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Woman's voice: ABC Listen, podcasts, radio, news, music and more. Isabella Higgins: Good morning, welcome to AM. It's Tuesday the 3rd of June. I'm Isabella Higgins coming to you from Gadigal land in Sydney. A third of Australian men have used some form of intimate partner violence in their lifetime, according to a new long-term national study. And this new data from the Australian Institute of Family Studies shows there's been an increase in self-reported violence since 2014. The research also indicates risk factors for this behaviour, which could help prevent violence before it happens, as Bridget Fitzgerald reports. Bridget Fitzgerald: For more than two decades, David Nugent has had a front row seat to Australia's gender-based violence crisis. David Nugent: Men often will look for a reason to justify their behaviour, and when it comes to family violence and the way we act out, it always comes back to a choice. Bridget Fitzgerald: As the founder of Heavy METAL, Men's Education Towards Anger and Life, David Nugent runs behaviour change programs and counselling for men. David Nugent: One of the things that keep men away from doing this work is that they don't believe that they're abusive towards their partner because he's physically not violent. Bridget Fitzgerald: Data from the Australian Institute of Family Studies' Ten to Men report estimates that 35 per cent of adult men have used some form of intimate partner violence in their lifetime. The report shows a rise in intimate partner violence, up from one in four men reporting using violence in 2013-14. Dr Kelsey Hegarty: Domestic or intimate partner violence is not reducing in this country. Bridget Fitzgerald: Dr Kelsey Hegarty is the Chair in Family Violence Prevention at the University of Melbourne and a report co-author. Based on the responses of more than 4,000 men, the study found emotional abuse was the most common form of violence, with 32 per cent reporting that they'd made a partner feel frightened or anxious. Nine per cent had responded that they'd hit, slapped, kicked or otherwise physically hurt a partner in anger. Dr Kelsey Hegarty: And it's the leading contributor to death and disability for childbearing women. It's harmful to children. It's harmful to the people who are using it. We need to try some new ways of preventing and early intervention. Bridget Fitzgerald: The report also found that men with moderate or severe depressive symptoms have a 62 per cent increased risk of using violence. Dr Kelsey Hegarty: We really need to identify and treat severe depression in men, but we also need to be asking more about their relationships and what's happening in their relationships. And the reason we're doing that is obviously to prevent escalation later on, but also particularly if there's children in those settings, to actually try and interrupt the role modelling of that sort of behaviour. Bridget Fitzgerald: Men who had an affectionate father or father figure were less likely to use violence. So too were men with good social support. Micaela Cronin, Australia's Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commissioner, says prevention is the best way to end gender-based violence. Micaela Cronin: If we're going to really radically look at how do we end gender-based violence, we need to be looking at what the causes are, where are the points that we can be intervening at every point to prevent violence. Bridget Fitzgerald: David Nugent says he sees proof every day that violent men can choose to change. David Nugent: It's very, very important to have those role models and support that don't hold that misogynistic, unhealthy perspectives of how men should be. Isabella Higgins: Domestic violence advocate David Nugent ending that report from Bridget Fitzgerald. And if you're in an abusive situation or know someone who is, call 1800RESPECT. If it's an emergency, call 000. Australia's three million lowest paid workers will soon find out how much their pay packets will rise this year. The Fair Work Commission is set to determine the increase to minimum and award wages today. Many are looking for reprieve from the mounting cost of living, but business and employer groups warn too large a lift risks fuelling inflation. Political reporter Nicole Hegarty has more from Parliament House. Nicole Hegarty: For Australia's lowest paid, every dollar counts. Sally McManus: When you're a minimum wage worker it's all essential. So you don't save money, you survive. Nicole Hegarty: And with the cost of living biting, that's truer than ever. Sally McManus is the Secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions. The Fair Work Commission is set to reveal how much minimum and award wages will increase from July. The ACTU is asking for a 4.5% increase. Sally McManus: The Fair Work Commission didn't order enough for these workers to be able to keep the same position they were back in 2019. So part of our claim is catch up claim. Nicole Hegarty: But businesses and employers are also under pressure as rents rise and consumers tighten their belts. The Australian Retailers Association is recommending an increase of no more than 2.5% on top of the 0.5% superannuation guarantee increase. In its submission it argues for an equitable and modest increase to the minimum wage that helps households without increasing business costs beyond what is needed to ensure wages keep pace with higher prices. Cost of living dominated the election campaign and the re-elected Albanese government is now asking for an economically sustainable real wage increase for the almost 3 million Australians on minimum and award wages. Treasurer