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ABC News
4 days ago
- Health
- ABC News
Ukraine carries out audacious attack deep in Russia
Woman's voice: ABC Listen, podcasts, radio, news, music and more. Isabella Higgins: Good morning, welcome to AM. It's Monday the 2nd of June. I'm Isabella Higgins coming to you from Gadigal Land in Sydney. Dubbed Operation Spider Web, a strike deep into the heart of Russia that could shift the strategic balance of the war in Ukraine. Ukrainian drones struck a number of airbases, destroying dozens of aircraft worth billions of dollars. And it comes on the eve of peace talks. Let's get more on this from Europe Bureau Chief, Mazoe Ford. Mazoe, what do we know about this Ukrainian operation? Mazoe Ford: Good morning, Isabella. This operation was codenamed Spider's Web. It took a year and a half to plan and it was one of Kyiv's most audacious attacks on Russia so far. It was personally overseen by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President, and it was all done without the knowledge of the United States. These Ukrainian drones attacked four airfields from the west of Russia to Moscow and even reaching the Far East, thousands of kilometres from Ukraine. And Ukraine claims to have damaged or destroyed 40 Russian warplanes. This is interesting because the drones were smuggled into Russia. They were loaded onto trucks and driven to locations near the airbases before being launched remotely. And drones have, of course, struck inside Russia and attacked aircraft before, but never on this scale. Russia says it's repelled most of the attacks and has detained some of the people involved. But Isabella, the Kremlin will be fuming about this because it's highly embarrassing. They always claim to be the stronger country militarily and yet Ukraine has managed to sneak in and do this. Isabella Higgins: And Mazoe, this comes ahead of more peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul later today. What chance do they have? Mazoe Ford: Well, after a weekend of fighting on both sides, the Russians continued to attack Ukraine with its drones and 472 went across on Saturday night local time, the largest number in a single night. So with that and with these Ukrainian strikes into Russia, you've got to imagine that going into these talks, the sides are going to be very prickly with one another. The Russians have touched down in Istanbul and they've not yet said what their terms are for this second round of talks in the past month. Ukraine is on the way. It says it's repeated its call for a complete and unconditional ceasefire, the release of prisoners and a return of the abducted children. But both sides are going to be back in this room on Monday afternoon local time, but they still enter it very, very far apart. Isabella Higgins: Europe Bureau Chief Mazoe Ford reporting there. Now, more on this from Cedric Leighton, a military analyst and retired US Air Force colonel. Thanks for joining us. Just how significant are these attacks on airbases inside Russia? Cedric Leighton: Oh, they are quite significant, Isabella. One of the key aspects of this is the distance involved between the Ukrainian border and some of these airbases, including one of them, which is near Irkutsk, the Belaya Air Base. It's about 4,000 kilometers away from the Ukrainian border. That shows that the Ukrainians have basically been able to penetrate the Russian logistics system. They've been able to move these drones into Russia using various surreptitious means. It kind of evokes memories of World War II, where Churchill directed the special operations executive in the UK to turn Europe ablaze, basically. And the Ukrainians are trying to do that with the Russian bomber force. And they seem to at least have partially succeeded at this point. Isabella Higgins: Is it shocking just how deep inside Russian territory they were able to carry out these attacks? Cedric Leighton: It is, because one of the key aspects of this is that the Russians at least give the impression that they are able to control their borders, that they're able to control their airspace. They were able to really do none of that effectively in this particular case. And when it comes to Operation Spider's Web, as they're calling this, it's pretty clear that the Ukrainians were able to penetrate the Russian defences on several levels. And that is very significant. Isabella Higgins: And how does this look for Russia, having those weaknesses exposed? Cedric Leighton: It's very much an embarrassment for the Russian leadership. And, you know, it's also very much an embarrassment for the Russian military. They often concentrate their aircraft in certain specific areas, especially far away from the front. These aircraft that were reportedly hit include aircraft that would be used to deliver cruise missiles, such as Kinzhal missiles and other missiles that the Russians have in their inventory to Ukrainian targets. And hitting these aircraft and putting them out of commission, at least for a certain period of time, is a very, very significant aspect to this. And it really does show that the Russians did not defend their assets adequately. Isabella Higgins: And Cedric, we