must recognise official gender status and cannot override identity by personal history. Initially, authorities had planned to place the inmate in a men's facility, but the legal gender update forced a reversal.
The Advertiser
11 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Eight new books to add to your bedside table pile this week
Grant Dooley. Affirm Press. $36.99. Grant Dooley and his wife, Kristan, had barely settled into their diplomatic posting to Indonesia in 2004 when a bomb exploded outside the Australian embassy compound in Jakarta, killing 11 people. Dooley was one of the first responders. Two-and-a-half years later he was on the scene when Garuda flight 200 crashed in Yogyakarta, killing 20 people - five of them Australians. Dooley's description of running to the burning aircraft, hoping desperately to find friends and colleagues on board, is one of the most powerful scenes in a memoir that captures the emotional and psychological toll of his tumultuous time in Indonesia. Nicole Madigan. Pantera Press. $36.99. Investigative journalist Nicole Madigan's second work of non-fiction is an intimate exploration of why people choose to stay in toxic relationships and what drives them to leave. It tells the stories of four women who fought devastatingly hard for relationships that were tarnished by betrayal, hurt, lies and behaviours that fractured the foundation on which they were built. This is an impressive follow-up to 2023's Obsession: A journalist and victim-survivor's investigation into stalking. If you liked Three Women by Lisa Taddeo, Torn offers insights into the complexities of love, infidelity, addiction and grief. Tim Booth. Macmillan Australia. $36.99. Stories about the bizarre stuff medical professionals face in their daily lives are a rich seam well mined by doctors, nurses and paramedics. The latest collection comes from Tim Booth, who was a motoring journalist before he handed in his road-testing keys and became an intensive care paramedic. From the woman who called 000 because she had run out of milk to a dairy-related crisis of a more adult kind involving the illegal drug GHB and copious amounts of custard, Booth takes readers behind the scenes in the world of emergency medicine, with generous lashings of absurdity and dark humour. Stuart Mullins & Bill Hayes. Simon & Schuster. $36.99. It was a crime that changed post-war Australia. On Australia Day 1966 three children - Jane, Arnna and Grant Beaumont - went missing from Glenelg Beach in South Australia. They were never seen again. It was a story at least as seismic for generations of parents as the disappearance of Madeleine McCann in Portugal in 2007. The authors, one a writer and the other a former police detective, have years of experience with the case. They name the prime suspect in the mystery as a businessman who was considered a pillar of Adelaide society, but who in reality was a serial predator. Natalia Figueroa Barroso. UQP. $34.99. Uruguayan-Australian Natalia Figueroa Barroso's debut novel spans two continents and three generations of women. The stories of Gaciela, daughter Rita and aunt Chula explore the different perspectives of a family's migrant past through identity, nostalgia for one's origins and buried secrets. Taking place in Western Sydney, 1970s Uruguay and present-day Montevideo, the novel shows that though trauma can be generational, there are often ways to heal. The author attributes her writing inspiration for her novel to The Color Purple by Alice Walker, Dirt Poor Islanders by Winnie Dunn and Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo. Sophie Green. Hachette. $34.99. Sophie Green's latest novel is a cozy read that will make you want to curl up on the couch with the crew at the Seaside Salon, Trudy, Anna, Evie and Josie. The four women either work or are clients at the salon in a classic coastal town. We follow them in the winter months of the 1980s as they find love and friendship, sometimes in unexpected places. Green's characterisation brings you quickly onside while the insights into a hairdresser's careful negotiation with their clients makes you smile. Oceanforged: The Wicked Ship Amelia Mellor. Affirm Press. $16.99. This is the first instalment of a promised five-book fantasy adventure series from the author of historical fantasy trilogy The Grandest Bookshop in the World. Recommended for readers aged 8 to 12, Oceanforged follows 13-year-old Cori, who is fighting for her life aboard the pirate ship Harridan skippered by the fearsome Captain Scrimshaw. When a powerful gauntlet from an ancient magical suit of armour fuses itself to her arm, plucky Cori thinks it's her ticket to freedom but first she must learn about courage and resilience, helped by her new friends, Tarn and Jem, who have amazing skills of their own. Suzanne Do. Macmillan Australia. $34.99. Lili Berry's life in the charming coastal village of Swanning is upended by the death of her twin sister, Honey. Fuelled by grief, Lili strives to uncover the truth. Pete, who is haunted by the disappearance of his son 15 years ago, is the one who found Honey's body. He and Lili plunge headfirst into the dark secrets and