Jim Chalmers says that can be achieved without pushing up inflation. Jim Chalmers: The submission that we take reflects all of our economic objectives and primarily making sure that when people work hard they can get ahead. Nicole Hegarty: It's a position employer groups have challenged. The Retailers Association warning in its submission additional wage pressure risks fuelling renewed price pressures and undermining economic progress. Chris Wright is a professor of work and labour market policy at the University of Sydney and says the international evidence is that there is room for an increase. Chris Wright: The OECD has identified that there is scope for wage increases, especially for the lowest paid to occur without there being inflationary pressures of any significant scale. Nicole Hegarty: And as the conversation turns to how to address Australia's productivity problem, Professor Wright says a wage rise may have a positive impact. Chris Wright: Workers who feel like they're being paid fairly are more likely to be productive in their jobs and they're more likely to stay in their jobs. Nicole Hegarty: The Workplace Relations umpire has historically decided on increases that fall somewhere between the demands of business and unions. And along with workers who rely on the wages at the heart of this decision, they'll find out soon how much pay packets will grow as of July. Isabella Higgins: Nicole Hegarty there. WA Senator Dorinda Cox has quit the Greens and joined Labor in a shock defection. She says it's about getting results and not rebellion, but her exit has left the Greens blindsided and fuming. Political reporter Olivia Caisley joins me from Parliament House. Olivia, why did she walk away from the Greens? Olivia Caisley: Well, standing alongside the Prime Minister in Perth yesterday, Senator Dorinda Cox says that her values align more closely with Labor and that she believes she'll be able to deliver better outcomes and results for the people of WA. She was a member of Labor briefly in her youth before she did join the Greens. Her switch though comes after months of internal tensions within her former party, so she failed in her bid to become deputy leader following the party's poor showing at the election, and there were also growing doubts that she'd secure a winnable spot on the next Senate ticket. The Greens say they were blindsided by this, that Senator Cox only called the Greens leader Larissa Waters about an hour before announcing her shocked defection, and there have also been allegations of bullying or a toxic workplace culture in her office, which emerged during the last term of Parliament. Anthony Albanese was asked about this yesterday and he says that he's confident that those issues have been dealt with. Here's, Senator Cox, yesterday announcing her defection from the Greens. Dorinda Cox: Being in the government and alongside the wonderful team that the Prime Minister has, you are able to make change. You are able to do the things that raise up and represent the voice of Western Australia and Canberra, and that's what they elect me to do, so I will continue to do that. Isabella Higgins: And Olivia, what does this mean for the Senate and for both of those parties? Olivia Caisley: Well, when it comes to the composition of the Senate, it's not a major shift. The Greens will still ultimately hold the balance of power. So this defection takes Labor's senators in the upper house to 29. The Greens, meanwhile, will drop to 10. But Labor will still need to rely on the Greens for votes in order to pass legislation. Symbolically, though, this is a major blow to the Greens. So at the election, they lost three of their four lower house seats and also their former leader, Adam Bandt, who was unable to retain his seat of Melbourne. And now they've got a high-profile senator defecting without warning. There is a question about how Senator Cox will square some of her policy positions with Labor's party platform. So for example, just last week, she criticised the Albanese government for extending WA's North West gas shelf, a move that environmentalists have also slammed. So how she reconciles those views while inside the Labor tent remains to be seen. Isabella Higgins: Olivia Caisley reporting there. A second round of direct peace talks between Russia and Ukraine has ended without a major breakthrough as other nations say they must be prepared for war with Moscow. Britain's Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer says the threat of Russia can't be ignored, announcing the UK will expand its nuclear-powered attack submarine fleet under the AUKUS security pact with Australia and America. Europe correspondent Kathryn Diss reports from London. Worker: Hello, Keir, nice to see you. Kathryn Diss: On the front line of British security, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced what's billed as the biggest defence plan since the Cold War. Kier Starmer: We are moving to warfighting readiness as the central purpose of our armed forces. Kathryn Diss: After a ten-month review, the UK has revealed its strategy to tackle rising global threats, including those posed by Russia, China and North Korea. Kier Starmer: When we are being directly threatened by states with advanced military forces, the most effective way to deter them is to be ready. Kathryn Diss: The plan will include 12 more nuclear-powered submarines to better protect Britain's waters, which will come under the AUKUS alliance with Australia and the US. Six new munitions factories will be constructed across the UK. Investment in new technologies such as drones will be upped. Hundreds of long-range missiles will be