just heard there's another round of peace talks due to take place in Istanbul later today. Does this put Ukraine in a stronger position? Cedric Leighton: I think it definitely does, assuming that the Russians are going to continue with the talks. And that will also be a signal if the Russians decide to continue with the talks. They obviously see a need to reach some kind of an accommodation with the Ukrainians. If they do not decide to continue with the talks, that could show that they are, you know, believe that they have a stronger position than many outside observers think they have. And it's also, I think, a very key indicator for whether or not there'll be some kind of an agreement, at least for a ceasefire in the near term. That is, of course, a questionable endeavor, given the conflict, how long it's gone and the attitudes on both sides. Isabella Higgins: Just a final question. Is a ceasefire really on the table at these talks? Cedric Leighton: I'm very sceptical. I would love to see a cessation to the hostilities, but a cessation with Ukraine being in a position where it can maintain its sovereignty. And it does seem as if the Russians, Russian leadership is trying very hard to keep these, the conflict going and to keep these talks kind of percolating at a low level. But they're trying to do this in a way that allows Russia to not only maintain its strengths, but perhaps gain more territory. And if the Russians don't do that, they will find themselves in a position of some weakness at this point. Isabella Higgins: Cedric Leighton, thank you very much for your insights and joining us on AM. Cedric Leighton: You bet, Isabella, anytime. Isabella Higgins: That's Cedric Leighton, a military analyst and retired US Air Force Colonel. Four days. That's how long a mental health patient at one of the country's busiest emergency departments waited for treatment, according to figures seen by Four Corners. Doctors have revealed they felt pressured to discharge people in severe mental health crisis before they're ready. The program has uncovered a serious deterioration of mental health services in New South Wales. Avani Dias reports. Avani Dias: At Sydney's Westmead Hospital, a corridor has become a makeshift waiting room, where people dealing with some of the most severe mental illnesses wait on chairs and sleep on the floor. Mental health nurse Teaghanne Sarina says conditions are getting worse. Teaghanne Sarina: We've seen an influx of patient presentations and an inability to provide bed spaces for them, leading to longer wait times in emergency departments and in the hospital. Avani Dias: Four Corners has seen internal figures showing mental health patients facing consistently long wait times at Westmead ED. In April, a 45-year-old woman with suicidal thoughts waited more than two days to be treated. Later that month, on one day, two men had been waiting more than 80 hours, and a man with schizoaffective disorder was waiting 93 hours. That's almost four days. Dr Anu Kataria: So when I walk into the ward and there's somebody who's come to me who's been like that waiting four days, they're probably worse off than when they first came through the door of the hospital, because they are not only unwell, they are now angry and confused. Avani Dias: That's psychiatrist Dr Anu Kataria, who resigned from the country's largest mental health hospital, Cumberland, in January. Did you feel there was a pressure to discharge people before they were ready to leave? Dr Anu Kataria: Yes. We often would reach work and at half past eight in the morning get a text message saying that the ED is backed up, Westmead ED is backed up, please discharge. It was real, it was constant. Avani Dias: Scores of psychiatrists resigned this year protesting these conditions, like Dr Suzy Goodison from Sydney's largest hospital, the Royal Prince Alfred. She saw many mental health patients leave before they could be helped, like a man with schizophrenia. Isabella Higgins: He was walking around with a loaded nail gun in public. It becomes a moral injury when I can't deliver that care to keep either individuals safe or the community safe. And it's another Bondi Junction waiting to happen. Avani Dias: Leading psychiatrists like Professor Gordon Parker, who started the Black Dog Institute, are meeting with the state government, urging it to act. Prof Gordon Parker: The New South Wales mental health system is in deep, deep trouble. Avani Dias: If nothing changes, what's the risk for people dealing with a mental health crisis? Prof Gordon Parker: There will be insufficient beds and if not insufficient beds, insufficient psychiatrists to handle those acute situations. Avani Dias: The state's mental health minister, Rose Jackson, declined an interview. New South Wales Health said patients are not discharged if it's not clinically appropriate, adding we will never turn people away. Isabella Higgins: Avani Dias reporting and you can watch Four Corners tonight at 8.30pm on ABC TV or on iView. If this story has raised concerns for you or anyone you know, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14. New research has uncovered shocking accounts of vulnerable workers employed on