lies of their not always close-knit community. This is the debut novel of former lawyer Suzanne Do, who with husband Anh Do co-wrote The Little Refugee, a children's version of his bestselling memoir, The Happiest Refugee, and the feature film Footy Legends. Grant Dooley. Affirm Press. $36.99. Grant Dooley and his wife, Kristan, had barely settled into their diplomatic posting to Indonesia in 2004 when a bomb exploded outside the Australian embassy compound in Jakarta, killing 11 people. Dooley was one of the first responders. Two-and-a-half years later he was on the scene when Garuda flight 200 crashed in Yogyakarta, killing 20 people - five of them Australians. Dooley's description of running to the burning aircraft, hoping desperately to find friends and colleagues on board, is one of the most powerful scenes in a memoir that captures the emotional and psychological toll of his tumultuous time in Indonesia. Nicole Madigan. Pantera Press. $36.99. Investigative journalist Nicole Madigan's second work of non-fiction is an intimate exploration of why people choose to stay in toxic relationships and what drives them to leave. It tells the stories of four women who fought devastatingly hard for relationships that were tarnished by betrayal, hurt, lies and behaviours that fractured the foundation on which they were built. This is an impressive follow-up to 2023's Obsession: A journalist and victim-survivor's investigation into stalking. If you liked Three Women by Lisa Taddeo, Torn offers insights into the complexities of love, infidelity, addiction and grief. Tim Booth. Macmillan Australia. $36.99. Stories about the bizarre stuff medical professionals face in their daily lives are a rich seam well mined by doctors, nurses and paramedics. The latest collection comes from Tim Booth, who was a motoring journalist before he handed in his road-testing keys and became an intensive care paramedic. From the woman who called 000 because she had run out of milk to a dairy-related crisis of a more adult kind involving the illegal drug GHB and copious amounts of custard, Booth takes readers behind the scenes in the world of emergency medicine, with generous lashings of absurdity and dark humour. Stuart Mullins & Bill Hayes. Simon & Schuster. $36.99. It was a crime that changed post-war Australia. On Australia Day 1966 three children - Jane, Arnna and Grant Beaumont - went missing from Glenelg Beach in South Australia. They were never seen again. It was a story at least as seismic for generations of parents as the disappearance of Madeleine McCann in Portugal in 2007. The authors, one a writer and the other a former police detective, have years of experience with the case. They name the prime suspect in the mystery as a businessman who was considered a pillar of Adelaide society, but who in reality was a serial predator. Natalia Figueroa Barroso. UQP. $34.99. Uruguayan-Australian Natalia Figueroa Barroso's debut novel spans two continents and three generations of women. The stories of Gaciela, daughter Rita and aunt Chula explore the different perspectives of a family's migrant past through identity, nostalgia for one's origins and buried secrets. Taking place in Western Sydney, 1970s Uruguay and present-day Montevideo, the novel shows that though trauma can be generational, there are often ways to heal. The author attributes her writing inspiration for her novel to The Color Purple by Alice Walker, Dirt Poor Islanders by Winnie Dunn and Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo. Sophie Green. Hachette. $34.99. Sophie Green's latest novel is a cozy read that will make you want to curl up on the couch with the crew at the Seaside Salon, Trudy, Anna, Evie and Josie. The four women either work or are clients at the salon in a classic coastal town. We follow them in the winter months of the 1980s as they find love and friendship, sometimes in unexpected places. Green's characterisation brings you quickly onside while the insights into a hairdresser's careful negotiation with their clients makes you smile. Oceanforged: The Wicked Ship Amelia Mellor. Affirm Press. $16.99. This is the first instalment of a promised five-book fantasy adventure series from the author of historical fantasy trilogy The Grandest Bookshop in the World. Recommended for readers aged 8 to 12, Oceanforged follows 13-year-old Cori, who is fighting for her life aboard the pirate ship Harridan skippered by the fearsome Captain Scrimshaw. When a powerful gauntlet from an ancient magical suit of armour fuses itself to her arm, plucky Cori thinks it's her ticket to freedom but first she must learn about courage and resilience, helped by her new friends, Tarn and Jem, who have amazing skills of their own. Suzanne Do. Macmillan Australia. $34.99. Lili Berry's life in the charming coastal village of Swanning is upended by the death of her twin sister, Honey. Fuelled by grief, Lili strives to uncover the truth. Pete, who is haunted by the disappearance of his son 15 years ago, is the one who found Honey's body. He and Lili plunge headfirst into the dark secrets and lies of their not always close-knit community. This is the debut novel of former lawyer