manufactured and thousands of jobs will be created. It comes as Moscow and Kyiv met in Turkiye for a second round of peace talks. But, as expected, little progress was made towards a ceasefire. Ukraine's Defence Minister is Rustem Umerov. Rustem Umerov: We firmly believe that all key issues can only be solved at the level of leaders. And the leaders' meeting could be with possible involvement of other leaders, such as the President of the United States. Kathryn Diss: Moscow's demands for peace include ones we've heard before, such as recognition of Crimea, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson as regions of Russia, a complete withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from these areas and a ban on any military activities by third countries. Here's the head of Russia's delegation, Vladimir Medinsky. Vladimir Medinsky: First, we've handed over our memorandum to the Turkish side, which consists of two parts. First, how to achieve a real long-term peace. And the second part is what steps should be taken to make a full-fledged ceasefire possible. Moreover, in the second part, there is even a variety of options. To enter this path or this path. The memorandum is quite detailed and worked through properly from our side. Therefore, the Ukrainian side decided to take it for study. If they study it, they will react to it. And we will see. Kathryn Diss: The two sides did agree to another prisoner swap of the sick and wounded, as well as those under 25. Russia will also return the bodies of 6,000 fallen Ukrainian soldiers. But when it comes to ending the war, both sides appear worlds apart. This is Kathryn Diss in London reporting for AM. Earlier in the program, we heard about how prevalent domestic violence is. In a separate report released exclusively to AM, the Commonwealth Ombudsman found abusers are weaponising Australia's child support system. More than $1.9 billion in child support is unpaid, with the Ombudsman calling for new legislation to ensure this money goes to the one million children who rely on it. National Education and Parenting reporter, Conor Duffy, has this story. Conor Duffy: After a four-month investigation and complaints from hundreds of parents, the Commonwealth Ombudsman, Iain Anderson, is today releasing a report highlighting financial abuse in Australia's child support system. Iain Anderson: This is really important, Connor, because child support is all about children, vulnerable children who need to be financially supported while they're growing up. Conor Duffy: The Ombudsman has concluded Services Australia is acting in an unfair and unreasonable manner in not using its enforcement powers to stop widespread financial abuse, defined as one parent weaponising the payment of child support. Mr Anderson says his report makes eight recommendations for sweeping changes, including new legislation. He says under the current system, some women feel unsafe just asking for what they're owed. Iain Anderson: We've certainly had complainants who've said to them that this made them feel very unsafe and they in fact withdrew from processes and rather than seeking to pursue unpaid child support, they just said, I can't deal with this, I won't deal with this, I don't feel safe. Conor Duffy: Mr Anderson also highlighted a provision in the law which requires Services Australia to assume all child support has been paid when assessing eligibility for Family Tax Benefit A. Iain Anderson: Services Australia will actively pursue that debt and require it to be paid, even though the child support itself might not have been paid. So you might find you haven't been paid child support, but now you are actively being pursued for a debt for Family Tax Benefit A. Conor Duffy: There are roughly 1.2 million parents in child support arrangements, with 83 per cent of paying parents male and 84 per cent of receiving parents female. Terese Edwards from Single Mother Families Australia says the Ombudsman's report is a breakthrough moment she hopes will turbocharge a long-running push for change. Terese Edwards: The child support system has been a problem for decades. We're really letting our children down, but in the last decade we've understood it to really harm women as well. Conor Duffy: In a statement, a Services Australia spokesperson said it fully accepted the recommendations and would be working to implement them between December 2025 and June 2026. Financial abuse and all forms of family and domestic violence are serious and damaging issues affecting many of our customers, the spokesperson said. In a statement, a spokesperson for the Minister for Social Services, Tanya Plibersek, said the government recognised child support was being used to exploit and traumatise women and where acting. Isabella Higgins: Conor Duffy reporting. More than 80 years after he died, an Indigenous family have discovered the secret war history of one of their relatives. For decades, the story of service of Private Ngakyunkwokka was lost due to a spelling error. Now the Australian War Memorial is fixing that, as James Vyver reports. James Vyver: In Wik country on the western side of Queensland's Cape York, the old Aurukun Mission Cemetery is filled with white wooden crosses. Among them, a gleaming white headstone stands out, the war grave of an Aboriginal World War II soldier, whose service and story has only recently been discovered by his great-niece, Ariana Yunkaporta. Ariana Yunkaporta: We didn't know our great-great uncle was serving in the World War II. We were like, wow, we had an ancestors, you know, who served before and I was like really happy. I was like, wow, I don't know any white Australian served in the