temporary visas hiding pregnancies and even attempting home abortions. The incidents involved workers employed through the Federal Government's Pacific Labor Mobility Scheme which is designed to address the skills shortage. Here's National Regional Affairs reporter Lucy Barbour and a warning her report contains disturbing content. Lucy Barbour: Some migrant workers are going to desperate measures to end their pregnancies. Tukini Tavui: We've come across such scenarios where they've attempted abortion. In one case it was actually in the field where they were working. There've also been cases that's done at home of ways and I couldn't even talk about. Lucy Barbour: Takini Tavui is the President of the Pacific Island Council of South Australia. He's not surprised by the scenarios highlighted in a new report from the Australian National University's Lindy Kanan. Lindy Kanan: I was told that people were using, drinking certain substances to try to terminate the pregnancy or using physical means. Lucy Barbour: Lindy Kanan has spoken with dozens of migrant workers, employers and health and support workers about the Pacific Australia Labor Mobility Scheme known as PAM. Under the program, approved Australian employers engage workers from the Pacific and Timor-Leste to work on farms and in meat processors and aged care facilities. Lindy Kanan: You know a number of employers that I spoke to saying, you know, we didn't know she was pregnant until she went into labour on the packing room floor. Lucy Barbour: Sex and pregnancy outside of marriage remain taboo in many Pacific Island cultures. Lindy Kanan says women felt ashamed if they'd fallen pregnant out of wedlock or through an extramarital affair. Lindy Kanan: I found at least seven cases on one field trip that I went to, to one regional town where women had basically run away after finding out that they were pregnant and were basically in a more precarious situation because of that. Lucy Barbour: Workers often live in close quarters. Lindy Kanan says that can have consequences. Lindy Kanan: It was very common to hear about male Palm participants using alcohol, knocking on the doors of women's accommodation at night and sexual assaults happening as a result of that situation. Lucy Barbour: Trudi Beck is a GP obstetrician. She publicly advertises abortions at her clinic in Wagga Wagga in south-east New South Wales. She estimates a quarter of her patients seeking terminations are migrant workers. Trudi Beck: I think it's probably a combination of many things that Australians don't really want to talk about. Things like abortion, racism and probably exploitation of Pacific neighbours. Lucy Barbour: Dr Beck says migrant workers are choosing abortion because they don't want to risk their jobs or being sent home. And patients can end up paying thousands of dollars for reproductive care because they don't have Medicare or health insurance that covers pregnancy and birth. Trudi Beck: This particular cohort is a group of patients that are so disadvantaged that delivering compassionate evidence-based care within the confines of the current system is virtually impossible. Lucy Barbour: The research found some employers did provide support for pregnant workers but many were unsure of their obligations. Isabella Higgins: Lucy Barbour and Cath McAloon with that report. Hospitals in Gaza have been flooded with the dead and injured after Hamas accused Israeli forces of opening fire at aid distribution sites in the territory. Palestinian health authorities say at least 31 people were killed and dozens more injured. But the organisation running the aid sites and the Israeli Defence Force are denying civilians were fired upon, instead blaming Hamas for creating chaos. From Jerusalem, here's Middle East correspondent Matthew Doran. Matthew Doran: On Saturday night, Palestinians started making the trek south, desperate to get their hands on aid after three months of an Israeli blockade. Among them was Ikram Nasser and her family. Ikram Nasser: We stayed hidden all night because if a plane or tank spotted you, they would open fire. Matthew Doran: An Israeli drone broadcast a message on loudspeaker that the Rafa aid site would open at 6am Sunday morning and that there were plenty of supplies to go around, but Palestinians needed to be disciplined and wait. After a sleepless night, Ikram says they were prepared for Sunday morning. Ikram Nasser: When the drone told us to enter, we entered. We had not even walked 200 metres. As soon as we were 200 metres away, soldiers surrounded us and they started firing at us. From this side, the other, all around. People were like sheep. Matthew Doran: Ikram says ambulances were stopped from entering the area to retrieve the dead and injured. So people gathered bodies on trolleys, usually used to cart garbage. Many were taken to field hospitals, including the International Red Cross facility in Rafa, which says it was the highest number of patients wounded by weapons staff had seen there since opening over a year ago. Dr Marwan Al-Hams is Gaza's director of field hospitals. Dr Marwan Al-Hams: The shots were aimed at the upper body, head, neck and chest. It seems IDF is sending a clear