Suzanne Do, who with husband Anh Do co-wrote The Little Refugee, a children's version of his bestselling memoir, The Happiest Refugee, and the feature film Footy Legends. Grant Dooley. Affirm Press. $36.99. Grant Dooley and his wife, Kristan, had barely settled into their diplomatic posting to Indonesia in 2004 when a bomb exploded outside the Australian embassy compound in Jakarta, killing 11 people. Dooley was one of the first responders. Two-and-a-half years later he was on the scene when Garuda flight 200 crashed in Yogyakarta, killing 20 people - five of them Australians. Dooley's description of running to the burning aircraft, hoping desperately to find friends and colleagues on board, is one of the most powerful scenes in a memoir that captures the emotional and psychological toll of his tumultuous time in Indonesia. Nicole Madigan. Pantera Press. $36.99. Investigative journalist Nicole Madigan's second work of non-fiction is an intimate exploration of why people choose to stay in toxic relationships and what drives them to leave. It tells the stories of four women who fought devastatingly hard for relationships that were tarnished by betrayal, hurt, lies and behaviours that fractured the foundation on which they were built. This is an impressive follow-up to 2023's Obsession: A journalist and victim-survivor's investigation into stalking. If you liked Three Women by Lisa Taddeo, Torn offers insights into the complexities of love, infidelity, addiction and grief. Tim Booth. Macmillan Australia. $36.99. Stories about the bizarre stuff medical professionals face in their daily lives are a rich seam well mined by doctors, nurses and paramedics. The latest collection comes from Tim Booth, who was a motoring journalist before he handed in his road-testing keys and became an intensive care paramedic. From the woman who called 000 because she had run out of milk to a dairy-related crisis of a more adult kind involving the illegal drug GHB and copious amounts of custard, Booth takes readers behind the scenes in the world of emergency medicine, with generous lashings of absurdity and dark humour. Stuart Mullins & Bill Hayes. Simon & Schuster. $36.99. It was a crime that changed post-war Australia. On Australia Day 1966 three children - Jane, Arnna and Grant Beaumont - went missing from Glenelg Beach in South Australia. They were never seen again. It was a story at least as seismic for generations of parents as the disappearance of Madeleine McCann in Portugal in 2007. The authors, one a writer and the other a former police detective, have years of experience with the case. They name the prime suspect in the mystery as a businessman who was considered a pillar of Adelaide society, but who in reality was a serial predator. Natalia Figueroa Barroso. UQP. $34.99. Uruguayan-Australian Natalia Figueroa Barroso's debut novel spans two continents and three generations of women. The stories of Gaciela, daughter Rita and aunt Chula explore the different perspectives of a family's migrant past through identity, nostalgia for one's origins and buried secrets. Taking place in Western Sydney, 1970s Uruguay and present-day Montevideo, the novel shows that though trauma can be generational, there are often ways to heal. The author attributes her writing inspiration for her novel to The Color Purple by Alice Walker, Dirt Poor Islanders by Winnie Dunn and Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo. Sophie Green. Hachette. $34.99. Sophie Green's latest novel is a cozy read that will make you want to curl up on the couch with the crew at the Seaside Salon, Trudy, Anna, Evie and Josie. The four women either work or are clients at the salon in a classic coastal town. We follow them in the winter months of the 1980s as they find love and friendship, sometimes in unexpected places. Green's characterisation brings you quickly onside while the insights into a hairdresser's careful negotiation with their clients makes you smile. Oceanforged: The Wicked Ship Amelia Mellor. Affirm Press. $16.99. This is the first instalment of a promised five-book fantasy adventure series from the author of historical fantasy trilogy The Grandest Bookshop in the World. Recommended for readers aged 8 to 12, Oceanforged follows 13-year-old Cori, who is fighting for her life aboard the pirate ship Harridan skippered by the fearsome Captain Scrimshaw. When a powerful gauntlet from an ancient magical suit of armour fuses itself to her arm, plucky Cori thinks it's her ticket to freedom but first she must learn about courage and resilience, helped by her new friends, Tarn and Jem, who have amazing skills of their own. Suzanne Do. Macmillan Australia. $34.99. Lili Berry's life in the charming coastal village of Swanning is upended by the death of her twin sister, Honey. Fuelled by grief, Lili strives to uncover the truth. Pete, who is haunted by the disappearance of his son 15 years ago, is the one who found Honey's body. He and Lili plunge headfirst into the dark secrets and lies of their not always close-knit community. This is the debut novel of former lawyer Suzanne Do, who with husband Anh Do co-wrote The Little Refugee, a children's version