World War. James Vyver: The soldier, Private Ngakyunkwokka, died in 1945 while on active duty for the Torres Strait Light Infantry Battalion. Incorrect mission and army records dating back over the last century led to the veteran being buried with the wrong name, Private Ngarkwokka. That error, carved in gold lettering, is still on the headstone today. Ariana Yunkaporta: Seeing that grave for the first time, it was emotional and then I started like, had tears coming down. James Vyver: It meant Ariana Yunkaporta and her family had no idea their ancestor was with them in Aurukun. The mystery of how the headstone bears the wrong name has now been solved after 80 years, thanks to a fellow digger and some luck. Tim White: The last thing I expected to find in a cemetery in a remote Aboriginal community was a war grave. James Vyver: In 2022, Aurukun local and army veteran Dr Tim White recognised the significance of the headstone, but not the Ngarkwokka name. Tim White: My inquiry started that day. I've got to find out who this is and what the story is. If one of our Afghanistan or Vietnam veterans were buried under the wrong name, there'd be national outcry about it. James Vyver: The incorrect records had also led to the soldier being listed with the wrong name on the roll of honour at the Australian War Memorial, twice. Well, his name has been changed three times. Australian War Memorial Director Matt Anderson. Matt Anderson: We're determined now with the help of family, with the help of community that we've got it right. That's the right answer, to keep on striving for perfection. This is a roll of honour. This is the nation's debt recorded in bronze and if we can get it right, that's what we're determined to do and I'm just so pleased we've been able to do that. James Vyver: A supplementary bronze panel now correctly reads Ngakyunkwokka C.B. The previous two incorrect names remain on the roll of honour. Army Reservists themselves, Ariana Yunkaporta and her brother Irwin, travelled to Canberra last week for a last post ceremony at the War Memorial. A service dedicated to a fellow soldier and their new-found uncle, finally recognised with his true name. Ariana Yunkaporta: He's not just a role model for us, he's a role model to Aurukun as well, to the whole community. James Vyver: The headstone on Private Ngakyunkwokka's grave will be replaced in the coming months. Isabella Higgins: James Vyver reporting there. And that's AM for today. Thanks for your company. I'm Isabella Higgins. Sam Hawley: Hi, it's Sam Hawley here, host of the ABC News Daily podcast. Since Donald Trump returned to the White House, Elon Musk has spent a lot of time inside the Oval Office. Now the world's richest man has been farewelled from his role in the Trump administration. Today, staff writer at The Atlantic, Ashley Parker, on Elon's exit and whether that's really the end of his role in politics. Look for the ABC News Daily podcast on the ABC Listen app.
ABC News
26-05-2025
- Climate
- ABC News
ADF sent to NSW flood zones
Andy Park: Hello, welcome to The World Today. It's Monday the 26th of May. I'm Andy Park coming to you from Gadigal Land in Sydney. Today, send in the army. How much longer can the ADF be relied upon for ever increasing natural disasters? And one state banned posters of grinning federal election candidates all over the neighbourhood. Could it be a sign of things to come? Voter: Rather than being really in your face, it was a bit more laid back, I'd kind of say. And, you know, I do think they're kind of a bygone thing and it's nice not to have to waste as well. Kyam Maher: The majority of feedback that I get and I think most members of parliament get is a welcome relief that we don't see the corflutes. Andy Park: The Prime Minister has announced further flood support for the mid north coast of NSW, including deploying defence personnel to help with the clean up. Over the next few days, getting food and water into communities cut off by floods will be a major priority. But the Weather Bureau is also warning that more wet weather could hamper the clean up effort. Bridget Fitzgerald reports. Bridget Fitzgerald: For the second time in four years, Josh Hack has watched his friends and neighbours do their best to manage a devastating flood. Josh Hack: They'll say they're OK, but they're all broken and they need their help. Bridget Fitzgerald: The Taree farmer and agronomist says the scale of the flood caught many by surprise. Josh Hack: We're all planning for the flood. We're all planning for, you know, the worst case scenario, 2021, you know, one in 100 year flood, surely we're not going to get two in four years. So, you know, we planned for that. You know, there's farmers that have done things with infrastructure and stuff since then to try and help plan for that. But unfortunately, this was unplannable. Bridget Fitzgerald: He's counting his losses, but says he's been lucky. Josh Hack: It's pretty tough for everybody. And I've been very lucky. Like, I get most of my animals. Yes, I've lost some, you know, and some of the ones that I lost are the ones that were probably in the best spot, but they, for whatever reason, decided to go for a swim, to try to go to a different spot. Bridget Fitzgerald: In Kempsey, 300 kilometres north of Sydney, restocking critical supplies has been a slow process. Greg Steele: We just can't get food into them. Bridget Fitzgerald: Greg Steele is the Kempsey SES unit commander. Greg Steele: Normally, the resupply wouldn't be quite so difficult. However, we've had a power failure in the CBD, which has obviously spoiled a lot of the a lot of the foods that require refrigeration. Bridget Fitzgerald: He