message to the hungry. We will kill you from the sky with planes and missiles, or on the ground through starvation and attacks in the aid distribution centres. Matthew Doran: But the Israel Defence Forces says it wasn't involved, labelling the claims as Hamas lies and releasing video from an Israeli drone it says shows armed gunmen opening fire on civilians. The ABC hasn't been able to independently verify the vision. IDF spokesman Effie Defrin is accusing Hamas of trying to undermine Israel's efforts to distribute aid to the population. Effie Defrin: Hamas is doing its best, is almost to stop us from doing so. He is spreading rumours, fake news. He is trying bluntly and violently to stop the people of Gaza from reaching those distribution centres. I urge you not to believe every rumour spread by Hamas. Matthew Doran: The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, the US and Israeli backed organisation running the aid distribution points, has released security camera vision it says backs up that assessment. And while the mute video does not appear to show any gunfire causing deaths and injuries, what it does depict is incredible desperation. Ikram Nasser says the entire incident has scarred her emotionally. Ikram Nasser: I feel I am born again today. I will never ever go to these distributions again. I'd rather starve to death. I have no flour, no sugar, I have no food, nothing, no formula for my son, yet I will not go anymore. Matthew Doran: And she's still searching for two brothers, missing amidst the chaos. This is Matthew Doran in Jerusalem, reporting for AM. Australia's most successful football coach, Ange Postecoglou, has declared his coaching career is far from over, despite rumours he could soon be sacked. In an exclusive interview with Australian Story, the first ever Aussie to manage an English Premier League team has vowed to win more trophies. Europe correspondent Elias Clure filed this report from Athens. Elias Clure: The picturesque beaches of southern Greece are where Ange Postecoglou and his family escape the all-consuming vacuum of the English Premier League. Ange Postecoglou: Our go-to destination is Greece. Obviously my background, my wife's background, and it's probably the one place in the world I feel I can relax. Elias Clure: Postecoglou is speaking to the ABC exclusively after the Australian led Tottenham Hotspur to its first European title in 41 years. Ange Postecoglou: Right now I'm content to sit in the glow of what we've achieved. Elias Clure: The achievement is unprecedented. Ange Postecoglou is the first Australian to ever coach in the English Premier League, and now he's the first Aussie to lead a side to a major European trophy. Ange Postecoglou: Against the backdrop of any sort of doubt, it's when I'm at my best because I love pushing through that stuff. So, like I said, an opportunity to convince more that I haven't got here by accident. Elias Clure: But as he soaks in the European sun and basks in the glory of his recent triumph, the unrelenting football tabloids in England continue to speculate over whether Aussie Ange will lose his job. Spurs won the Europa League trophy but finished 17th in the Premier League, one of their worst-ever results. Does it sometimes bemuse you, the sort of English football milieu, how intense they are? I mean, you won a trophy and there's still a sort of, you know, baying for blood kind of thing. Ange Postecoglou: It's just part of, you know, the environment you're in and if anything I think there should be more of it. Elias Clure: After his victory, Ange Postecoglou made it clear he's got more to give. Here he is making a rousing speech to Tottenham faithful during the European Cup celebrations. Ange Postecoglou: I'll tell you something, I'll leave you with this. All the best for television series. Season three is better than season two. Elias Clure: We asked him what he meant by those comments. Ange Postecoglou: When I spoke about season three, like I said, it's just about being aspirational. It's about, you know, this feeling we had in season two. Can we top it? And I see no reason why you can't and that's what you should be seeking to do. Elias Clure: The 59-year-old says regardless of what happens, his football journey is far from over. Ange Postecoglou: I've got no doubt in my mind that there'll be more stories to tell, more trophies that have been won and that's how I think about life, that's how I think about what I do and that's what I'm focused on. Elias Clure: This is Elias Clure in Athens reporting for AM. Isabella Higgins: And you can see Ange Postecoglou's full exclusive interview with the ABC tonight on Australian Story at 8pm. And that's AM for today. Thanks for your company. I'm Isabella Higgins. Sam Hawley: Hi, I'm Sam Hawley, host of the ABC News Daily Podcast. In New South Wales, psychiatrists are quitting in droves, leaving a system they say is broken. And they're now speaking out amid fears it could lead to another Bondi Junction-style attack where innocent people are killed or injured. Today, Avani Dias on her investigation into a mental health system in desperate need of repair. Look for the ABC News Daily Podcast on the ABC Listen app.