of his bestselling memoir, The Happiest Refugee, and the feature film Footy Legends. Grant Dooley. Affirm Press. $36.99. Grant Dooley and his wife, Kristan, had barely settled into their diplomatic posting to Indonesia in 2004 when a bomb exploded outside the Australian embassy compound in Jakarta, killing 11 people. Dooley was one of the first responders. Two-and-a-half years later he was on the scene when Garuda flight 200 crashed in Yogyakarta, killing 20 people - five of them Australians. Dooley's description of running to the burning aircraft, hoping desperately to find friends and colleagues on board, is one of the most powerful scenes in a memoir that captures the emotional and psychological toll of his tumultuous time in Indonesia. Nicole Madigan. Pantera Press. $36.99. Investigative journalist Nicole Madigan's second work of non-fiction is an intimate exploration of why people choose to stay in toxic relationships and what drives them to leave. It tells the stories of four women who fought devastatingly hard for relationships that were tarnished by betrayal, hurt, lies and behaviours that fractured the foundation on which they were built. This is an impressive follow-up to 2023's Obsession: A journalist and victim-survivor's investigation into stalking. If you liked Three Women by Lisa Taddeo, Torn offers insights into the complexities of love, infidelity, addiction and grief. Tim Booth. Macmillan Australia. $36.99. Stories about the bizarre stuff medical professionals face in their daily lives are a rich seam well mined by doctors, nurses and paramedics. The latest collection comes from Tim Booth, who was a motoring journalist before he handed in his road-testing keys and became an intensive care paramedic. From the woman who called 000 because she had run out of milk to a dairy-related crisis of a more adult kind involving the illegal drug GHB and copious amounts of custard, Booth takes readers behind the scenes in the world of emergency medicine, with generous lashings of absurdity and dark humour. Stuart Mullins & Bill Hayes. Simon & Schuster. $36.99. It was a crime that changed post-war Australia. On Australia Day 1966 three children - Jane, Arnna and Grant Beaumont - went missing from Glenelg Beach in South Australia. They were never seen again. It was a story at least as seismic for generations of parents as the disappearance of Madeleine McCann in Portugal in 2007. The authors, one a writer and the other a former police detective, have years of experience with the case. They name the prime suspect in the mystery as a businessman who was considered a pillar of Adelaide society, but who in reality was a serial predator. Natalia Figueroa Barroso. UQP. $34.99. Uruguayan-Australian Natalia Figueroa Barroso's debut novel spans two continents and three generations of women. The stories of Gaciela, daughter Rita and aunt Chula explore the different perspectives of a family's migrant past through identity, nostalgia for one's origins and buried secrets. Taking place in Western Sydney, 1970s Uruguay and present-day Montevideo, the novel shows that though trauma can be generational, there are often ways to heal. The author attributes her writing inspiration for her novel to The Color Purple by Alice Walker, Dirt Poor Islanders by Winnie Dunn and Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo. Sophie Green. Hachette. $34.99. Sophie Green's latest novel is a cozy read that will make you want to curl up on the couch with the crew at the Seaside Salon, Trudy, Anna, Evie and Josie. The four women either work or are clients at the salon in a classic coastal town. We follow them in the winter months of the 1980s as they find love and friendship, sometimes in unexpected places. Green's characterisation brings you quickly onside while the insights into a hairdresser's careful negotiation with their clients makes you smile. Oceanforged: The Wicked Ship Amelia Mellor. Affirm Press. $16.99. This is the first instalment of a promised five-book fantasy adventure series from the author of historical fantasy trilogy The Grandest Bookshop in the World. Recommended for readers aged 8 to 12, Oceanforged follows 13-year-old Cori, who is fighting for her life aboard the pirate ship Harridan skippered by the fearsome Captain Scrimshaw. When a powerful gauntlet from an ancient magical suit of armour fuses itself to her arm, plucky Cori thinks it's her ticket to freedom but first she must learn about courage and resilience, helped by her new friends, Tarn and Jem, who have amazing skills of their own. Suzanne Do. Macmillan Australia. $34.99. Lili Berry's life in the charming coastal village of Swanning is upended by the death of her twin sister, Honey. Fuelled by grief, Lili strives to uncover the truth. Pete, who is haunted by the disappearance of his son 15 years ago, is the one who found Honey's body. He and Lili plunge headfirst into the dark secrets and lies of their not always close-knit community. This is the debut novel of former lawyer Suzanne Do, who with husband Anh Do co-wrote The Little Refugee, a children's version of his bestselling memoir, The Happiest Refugee, and the feature film Footy Legends.