says work's being done to make sure shops can safely store the supplies. Supermarkets in flood hit towns like Kempsey and Wingham were shut over the weekend, with road closures causing supply delays. Janelle Saffin is the New South Wales recovery minister and minister for the North Coast. Janelle Saffin: About 12,000 people still remain isolated. So whilst we're going into recovery, there's still a response happening with the SES. There were flood rescues over the last 24 hours. There were 11, 532 calls. So we've got the two things happening at once. Bridget Fitzgerald: And flood affected communities are set for another wet night. Senior meteorologist Dean Narramore from the Weather Bureau says the rain is more likely to be a frustration rather than a threat. Dean Narramore: We're only expecting that 10 to 20 millimetres, maybe isolated, 30 to 40 millimetres at most. It's going to move through very quickly, not the hundreds of millimetres that we have seen. Bridget Fitzgerald: He says strong and gusty winds could cause some property damage and hamper the clean up. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says 70 Defence Force personnel will be deployed to the New South Wales Mid North Coast region. Anthony Albanese: They will be involved in clean up, in debris removal, in welfare checks and re-establishing critical infrastructure that is so important for these communities. Bridget Fitzgerald: Anthony Albanese says people in Kempsey, Port Macquarie, Mid Coast and Dungog are eligible for the disaster recovery allowance, which can provide up to 13 weeks of income support. So far, more than 500 properties have been declared uninhabitable. But there are fears thousands more have been seriously damaged or destroyed. Andy Park: That report from Bridget Fitzgerald and Alison Xiao. The commitment of ADF personnel to the Mid North Coast flood zone doesn't come without risk. Take the 32 soldiers hospitalised after truck rollovers in their deployment to flood affected Lismore in March. The uncomfortable truth is that Australia's renowned voluntary emergency workforce is shrinking, forcing a growing and controversial burden on the Defence Force to respond to ever increasing natural disasters. But is there a third option? Milad Hagani is an associate professor and principal fellow in urban risk and resilience at the University of Melbourne. He joined me earlier. Milad, the SES is stretched and has increasingly come under criticism. How rapidly is Australia's volunteer base to respond to natural disasters and emergencies dwindling? Milad Hagani: The volunteer workforce across the country is dwindling, basically. And interestingly and coincidentally, last week was the National Volunteer Week in Australia. There are many reasons that have been speculated and documented in relation to this. One is the fact that the current volunteer workforce is ageing and going out of the workforce and they are not being replaced by younger generations. And it is apparent that, for example, the role of volunteering, the issue of volunteering has not been necessarily communicated with the younger generation as a core Australian value. They may not even be aware that their role in emergency services is needed. So that's something that could be done to bridge the gap and send a message across to the younger generations that they can come and replace and have an experience with emergency services, basically. Andy Park: What are the problems with calling in the army? I mean, some might say we are taxpayers, we pay for them to be ready and that perhaps domestic deployments can act as a sort of training exercise. Milad Hagani: There are both sides of arguments and they are both valid. And we have seen even some defence personnel sometimes after some of my publications, they contacted me and they said they are willing, they are willing to help in these kind of situations. And if you talk to the local residents, they have mixed views on this. Sometimes they really feel supported by the presence of ADF personnel helping them. However, we need to note that ADF personnel are not necessarily trained for this. It's a resourceful organisation. It's got the required equipment and the personnel. However, it's not necessarily trained for these kind of situations. So it's a mixed view. Some people do see that they are necessary for these kind of large scale emergencies. And some people think that distracts from their core mission, that is defence and getting prepared for military missions. Andy Park: Supposed to be fair, Disaster Relief Australia will be committing more volunteers than the ADF personnel in this current floods clean up. I mean, the PM paid tribute to the organisation, which is largely staffed by veterans, DRA. He also stopped short of committing to longer term funding today. So is that the new model that will help quieten critics of ADF deployments to tackle domestic natural disasters? Milad Hagani: I believe it could be. I believe it could be. As you mentioned, the organisation is run by veterans and is growing in terms of numbers. However, at the moment, with the number of volunteers that they have, they cannot necessarily compare in the scale with the workforce of other emergency, more established emergency services such as SES. But however much help they can provide in these kind of emergencies, that is a seal of use and a kind of a guarantee. I think that there are good reasons to invest more in DRA and I think that could be a model for the future. Andy Park: Milad Hagani, Associate Professor and Principal Fellow in Urban Risk and Resilience at the University of Melbourne. Thank you for your time. My pleasure. On ABC Radio