ABC News
28-05-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Drugs a factor in Liverpool car attack
Sabra Lane: Good morning, welcome to AM. It's Wednesday the 28th of May. I'm Sabra Lane, coming to you from Nipaluna/Hobart. Sabra Lane: British police suspect the 53-year-old man they've arrested for driving his car through a crowd of football fans in Liverpool was under the influence of drugs. Eleven victims remain in hospital with serious injuries. More than 50 people had to be treated for their injuries. They'd been celebrating Liverpool's Premier League victory in the city centre. Europe correspondent, Mazoe Ford, reports from Liverpool. Mazoe Ford : Confetti still covers much of the parade route. The rubbish is yet to be cleared. The parade and Liverpool FC signs hang from the buildings. All reminders there was a huge party here before everything changed in an instant. These streets are now a crime scene. Police are collecting evidence. And those who were celebrating on Monday have been walking by the police tape in disbelief. Marie O'Brien : You just think of all these things that happen all over the world and you never think you're going to be in the middle of something like this. Mazoe Ford : Marie O'Brien from Ireland travelled to Liverpool for the parade with her husband Peter, son Paul and 11-year-old grandson Danny. She told AM they were in the path of the car which rammed the crowd. Marie O'Brien : People were just pushing us to one side because this car was coming at us. It was the ordinary people that just saved everybody. It would have been worse. Mazoe Ford : Eleven-year-old Danny was just one of many children there. Danny O'Brien: There was loads of people running. They pushed, grabbed me and pushed me to the side. And I just saw the car and I didn't know what was going on. I was just kind of shocked after it. I didn't really understand what was going on until after the whole thing. Mazoe Ford : Melbourne man Corey Judd, who also travelled to Liverpool for the celebrations, was about 200 metres from the incident as it unfolded. He told AM the mood of the day changed immediately. Corey Judd: Everyone was just in such a great mood and welcoming of people from other countries and stuff. So to hear it, it was just like, it felt like such a dampener on everything that had happened. So yeah, no, it was horrible. Mazoe Ford : In all, 50 people have been treated in hospital. Eleven remain there, but all are in a stable condition. Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims from the Merseyside Police says her team now knows how the car made it onto the closed-off parade route. Chief Constable Jenny Sims : It is believed the driver of the Ford Galaxy car involved in this incident was able to follow an ambulance onto Water Street after the roadblock was temporarily lifted so that the ambulance crew could attend to a member of the public who was having a suspected heart attack. Mazoe Ford : Police also say they believe the driver was under the influence of drugs. Detective Superintendent Karen Jaundrill. Detective Super intendent Karen Jaundrill: We have arrested a 53-year-old man from West Derby on suspicion of attempted murder, dangerous driving offences and driving whilst unfit through drugs. He remains in custody where he is being interviewed. Mazoe Ford : Police are releasing as many details as they can to try to counter misinformation spreading online and in the community. But they haven't yet said anything about why this may have happened. And that's the question people here are asking most. This is Mazoe Ford in Liverpool, reporting for AM. Sabra Lane: Private contractors delivering aid to Gazans had to evacuate their distribution sites because they were mobbed by desperate people. This had been the start of a new Israeli-designed system to deliver food, replacing existing humanitarian agencies with a private company. Aid agencies have condemned it as inadequate and dangerous. Middle East correspondent Eric Tlozek reports. Eric Tlozek : Footage showed thousands of people overrunning the aid distribution site in Rafah in southern Gaza. The desperate Palestinians had rushed from across the strip for their first chance to get food in weeks. Afaf al Syed came with her family. Afaf al Syed : People are hungry, people are in need. I am one of them. I hope they get aid every day for the people. Eric Tlozek : Aid agencies say Gazans have been pushed to the brink of starvation by Israel's decision to block food from entering the territory in early March. In recent days, the Israeli military has let a small amount of food enter, but most people are still desperate and hungry. Mohammed Afana was one of those who got an aid package. Mohammad Afana : I can feed my children for a week with all of that. Look, there's rice. One kilo of rice costs 80 shekels. Sugar is 170 shekels. That's 90 shekels over there. Such a shame. Look, look, there's