7NEWS
12 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Geraldton family rallies to save golden lab Dozer from being put down, questions dangerous dog declaration
A Geraldton family are desperate to save their beloved golden labrador Dozer from death row after rangers seized him and declared him a dangerous dog. Mother-of-five Jill Weller said two rangers informed her last Thursday morning that a woman walking her German shepherd past her house had complained to the council that Dozer had allegedly attacked her dog. She said the council had kept her in the dark about the circumstances surrounding the incident. 'They didn't tell us anything else, no details about what happened, no supporting evidence, nothing,' Ms Weller said. 'They just said another ranger would follow up the investigation.' The following day, Dozer was seized from the family's home while Ms Weller was out picking up her children from school. 'The ranger never came to ask for our statement or our evidence. She just came onto our property and took Dozer away,' she said. 'She even tried to say Dozer was biting her tyres when she came to seize him. We've never seen him do that.' The family spent the weekend missing Dozer and building a front fence to meet the council's containment requirements, expecting to collect him on Monday. However, they were informed that Dozer had been classed as a dangerous dog and would be put to sleep on Wednesday. 'We were absolutely devastated… no evidence has been provided, no further information about the alleged attack,' Ms Weller said. The papers served by the council also referenced previous incidents — an alleged attack in 2024 and a 2021 event where Dozer was impounded after a gate was left open at a previous address. 'No ranger had ever told us that. No person has ever told us. It just says 2024 — no date, no time, no nothing. We'd never heard of our dog attacking anyone or anything else,' Ms Weller said. 'It's completely out of character for him. He's always been friendly, great with babies and especially with children and other dogs.' Dozer has been with the Weller family since he was 18 months old. 'He's around seven. He's basically part of the family. He sleeps inside most nights, plays with my kids in the yard, and people walking past the street will often pat him,' Ms Weller said. 'He's travelled with us caravanning, he's grown up with the kids … everyone knows him.' The council informed the family that, in order to reclaim Dozer, they would need to meet strict containment requirements, including 1.8 metre high solid fencing, muzzles, dangerous dog collars, warning signs, and pay $250 for a dangerous dog inspection. With work commitments and an upcoming move, Ms Weller said it was impossible to satisfy the requirements in time. 'I felt like we had no choice but to surrender him. I didn't want him to be stuck in a cage indefinitely,' Ms Weller said. 'We were beside ourselves all weekend, but still very hopeful we'd get him back. And then yesterday, that was just gut-wrenching.' She also explained frustration over the lack of communication from the council regarding the investigation. 'The ranger assigned to the case never came to get my video footage, didn't preserve any evidence, didn't ask for a statement. She just served me with the declaration,' Ms Weller said. 'I want to see the body camera footage. Unless they can prove it to me, it still doesn't make him a dangerous dog. 'I was told that I'll get the fines in the mail, $400 for the dog attack. He said that they have reasonable evidence. They would never just willy nilly give a dangerous dog declaration unless they had evidence to take it to court. 'And he said that they have evidence and that the fines are up to $10,000. It felt threatening to me.' ENCOURAGING DEVELOPMENT A hearing is scheduled for Friday. Dozer will be kept at the council facility until an outcome for the appeal is reached. City of Greater Geraldton CEO Ross McKim confirmed 'the city has no intentions of euthanising the dog in question on Wednesday.' As the matter is an active and ongoing investigation, he said no comment could be made about the details of the incident. 'We take community safety extremely seriously and when investigating dog attacks, the welfare of our community is paramount,' he said. 'For owners to reclaim a dog that has been declared dangerous, they must meet all requirements of the Dangerous Dog Declaration.' Mr McKim said the city was continuing to work with the owners who had been given the declaration and all the provisions had been explained, including the right of appeal to both the city and the State Administrative Tribunal. 'Proper processes need to be followed, and dog owners have a responsibility to ensure their dogs are in a properly secured yard and not left to wander. This is to protect not only people, but other animals,' he said. 'We will continue to work with the dog's owners to ensure provisions are made and their property is suitable to contain the dog.'
