Latest news with #IsabellaHiggins
ABC News
09-07-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Concern over medicinal cannabis prescribing
Isabella Higgins: The medical regulator is releasing new guidance for practitioners about the prescribing of medicinal cannabis. It comes after the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency found evidence that poor practices and surging patient demand is leading to significant patient harm. I spoke with National Health Reporter, Elise Worthington, a short time ago. Elise, first of all, what sort of problems has APHRA discovered with the prescribing and use of medicinal cannabis? Elise Worthington: Well, the number of Australians being prescribed medicinal cannabis has absolutely exploded in the past few years. And that's come about as medicinal cannabis telehealth companies have popped up, offering a really convenient, quick way for patients to get prescriptions after short online consultations. But the regulator is concerned that there's been a lack of due diligence by doctors who aren't taking proper medical histories and might be influenced by the companies they work for, which are also selling the products they're prescribing. So we've previously reported that APHRA has actually discovered more than half a dozen doctors have written over 10,000 medicinal cannabis scripts in a six month period. And they found one who'd written more than 17,000. So that equals about one every four minutes in a working day, which has really raised questions for them about how thoroughly patients are being screened. Now APHRA CEO, Justin Untersteiner said that has led to concerns about patient safety. Justin Untersteiner: We are concerned by reports of patients presenting to emergency departments with medicinal cannabis induced psychosis. We're also seeing evidence of over-servicing of patients, as well as ethical grey areas around cannabis only retail facilities. Some business models that have emerged in this area rely on prescribing a single product or a class of drug. And they use online questionnaires that we feel coach patients to say the right thing to justify prescribing medicinal cannabis. Isabella Higgins: That's APHRA's CEO, Justin Untersteiner. And Elise, has APHRA taken any action so far? Elise Worthington: Yes, so APHRA is working with other agencies like the Therapeutic Goods Administration. Now doctors have to report to the TGA, their medicinal cannabis prescriptions that they write. So APHRA is looking at the data and they have said today that they've taken action against 57 prescribers and they're now investigating another 60 doctors, pharmacists and nurse practitioners who can also prescribe medicinal cannabis. And they're really putting doctors working at these telehealth companies on notice that even if there's not a complaint from a patient, they will be asking questions about how they're writing so many scripts, checking their notes and medical records to ensure that patients are actually being properly assessed. Isabella Higgins: And what exactly is in this new guidance for practitioners in how they prescribe and what does APHRA hope they achieve? Elise Worthington: There's actually really strong evidence taking a step back that medicinal cannabis can really help with things like treating childhood epilepsy, muscle spasms, pain associated with multiple sclerosis and cancer, as well as chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. But interestingly, that is not the main conditions that it's being prescribed for in Australia. So we can see that it's mainly being prescribed for things like insomnia, anxiety and chronic pain. So the guidance is quite interesting in that it really clearly states that medicinal cannabis should never be prescribed as a first-line treatment because it's an unapproved therapy for most conditions, excluding some of those ones I mentioned earlier. But that also means that it's not checked for safety, quality or efficacy by the TGA. And the guidelines state that there's not good evidence showing that it works for a lot of other conditions and patients need to be explicitly informed of that when they're being prescribed it. Isabella Higgins: Elise Worthington reporting.