across Australia, streaming online and on the ABC Listen app, this is The World Today. Thanks for your company. Australia's first ban on machetes is set to begin after a brazen and violent daylight gang brawl in a Melbourne shopping centre at the weekend. The Victorian Premier's ban comes after a series of high profile and tragic knife crimes both here and overseas. One victim is campaigning for a complete ban on pointed kitchen knives in the UK. The tip and not the edge of the knife being the most harmful source of her own critical injuries. Kimberley Price filed this report. Kimberley Price: Crowds of shoppers flee a Melbourne shopping centre on Sunday as a violent brawl unfolds. A man wielding a machete is seen on CCTV lunging towards two people before a shopper called Anthony stepped in to make a citizen's arrest. Anthony: I saw one of the guys with the machetes just kind of bring it out from his waistband, sort of remove the sheath and then have it in the air and start swinging at it. One of the guys ran towards us into the shopping centre and that's the guy that I tripped over. Kimberley Price: Two teenagers were arrested at the shopping centre and charged with a fray, intentionally causing injury and possession and use of a controlled weapon, while a 20 year old was seriously injured. It wasn't the only knife related incident in Melbourne over the weekend. On Saturday, Victoria police shot dead a woman after she drove at officers while they were arresting a man allegedly armed with a machete. Today, Premier Jacinta Allan declared Victoria will fast track Australia's first machete ban. Jacinta Allan: We must never let the places where we gather, the places where families come together to meet, to shop, to enjoy the peace of their weekend become the places we fear. Kimberley Price: It will be illegal to sell machetes in Victoria from midday Wednesday. The government says the move is an attempt to dry up the market before a ban on possessing the weapons comes into effect in September. Jacinta Allan: This comes also off the work that is being done to provide Victoria police with expanded knife search powers, which has seen a record number of these dangerous weapons being seized and taken off the streets. Kimberley Price: The Australian Bureau of Statistics says knives were the most common weapon used in homicides between 2010 and 2023. Recent high profile incidents like Sydney's Bondi Junction shopping centre stabbing where seven people were killed underline the danger. As authorities hold inquiries into these deadly incidents, overseas, Leanne Lucas, who survived the Southport stabbing in England last year where three children were killed at a dance studio, wants to see an end to the sale of pointed kitchen knives. Leanne Lucas: I feel like I've just had my eyes opened to the dangers of how domestic tools can be weaponised and the fact that they're so readily available. A safer option is to go for a curved or a blunt tip knife that reduces that risk of the kitchen knife being used ever as aa weapon. Kimberley Price: Dr Vincent Hurley is a criminologist at Macquarie University and former New South Wales police officer. He welcomes the Victorian government's ban, but argues it doesn't go far enough. Vincent Hurley: If you go back and look at graffiti about two decades ago, state governments decided to put spray cans behind grills in hardware stores to stop graffiti. If governments were serious about knife crime, then they would put behind grills, machetes, axes, tomahawks and all these sharp implements. They would do what they did with the gun buyback scheme 20, 30 years ago after Port Arthur, where they would pay people to hand in axes, machetes, zombie knives and things like this. Together, those two things would be an excellent suggestion to try and reduce knife crime. It would have to make a difference. Kimberley Price: Dr Hurley believes Leanne Lucas's campaign could prevent some crime, but it wouldn't stop people from accessing other bladed instruments. Vincent Hurley: Knife crimes account for most deaths in Australia against violence against women and machete attacks like this. It is the idea that they are so easily accessible that they are a weapon of convenience. Anyone can purchase them. Kimberley Price: Victoria Police continue to investigate Sunday's shopping centre incident, while the state inquest into the Bondi Junction stabbing attack remains ongoing. Andy Park: Kimberley Price there. Household power bills are set to rise about to 9 per cent from July for some, following a pricing decision by the Australian Energy Regulator. For more on this, business correspondent David Taylor joined me earlier. David, what is the default market offer and how will it change from July 1? David Taylor: Well, Andy, I'll hit you with some jargon first up. The Energy Regulator has released its final determination for the default market offer for electricity prices for next financial year. So the default market offer is a price for electricity for customers on standing offers. So not negotiated contracts with their providers. Most households and businesses, Andy, are on standing offers. It's basically what you get when you call up or sign up for a deal. From July 2025, residential customers on standing offer plans will experience increases of half a per cent to 3.7 per cent in southeast Queensland, 2.3 per cent to 3.2 per cent in South Australia and 8.3 per cent to 9.7 per cent in New South Wales. And Andy, small business customers on standing offer plans will experience increases of 0.8 of 1 per cent to 8.5 per cent. And there's a big range there because, Andy, it depends on the region that you're in. Andy Park: So why is this safety net energy price for households and businesses increasing? David Taylor: Well, simply because the cost of making or producing the energy has gone up, especially in New South Wales. Now, Clare Savage is the chair of the regulator that's made this decision. It determines prices for New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia. She says it was a difficult decision to make and many factors determine an energy bill, including the cost of making power. Clare Savage: Retailers, the people who sell it to you, they buy forward contracts in there against sort of spot prices in the market. And those forward contracts have been higher. And some of that's to do with less reliable coal plant that's been running in New South Wales. So it can fall over sometimes and drive big price spikes. 