fava beans. When my children see that, they'll be happy. Eric Tlozek : The aid's being delivered by a private company staffed by former soldiers and managed by a newly formed group called the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. It hasn't revealed where its funding comes from. In a statement, the group acknowledged its staff withdrew from a distribution site when it was mobbed by desperate Gazans. It says normal delivery resumed afterwards and will continue today. Etaf Abutir was one of the people who ran inside. Etaf Abu Tear : They opened the gates and people rushed in. Everybody rushed. They all went. We've been displaced. We're hungry. I'm an old woman. Eric Tlozek : The Israeli military denied reports it had fired on the crowd, saying soldiers had fired warning shots. The scenes highlighted some of the fears expressed by the established aid agencies already working in Gaza. They've condemned the new plan, saying it breaches humanitarian principles and won't be able to meet the huge needs. Bushra Khalidi, the Palestinian Territory's policy lead for the humanitarian organisation Oxfam, says the new agency can't replace existing networks that have helped Gazans for decades. Bushra Khalidi: How are you going to set up something that is going to serve 2.1 million people who are on the brink of starvation, who are desperate, and meet their daily needs overnight, basically. That's what they're telling us. That sounds like magic. This is not a solution. It's a distraction from the root problem. Eric Tlozek : Israel's government and military say the new system isolates the militant group Hamas, which they accuse of diverting aid. But the United Nations and other agencies are worried Israel could use its control of aid to achieve military goals. Bushra Khalidi says the implementation of this plan will have dire consequences for future humanitarian missions. Bushra Khalidi: We are basically turning aid into a tool of control. Sabra Lane: Oxfam's Bushra Khalidi ending that report from Eric Tlozek Sabra Lane: King Charles has opened Canada's Parliament. He's the head of state there, like he is here, but it's been the first time in nearly 70 years that the Sovereign's given the opening address. He said democracy, pluralism, the rule of law, self-determination and freedom were values the Canadian government would aim to protect. It's all viewed as criticism of Canada's neighbour, US President Donald Trump, who's repeatedly threatened to annex the country. North America correspondent Lauren Day reports. Lauren Day : With a military band, a horse-drawn carriage and a royal salute, it was a Canadian welcome fit for a king. King Charles: This is my 20th visit to Canada, spread over the course of more than half a century and my first as Sovereign. As I've said before, every time I come to Canada, a little more of Canada seeps into my bloodstream and from there straight to my heart. Lauren Day : But this was no ordinary visit. New Prime Minister Mark Carney invited the monarch to Canada after Donald Trump's repeated threats to make his northern neighbour the 51st state of America. And the speech from the throne, written by the Prime Minister's office, had a clear but subtle message. The country already has a king. King Charles: Today, Canada faces another critical moment. Democracy, pluralism, the rule of law, self-determination and freedom are values which Canadians hold dear and ones which the government is determined to protect. Lauren Day : Amid the diplomatic tensions and escalating trade war with the United States, King Charles spoke about Canadians feeling anxious and worried. King Charles: Yet this moment is also an incredible opportunity. A confident Canada can seize this opportunity by recognising that all Canadians can give themselves far more than any foreign power on any continent can ever take away. And that by staying true to Canadian values, Canada can build new alliances and a new economy that serves all Canadians. Lauren Day : While Canadians are indifferent to the monarchy, the King's speech wasn't necessarily for them or the members of Parliament who sat to hear it. President Trump has been a long-time fan of the royal family and Prime Minister Mark Carney will be hoping that wheeling out the King will put a lid on his escalating rhetoric. Mark Carney: It was a very successful visit, a good reminder of the strength of Canadian institutions. Lauren Day : The monarch closed his speech by quoting the country's national anthem to a standing ovation. King Charles: As the anthem reminds us, the true north is indeed strong and free. Lauren Day : This is Lauren Day in Washington reporting for AM. Sabra Lane: Australians are being warned about gaining early access to their superannuation to pay for urgent medical and dental treatment after clinics run by a New South Wales company were placed into administration. It appears more than 400 patients have