ABC News
09-06-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Soldiers deployed to quell Los Angeles riots
Woman's voice: ABC Listen, podcasts, radio, news, music and more. Isabella Higgins: Good morning. Welcome to AM. It's Monday the 9th of June. I'm Isabella Higgins coming to you from Gadigal Land in Sydney. Hundreds of soldiers are on the streets of Los Angeles where riot police and demonstrators have clashed after the arrest of suspected illegal immigrants. Trump administration officials say their deployment is necessary to maintain and ensure law and order but California's governor says the move could escalate tensions. America's editor John Lyons is in Washington. John, what's the latest with this deployment? John Lyons: Isabella, at the moment it's relatively calm. President Trump has ordered those 2,000 National Guard into Los Angeles following two days of protests over the illegal immigration rounding up of people allegedly who are overstaying their visas or are in America illegally. Now Pete Hegseth, the Defence Secretary, has said that he has Marines also on standby. There is some sense though from some of the authorities in California that this is much of an overreaction, that this could have been handled by the Los Angeles Police Department but so far while there are crowds and some protests at the moment the National Guard are standing around various places in Los Angeles and things are relatively calm. Isabella Higgins: John, the deployment of the National Guard is rare. How are Americans reacting? John Lyons: Look, I think that those Americans who support President Trump and this was one of his signature election campaign promises of course was illegal immigrants. His base, his supporters think it's excellent. They like to see this sort of tough action. Those who are not supporters of his worry about the civil liberties implications. It's interesting that usually the National Guard are deployed in America at the request of a governor. What makes this particularly different and in a way quite dangerous is that it's believed to be the first time since 1965 when President Lyndon Johnson ordered National Guard into the streets of Alabama that a president has deployed National Guard against the wishes of the governor. The California Governor Gavin Newsom, who President Trump routinely and provocatively calls Gavin New Scum, has said that he doesn't think the National Guard should be deployed, that it is an inflammatory move by the president. Isabella Higgins: John Lyons in Washington. The co-author of a strategic review into Australia's defence capability says the federal government risks angering Donald Trump if he doesn't convince the US it's doing enough to increase the defence budget. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is facing pressure to boost defence spending as he prepares to head to the United States after the Trump administration insisted Australia should lift its spending to 3.5 per cent of its gross domestic product. But the government is pushing back, saying it's doing enough already. Isobel Roe reports. Isobel Roe: Donald Trump claims America's allies rely too much on them and aren't prepared to sufficiently fund their own defence programs. Looking at the numbers, some experts think that point is worth considering. Peter Dean: Pretty much since the end of the Vietnam War there's been a steady trajectory for Australian defence spending going backwards and going down. Isobel Roe: Professor Peter Dean from the United States Studies Centre was the co-lead of the Australian Strategic Defence Review, a document produced in 2023, which recommended the government substantially increase the defence budget. Peter Dean: It's started to rise recently with the investments of the Albanese government and the previous governments but it's still on a very slow trajectory. Isobel Roe: Defence spending is back in the spotlight after the election, following a request from the US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth last week for Australia to increase defence spending to 3.5 per cent of Australia's gross domestic product, or GDP. Anthony Albanese may come face to face with some of that pressure if he meets with US President Donald Trump at the G7 summit next week. On Sky News, Trade Minister Don Farrell maintained the government's line that it won't have its defence policy dictated to it by Washington. Don Farrell: All of our defence capabilities are as strong as they can be and as strong as they need to be. We're focused on what Australia needs to do and we'll make our decisions based on what is in our national interest. Isobel Roe: What Australia spends on defence has emerged as a policy difference between the government and the opposition. Shadow Finance Minister James Paterson told the ABC on Sunday the coalition's election commitment of 3 per cent still stands. James Paterson: In the last five weeks, I don't know about you, but I don't think the world has become a much safer place. So we are committed to reaching that 3 per cent of GDP target. Isobel Roe: And members of the defence establishment here in Australia think 3 per cent