9.7 per cent, yes, is the worst case scenario. But what we want to see customers doing is out there looking for the best deal. Some of the cheapest plans in the market can be between 18 and 27 per cent below the default market offer. So shopping around is a great strategy. David Taylor: Clare Savage there. And one thing that Clare Savage hasn't mentioned is, of course, the cost of finance for these energy companies to produce the energy, because they obviously have to finance the way they do business. Rising long term interest rates, therefore, are also a big part of this story. Tim Buckley is a director of Clean Energy Finance. Tim Buckley: It's complex. Energy is complex. There are four key components, network costs, wholesale prices, retail costs. All of those have gone up significantly across the board. Interest rates are up. So network costs are up. Unfortunately, the network exists for 50, 60, 70 years. The grid transmission poles and wires, they're there for 50, 60, 70 years. So we're exposed to long term interest rates. And there's also a slow delay in getting that through. So interest rates were in a 60 year down cycle until three years ago. They've been going up. This, unfortunately, is the inevitable delayed work through of long term interest rates going up. Andy Park: Clean Energy Finance Director Tim Buckley and David, when hearing prices are rising, many might be concerned it's bad news for inflation. Could that be the case? David Taylor: It could be. But we have found, Andy, that energy prices are very political. And in terms of headline inflation, the Treasurer and Treasurers across state and capital territories have decided to offer rebates. So we'll have to wait for political decisions on the back of this independent regulatory decision. But so far, history shows that big price changes like this don't impact long term inflation. Andy Park: David Taylor. If there's a young person in your life with ADHD, you'll know that diagnosis can take years and cost thousands of dollars in specialist bills. And it's not just young people either. Now, New South Wales is to allow GPs to diagnose attention deficit hyperactivity disorder without a referral. Angus Randall reports. Angus Randall: When mother of seven Neridah Armstrong sought treatment for her son Andrew, who has ADHD, she faced lengthy wait times to see a specialist. Neridah Armstrong : You have to get a referral from your GP. You have to send it off to a practice. They decide whether or not they want to see you. If they don't, you're back to your GP and you continue that cycle until you find somebody that's actually willing to take you on. Angus Randall: She eventually found treatment for her son, but says others haven't been so lucky. Neridah Armstrong : He knows a lot of people that have actually stopped treatment, don't take their medication. Angus Randall: The New South Wales government has announced GPs will soon be able to diagnose ADHD and prescribe some medication once they've completed special training. The government's funded 1000 training spots, meaning one in 15 GPs across the state could gain this accreditation. Ryan Park is the state's health minister. Ryan Park: When people are waiting up to two years to get a diagnosis and then ongoing treatment, it's my responsibility and the mental health minister's responsibility to make sure that we're looking at ways to reform that system. Angus Randall: The move is backed by the Royal Australian College of GPs. Dr Rebekah Hoffman is chair of the New South Wales and ACT division. Rebekah Hoffman: They won't have to go back to the paediatrician or the psychiatrist for their routine medication on an ongoing basis. The GPs that will want to do this training are the ones that already work in this space. Angus Randall: It's a condition that the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare says affects around 7% of children. There's no test for ADHD. It's up to the doctor to make their diagnosis based on an assessment of the patient and information from the family. Dr Rebekah Hoffman insists GPs will have the time and training to make the right decision. Rebekah Hoffman: It is a really difficult diagnosis to make and it's not one which GPs will be making haphazardly. It's something that I completely agree isn't going to happen in a 15 minute consult and the GPs that already work in this space are doing the 60 to 90 minute consultations in line with what's happening with psychiatrists and psychologists to make these diagnosis. Angus Randall: The Royal Australian College of Physicians, which represents paediatricians, says it wants to work with GPs but diagnosing ADHD should remain specialist led. Dr Nitin Kapur is the college's head paediatrician. Nitin Kapur: It's unclear what training is being proposed here first of all and ADHD is not a single diagnosis. It co-occurs with