handed over more than $2 million for treatment at one clinic, with none of the promised treatment delivered. Some patients have drained their super accounts and now have no teeth. National Health reporter Elise Worthington has this exclusive story. Elise Worthington : Single mum of four, Melinda Amourous, was losing teeth and struggling with her self-confidence when she visited a supercare dental and cosmetics clinic near Newcastle in 2022. She was quoted $48,000 for dental implants and offered help to apply to the ATO to access her superannuation. Melinda Amourous : I literally jumped at the chance because I was losing teeth and it was starting to affect my self-confidence a bit and also ability to chew and things. Elise Worthington : She had all her teeth extracted and spent months without teeth, chasing the clinic for appointments to have her implants installed. When they finally were, she was shocked by what she received. Speaker 4: The denture that I'm wearing, my stick-on denture, actually snapped clean in half and I had to stick it together with super glue, my $48,000 over denture. Elise Worthington : For years, she's been trying to get the company to repair the work, but has been plagued by staff turnover. Speaker 4: 26 months in at this stage, 28 months now, sitting here now, supercare dental are not coming anywhere near me. Elise Worthington : It turns out she's not alone. The clinic she used, Supercare Dental and Cosmetics in Kotara, along with the company's Tuggerah clinic and a related entity, were placed into voluntary administration last month. A preliminary report issued to creditors reveals between the two clinics, there's more than 400 patients owed more than $2.1 million in incomplete dental work. The ABC has spoken to more than a dozen patients and former dentists at the practices, who say it's likely much of that money came from patients' superannuation accounts, something the company actively promotes. Supercare Dental advertisement: You can use your super for an excellent dental treatment. Witness a dental experience like no other. Supercare Dental and Cosmetics. Elise Worthington : Early access to super is supposed to only be used to treat a life-threatening illness or injury, or to alleviate acute or chronic pain. Xavier O'Halloran is the CEO of Superannuation Consumers Australia. Xavier O'Halloran : Yeah, I think the promotion of these kind of early release schemes leave a lot to be desired, and I don't think the promoters have the best interests of consumers at heart. Elise Worthington : Last financial year, Australians withdrew over half a billion dollars of their superannuation to pay for dental work through the ATO's Compassionate Early Release Program. That figure's more than tripled over the last three years, with financial advisors warning it can cost a lot more than expected when using super to pay for dental work, especially when paying up front. Xavier O'Halloran : Be aware of tax implications. There could be a tax of around 22% taken out of the balance that you withdraw. That means you may have to take out more than the actual surgery, which again can really impact your retirement outcomes as well. Sabra Lane: Xavier O'Halloran from the Superannuation Consumers Australia Group, ending Elise Worthington's report. And last night, the New South Wales Supreme Court ordered one of the entities under administration be wound up and a liquidator appointed. Supercare Dental and Cosmetics didn't respond to our requests for comment. Sabra Lane: Farmers on the New South Wales Mid North Coast and Hunter regions are calling for more Federal Government support including assistance packages and more people to help with the clean up and recovery. The Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited the region yesterday and announced extra help. Alison Xiao reports from Taree. Christine George : When you look back up the paddock and everything after that third fence is gone. Alison Xiao: On Taree's south west, much of the farmland has been reduced to a muddy bog. Christine George is a farmer here and runs a small cattle farm. Christine George : You know there's water, it was like up to here. Alison Xiao: About your head height? Christine George : Yeah about my head height, like I'm 173 and it was about my head height. Alison Xiao: About a quarter of her property is still underwater which is slowly receding. Christine George : My cows are looking longingly at getting out of the little paddock they're in but they've got nowhere to go. It's just all mud and no feed. Alison Xiao: Her house has been gutted with help from the Rural Fire Service and now sits empty with mud residue still on the walls. Christine George : It's just destroyed. I think the only clean thing in the place is the bath. Alison Xiao: The recovery from the devastating New South Wales floods that hit hundreds of kilometres along the east coast of the state is daunting