of GDP is a price worth paying for defence. One of them is Professor Peter Dean. Peter Dean: I think what 3 per cent is, is a guideline for the amount of money that's needed in an initial investment. The Prime Minister is correct, we should figure out the capabilities we need and fund them appropriately. Isobel Roe: As for the US's demands of 3.5 per cent of GDP on defence, how does Anthony Albanese stand up to Donald Trump while keeping Australia's military alliance with the US strong? Peter Dean: It's become a proxy for allies and partners to make comparisons about that relative investment that each country makes into its own sovereign defence capabilities. Isobel Roe: What does Australia risk by not doing what the US recommends? Peter Dean: The US has long had a bipartisan position going back decades that its allies and partners such as NATO, Australia and others, should spend more money on defence. But I think the risk we have to take into account, that is that Donald Trump's behaviour for instance towards NATO and its European allies may well be replicated towards Australia. Isabella Higgins: United States Studies Centre Professor Peter Dean ending that report from Isobel Roe. A former Prime Minister, a top film director and leaders in science are among the more than 800 Australians being recognised in today's King's Birthday Honours list. Many of the recipients have spent decades of their life working to improve their communities or to help give those less fortunate a leg up. Gavin Coote reports. Scott Morrison: I have always believed in miracles. Gavin Coote: After winning an election he'd been projected to lose, Scott Morrison went on to lead Australia through a generation-defining pandemic and economic downturn. The former Prime Minister is today being appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia, or AC, for eminent service to Australia and Parliament and his leadership of the national COVID-19 response. Scott Morrison: We were hit with pretty much every crisis you could imagine, from natural disasters to a global pandemic once in a hundred years, and of course the threats we faced in our region and a recession caused by that global pandemic. And through all of this Australians were just incredible. Gavin Coote: There's a total of 830 people on the Honours list, including some big names in entertainment and the arts. Movie clip: All you need is love. Love is just a game. Gavin Coote: Baz Luhrmann, the famed director behind the films Moulin Rouge and Strictly Ballroom, and his wife, costume designer Catherine Martin, are both being appointed an AC for eminent service to the arts and the development of artistic talent. Businesswoman and feminist leader Wendy McCarthy is also being appointed an AC and says she's proud of her achievements in advocating for women. Wendy McCarthy: But if I had to pull out the most significant, it would be leading the reproductive rights campaign in New South Wales and to take, with my friends and colleagues, abortion off the criminal code after 80 years is for me one of the most fantastic things to be engaged in. Gavin Coote: Another AC appointee is former broadcaster Phillip Adams, who hosted Late Night Live on Radio National for more than 30 years after a career in film and advertising. Phillip Adams: But I've headed oodles of government bodies like the Australian Film Commission, then of course journalism, books. So, yes, I've been a busy little lad since I left school at 15. Gavin Coote: The honours list includes many who've dedicated their life's work to tackling complex challenges and improving society. Former ABC journalist Matt Peacock, who died in October last year, is being posthumously appointed a Member of the Order of Australia, or AM, for his work in the media, which included decades of reporting on the health impacts of asbestos. And Distinguished Professor Vasso Apostolopoulos is being appointed an AM for her pioneering work in developing treatments for cancer and other diseases. Vasso Apostolopoulos: Over the years I've wondered, you know, what do you have to do to achieve these awards? These people must be amazing that receive these awards and there I am today being named as one of the recipients. So it was very unexpected and it's very exciting. Gavin Coote: Also being appointed an AM is Bronwen Dalton, an academic and the founder of the charity Ruff Sleepers, a service that washes the dogs of homeless people, while also advocating for improved housing options for homeless people with pets. She says it's been a privilege to work right across the not-for-profit sector. Bronwen Dalton: I was working with the sex workers, I've worked with undocumented migrants, Indigenous groups, North Korean women, they're pretty high on the oppressed scale as well. Gavin Coote: And there are more than two dozen recipients who are being honoured for their service in Indigenous communities, including Bangerang-Wiradjuri Elder Aunty Geraldine Atkinson and prominent NT advocate Olga Havnen. Isabella Higgins: Gavin Coote with that report. Israel's Defence Minister has issued a warning to the crew of an aid ship trying to sail to