developmental, behavioural and other mental health conditions and these can include anxiety, depression, trauma, learning difficulties and a short course. And we don't even know what we're talking about that the GPs do will probably not do justice and will likely result in misdiagnosis. Angus Randall: Queensland GPs have been diagnosing and prescribing ADHD medication in children since 2017 and WA brought in similar reforms earlier this year. Dr Chris Soo is a Gold Coast GP specialising in ADHD. He says GPs are already offering many specialist services so this would be no different. Chris Soo: GPs do like vasectomies. GPs work in vein clinics and skin cancer and learn to diagnose those sorts of things. General practice is its own specialty these days. Angus Randall: He hopes the New South Wales rollout will be smoother than Queensland's. Chris Soo: When Queensland brought it in, they brought it in and then basically didn't tell GPs about it or anybody about it. And I do a lot of advocacy work and people all around the country very senior, very high up in ADHD advocacy have no idea that. So Queensland GPs are actually allowed to totally initiate, diagnose and do everything for like any patient below the age of 18. And then no one got told about the regulation, didn't promote it, nothing. It's almost like they went, you can do it but maybe you shouldn't. It's great that they're being funded to do training because the whole system works better if clinicians get good training. Angus Randall: The state government says New South Wales GPs could be managing ongoing prescriptions for ADHD patients within months and assessments for children could start from early next year with adults to follow soon after. Andy Park: Angus Randall there. Well a sausage sandwich, a core flute in a public school. These are the very symbols of a federal election here in Australia. But in one state, one of these election essentials has been absent. Coreflutes or posters of grinning politicians were in fact banned on public roads and infrastructure in South Australia. Could this be a precedent that other states and territories follow? Luke Radford reports. Luke Radford: A sea of colours and slogans as far as the eye can see is a surefire indicator that it's election time. But in South Australia, political core flutes have been restricted to just private property and these voters don't miss them. Voter: Rather than being really in your face, it was a bit more laid back, I'd kind of say. And, you know, I do think they're kind of a bygone thing and it's nice not to have the waste as well. Voter: I thought it was really good. Voter: I was pleased not to have the coreflutes. Luke Radford: Coreflute election posters were banned from public roads, trees and telegraph poles last year to reduce waste and remove unsightly clutter. Initially proposed by the Liberal Party, it gained bipartisan support from the Labor Government. South Australia's Attorney General, Kyam Maher, says it's been a big win. Kyam Maher: The majority of feedback that I get and I think most members of Parliament get is welcome relief that we don't see the coreflutes, you know, the vigil pollution. Luke Radford: While both the punters and pollies are glad they're gone, the state electoral commission has found one downside. After a recent by-election, it found 27 per cent of surveyed voters reported the absence of coreflutes made them less aware the poll was happening. Mick Sherry is the SA electoral commissioner. Mick Sherry: It doesn't mean that those particular electors weren't aware of the by-election by many other sources of information that we provide. It was just the fact that the coreflutes weren't there in their eyes that created a lack of awareness. Luke Radford: It's worth noting that this was at a by-election, which typically have less media attention and lower turnouts than general elections. In fact, the federal election body, the AEC, told the ABC it's not worried. A spokesperson pointed out that the percentage of people voting in South Australia has actually gone up slightly since the last election. Some experts have concerns, like Australian National University lecturer Dr Andrew Hughes, who says the lack of coreflutes may benefit major parties over smaller groups and independents. Andrew Hughes: They are so supportive of coreflutes. They see them as really critical tools, not just for awareness raising of their profile and their party, but also because it levels the playing field. And it's the one area where they can actually spend the same as a major party candidate and therefore be competitive on. Luke Radford: He also says coreflutes play a role in increasing awareness that an election is on. Andrew Hughes: And it's a common finding I have here in Canberra as well and people I've spoken to across the nation again. It's a very common finding that people aren't aware of elections being on sometimes unless they see coreflutes up and then they start to look into the election itself a bit more closely. The implication, though, is on 27 percent of people, if they don't vote, for example, they vote informally or they don't participate and engage in democracy, then it's a weaker democracy we have overall. Luke Radford: Despite Dr Hughes' concerns, these voters still support the ban. Voter: There's enough news and, you know, social media about elections being on. Voter: I think you'd have to be living under a rock not to know about it. Voter: I think social media was really good for replacing that, actually. Andy Park: South Australian voter Lily ending that report by Luke Radford. And that's all from the World Today team. Thanks for your company. I'm Andy Park.