for Christine George. Christine George : My father died three weeks ago and it was his farm. I'm sort of glad that he wasn't here to see this devastation. Alison Xiao: Seventy Defence Force personnel arrived in the flood affected region yesterday. Christine George hasn't seen them yet but is eager for their helping hands and their machinery. Christine George : I am so keen to see the ADF and the Rural Fire stay here and help with some of this debris and I think everyone else is too because it is overwhelming. Alison Xiao: The federal and state governments are pledging their help. Locals who've lost work in 19 flood affected areas will be eligible to apply for 13 weeks of income support. Residents in nine areas including Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie and Nambucca Heads who have had significant property damage or lost a loved one can receive a one-off $1,000 payment. Anthony Albanese: How long have you been here for? Milton Johnston: I'm 74 and I've lived here all my life. Alison Xiao: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was in Taree yesterday announcing the new measures where he met with dairy farmer Milton Johnston. Alison Xiao: Was there anything in particular you said to him that you want him to remember? Milton Johnston: Look, I just said look I think Australia is reasonably generous to overseas countries and maybe it's time that we just put that on pause and we looked after Australians. There's a lot of livelihoods here at State, a lot of people in Tare, business houses, you know, who knows, who's going to start up, who's not going to start up again. Alison Xiao: And as he unloads hay donated by a local sports club, Milton Johnston is conscious more assistance will be needed. Milton Johnston: We're very hopeful that there will be a substantial amount of help. It is a natural disaster. Let's hope that there will be substantial packages come from both State and Federal Governments. Sabra Lane: Dairy farmer Milton Johnston ending that report from Alison Xiao. Sabra Lane: When Australia's Reserve Bank cut official interest rates last week, it did so because it was partly worried about the risk of a severe downside scenario for global trade. Economists say that risk has just increased with a steep fall in the value of the US dollar that we might all feel the fallout. Business correspondent David Taylor explains. David Taylor : The US dollar, the world's reserve currency, is flirting with a three-year low and its steep decline has veteran economist Saul Eslake worried. Saul Eslake : The reason for the decline in the US dollar is that financial markets are becoming increasingly apprehensive about a number of aspects of the US economy as a result of things that the Trump regime is doing. David Taylor : That apprehension is also showing up in higher long-term US interest rates, including the 30-year government bond rate, now roughly 5%. Saul Eslake : I mean, apprehension is probably putting it at its mildest. In some quarters, there is, if not panic, then certainly alarm. David Taylor : The distress relates to the connection between elevated long-term bond interest rates and the rising cost of millions of American mortgages. Saul Eslake : And with the 30-year bond yield in the US now higher than at any time since before the global financial crisis, that means that mortgage rates are going up. David Taylor : This, he says, could seriously harm the world's biggest economy. Australian mortgage borrowers on fixed interest rate loans, Saul Eslake says, are also in the firing line. Saul Eslake : Fixed rates for mortgages and for business loans, the longer out you go, the more influenced they are by US government bond yields. David Taylor : The falling US dollar, analysts say, is also pushing the Australian dollar higher. While that's good news for Australian travellers, FN Arena's Danielle Ecuyer says it's a risk for anyone holding US investments, and that includes Australians with superannuation. Danielle Ecuyer : We know that a lot of Australian investors have been piling into US stocks. And this is just one of the aspects of, I think, probably where people go, well, that's great. US assets are going up. But the problem is the US dollar is going down. So in Australian currency times, you're not doing as well. David Taylor : Saul Eslake sees the financial dangers for the US economy rising. That's because, he says, the cost of US government debt is higher than America's economic growth rate, which he points out can make servicing government debt incredibly challenging. Saul Eslake : And at its most extreme example, that's what happened to Greece 13 years ago. David Taylor : Official inflation data will be released later today, which, if low enough, could open the door to some additional relief for Australian mortgage borrowers on variable interest rates. Sabra Lane: And that's AM for today. Thanks for your company, I'm Sabra Lane.