Gaza, turn back now or face the force of the Israeli military. The Madleen set off from Italy a week ago, crewed by humanitarian activists including Greta Thunberg, and is trying to deliver supplies to the war-ravaged territory. Middle East correspondent Matthew Doran is in Jerusalem. Matthew, where is the ship now? Matthew Doran: Isabella, good morning. The ship is off the coast of Egypt in the Mediterranean, about 150 to 170 nautical miles off the coast of Gaza. It's been en route since last week when the ship run by the Freedom Flotilla set off from Sicily. And while the discussion around how Israel would respond to the voyage has been simmering away for a few days now, as it gets closer to Gaza, the rhetoric from Israeli authorities is certainly sharpening. We've heard from Israel Katz, the country's Defence Minister. He's firing a warning shot on social media a couple of hours ago. Alongside a photo of him sitting down with Israeli defence officials, Mr Katz announced he'd instructed the IDF to use whatever means necessary to stop the ship reaching Gaza. And he singled out the activist Greta Thunberg who was on board, labelling her as anti-Semitic, saying she was a Hamas supporter, along with the other members of the crew, and that the ship should turn around. Now, Greta Thunberg has knocked back the claim that she is anti-Semitic. She has returned serve on her own social media accounts, saying that the voyage is not about her, it's not about the crew or the ship. It is, in her own words, about highlighting Israel's genocide in Gaza, an accusation the country has repeatedly rejected. Now, the Freedom Flotilla had charted another ship, which a couple of weeks ago was hit by what the crew said was an Israeli drone attack. Israel hasn't commented on that. But back in 2010, Israeli commandos intercepted another ship bound for Gaza with some aid on board and 10 people died. And that's why there's a lot of focus on what's going on here. We're seeing in the Israeli media reports that the military plans to intercept the ship, take it to Ashdod Port north of Gaza, and then arrest and deport the crew. And earlier today, one of the crew, Brazilian activist Tiago Avila, he posted on his Instagram account a video where he said that Israeli forces were already trying to scramble the ship's GPS signal. Thiago Avila: And we just received some very weird news. That according to our tracker we are no longer 162 nautical miles from Gaza - which is where we are - but according to him that we are at Jordan Airport. And we know what that means, when they start jamming our communication, when they start messing with our devices, it means they are preparing for an interception. Or an attack. Isabella Higgins: That was Tiago Avila on board the aid ship. And Matthew, the aid situation in Gaza is what has prompted this voyage. What's the latest on how the population is accessing supplies? Matthew Doran: Well, Isabella, the situation on the ground remains incredibly dire. There's been another wave of shootings nearby. One of the aid sites in southern Gaza, another four people killed and dozens more injured, according to local health authorities. This follows a series of attacks last week, which has fuelled a sense of chaos around these sites. The IDF blaming Hamas for that, but also conceding firing warning shots at Palestinians approaching some of these aid sites. And then Hamas and Palestinians accessing their aid, accusing Israel of firing upon desperate people just trying to get their hands on some food there. Israel is insisting that enough aid is entering the strip through those distribution sites and also through trucks making deliveries. There are 350 which have crossed the border in the last week or so. But humanitarians say it's just a drop in the ocean compared to what's really required to solve the crisis, Isabella. Isabella Higgins: Matthew Doran in Jerusalem. After a tense weekend in Ukraine, Russia says its forces have made gains in both the east and northeast of the country. In recent days, the Ukrainian cities of Kyiv and Kharkiv have come under intense air attacks, some of the most powerful during the war. Tim Swanston reports from London. Tim Swanston: Following an intense missile and drone barrage in Kharkiv on Saturday, emergency crews worked frantically to clear rubble and find survivors in a nine-storey residential building. The city in eastern Ukraine is being hit regularly as the war escalates. But this weekend's bombing, which killed at least four, has been described by the city's mayor, Ihor Terekhov, as the most powerful attack since the start of the war. Just a day earlier, Russia launched a massive strike on Kyiv and cities in Ukraine's west. Ukrainian officials said more than 400 drones and more than 40 missiles were used in the intense attack. Three first responders were killed. These significant aerial attacks come as Russia makes territorial gains within Ukraine. Moscow says its forces have reached the western frontier of Ukraine's Donetsk region in the country's east and are making gains near Sumy in the northeast, a region Ukraine had reclaimed in 2022. Ukraine's military says Russia's forces are building a position for an attack on an important logistical hub for the Ukrainian army. Professor Vlad Mykhnenko from the University of Oxford says Russia is pushing hard early in a summer offensive. Vlad Mykhnenko: I think the Russian summer offensive will continue until about October. They might have some gains. They will probably occupy one or two settlements in the Donetsk Oblast. Perhaps they will take a few villages in other provinces. They will definitely terrorise Sumy and Kherson and their civilians with large drone attacks. They will definitely terrorise Ukrainian cities with drone attacks. Tim Swanston: According to pro-Ukrainian open source maps, Russia now controls almost one fifth of Ukrainian territory. Talks last week in Istanbul yielded very little, except for an exchange of prisoners of war and bodies. Amid the escalation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Kyiv is planning more operations, like its strike on Russian airbases last weekend that destroyed part of Moscow's strategic bomber fleet. Volodymyr Zelenskyy: We have to prepare such plans and we are not stopping. We have to prepare such plans because Russia can't, because we don't know, we don't really know if they will stop this war. They don't want, they don't want to stop the war. Tim Swanston: US officials say they believe Russia's retaliation has not begun yet in earnest and will likely be a significant multi-pronged strike. Further peace talks are expected later this month in the shadow of this bloody escalation and likely months of intensified fighting. This is Tim Swanston in London reporting for AM. Queensland's tropical island resorts were once the playgrounds of the rich and famous, but now many are falling into ruin. The state government is moving to take back control from owners who have neglected their valuable tourism assets. National tourism reporter Kristy Sexton-McGrath reports. Kristy Sexton-McGrath: Queensland's island resorts were once the ultimate getaway, jewels in the state's tourism crown, but today many lie crumbling, overgrown and forgotten. Premier David Crisafulli says the decline can't continue. He's issued a stern warning to owners to either invest or lose their leases. David Crisafulli: It's pretty simple. They are assets that belong to the people of Queensland. They're a Queensland asset and I'm just not comfortable that in many cases international corporations come in, buy the rights, sit on it and just see an appreciation in its value without doing anything for Queenslanders. Kristy Sexton-McGrath: At the top of the government's list is Double Island near Cairns, once a celebrity hideaway. Now buildings are collapsing, pools clogged with sludge and weeds have taken over. Last year the Queensland government stripped the Hong Kong owner of the lease, converted the land to freehold and recently launched a lengthy expression of interest process to find the right buyer. The ABC understands more than 30 parties have shown interest, but the government wants someone with the funds and commitment to properly revive the island. Further south, Keswick Island off Mackay has long faced stall development and restricted public access, frustrating residents like Adrian Hayne. Adrian Hayne: This goes back probably more than 20 years. Based on a grand master plan that was released back in the 90s, a lot of people had bought land on the island with the promise that they would develop the island. There was supposed to be a marina, a jetty, resorts. Since then I think we've had four separate head leases take over the island and four failures. Kristy Sexton-McGrath: Island broker Hayley Manville says the interest in Queensland's tropical islands has never been higher. Hayley Manville: Billionaires, multi-millionaires, they're looking for some kind of tourism investment, but then you also have mixed interest from different groups like not-for-profit, be it wellness or a facility for rehabilitation. You get a lot of con artists. Kristy Sexton-McGrath: Businessman Christopher Morris, who's invested tens of millions of dollars reviving run-down resorts in North Queensland, say island ownership is no easy ride. He purchased Orpheus Island and then Pelorus Island off Townsville more than a decade ago and spent tens of millions of dollars redeveloping them. He agrees with the government's crackdown on shonky leaseholders but says not all islands are suited to resort development. Christopher Morris: There's some islands that basically should just stay national parks, right, and people can go and walk there and everything else can't, but there's a limit to how many islands you can support. Isabella Higgins: Businessman Christopher Morris ending that report by Kristy Sexton-McGrath. 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. Woodside is on a winning ticket. It's had the life of its massive gas project in Western Australia extended by 40 years. Today, Joe Lauder from the ABC's climate team on why the Albanese government has approved the extension, even though we're meant to be going renewal. Look for the ABC News Daily podcast on the ABC Listen app.
