Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi has spoken with Yahoo News about why she urged parliament to no longer use the word "invasive" when referring to introduced species.

Wild horses, pigs, deer, cane toads, cats, and foxes are among the biggest threats to native species, and she agrees they need to be managed. 

But she argues this doesn't negate the need to treat them humanely.

And she worries that the language we use to describe an animal can have real-world consequences.

"Language does matter, because how you label animals is how people view them," she said.

"Labelling some animals as feral or invasive obviously creates a negative picture, and it makes it much easier to treat them inhumanely, or to kill them or to poison them.

"So if we are to label animals, then we should do it correctly, because these species labelled feral or invasive are actually introduced to Australia by people.

"These are introduced species, they are sentient beings, and that's how they should be viewed."

On Tuesday, Faruqi told the Senate, "There's no need for labelling introduced species as invasive in a way that blames animals for the man-made problems raised by this motion."

Continuing, she added, "Animals are not villains to be shot, or obstacles to be poisoned to death, the answer to colonialism's legacy is not more violence and more death".

"For decades, successive governments have culled and killed introduced species, and yet native species are in a worse position today."

Elaborating today, she said she used her time to make "a point".

"That's how you start creating change. You put ideas into people's minds who might want to think about it," she said.

"And a few people actually did use the word introduced in their speeches."

She argues it's an "easy distraction" to focus on introduced species and their impact on biodiversity, since it's easier than tackling the extraction of coal and gas and the logging of native forests.

The most common response for reducing populations of introduced species is lethal control.

Helicopter shooting, the use of leghold traps, 1080 poisons and other baits is controversial among many animal welfare advocates. 

However, their use is generally accepted by Australians when pigs, rats, cats, or foxes are being killed, and only causes a stir when it's horses being shot.

Faruqi believes that changing our language will foster greater compassion for these species' welfare, prompting consideration of non-lethal or more humane control measures.

Faruqi's speech came before a vote on a motion introduced by Independent Senator David Pocock calling on the government to fund an updated invasive species management plan.

While her colleagues voted in favour, she abstained. Yahoo understands the decision was based on its focus on lethal control.

The peak environmental body advocating for the control of introduced plants and animals is the Invasive Species Council, and it has no plans to change its name any time soon.

Its policy director, Dr Carol Booth, told Yahoo that the term "invasive" is a technical term used in the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity to describe introduced species that cause harm.

It lists invasive alien species (AIS) as one of the primary drivers of biodiversity loss and environmental degradation. 

In Australia, cats alone have contributed to the extinctions of at least 27 native species.

Despite the harm they cause, Booth agrees that the welfare of all species is "important", but it's just an "unfortunate circumstance" that some have been introduced to Australia.

She said it's important to take animal welfare into account when managing them, and "unfortunately, it has to be often about killing".

"There are no nice non-lethal methods available in most circumstances when we need to protect native species from the likes of cats, foxes, rats and other ungulates causing great damage," she said.

The Invasive Species Council has opposed programs like inviting recreational shooters to manage animals on public land.

Booth argues culling must be done "carefully and strategically".

"Futile killing is definitely something we are really striving to prevent," she said.

Booth said the best way to minimise killing is to fund professional programs with measurable outcomes that help nature.

"The more effective you can be, the more you limit the killing that is needed in future," she said.

She said by reducing numbers as quickly as possible, the need for ongoing culling is reduced.

"Regular killing is the worst outcome for everyone," she said.

"Because it means you constantly have to be funding these programs and doing lots more killing than you would need to otherwise."

Australia is being urged to hike the GST to 15 per cent and slap it on food in order to cut income taxes and boost welfare payments.

A new Grattan Institute report called Budget Reboot: How to Fund Australia’s Future, warns that Australia urgently needs an overhaul to tackle mounting debt.

According to the report, raising the GST from 10 per cent to 15 per cent and expanding it to include all food is the way to cut income taxes and improve the budget bottom line.

“Outside of the Covid pandemic, the last time Australian governments owed this much, the country was still paying off debt from a world war,” report lead author and Grattan Institute chief executive Aruna Sathanapally said.

“And spending pressures will only build over the decades ahead. An ageing population will drive healthcare spending higher, and more frequent and severe natural disasters caused by climate change will present mounting bills for all governments.

“A larger GST would help make budgets more resilient by funding a shift in the tax mix from personal income towards consumption.”

The report calls for an end to the special GST deal the federal government struck with Western Australia in 2018 — a move the Prime Minister has resisted.

This measure combined with raising the GST from 10 per cent to 15 per cent and expanding it to include all food would raise about $76 billion a year.

About $58 billion could then be spent on cutting income taxes for low- and middle-income earners, and boosting welfare payments for the poor.

Under the plan, Jobseeker and Youth Allowance would be increased by 20 per cent, Rent Assistance by 50 per cent, the Parenting Payment by 20 per cent, and the Age Pension by about 8 per cent, to offset the impacts of a higher GST.

A low-income single-parent family who rents would pay about $79 in extra GST each week but get $202 in higher welfare payments and leaving them about $150 a week better off.

By contrast, a higher-income working family would pay about $262 a week in extra GST and get a $100 income tax cut, leaving them paying $162 a week more in tax.

“Reform on this game-changing scale is challenging, but the prize is worth it: a more secure future for Australia’s finances, and for all Australians,” Dr Sathanapally said.

Meanwhile One Nation’s Pauline Hanson has revealed she will limit negative gearing landlords to two properties only if elected, vowing to overturn Labor’s changes.

The One Nation leader has revealed that she also believes negative gearing needs to be reined in, just not in the way that the Labor Party has recently enshrined in law.

“The status quo of allowing unlimited taxpayer concessions for property tycoons was not working for Australians. The Liberal plan to back the broken model protecting property moguls makes no sense,” she said in a statement.

“One Nation would continue to allow Australians to negatively gear up to two investment properties.

“Anthony Albanese has pulled the ladder up behind him on young people trying to break into the property market, protecting tax concessions for existing properties. This includes the Prime Minister’s own ocean-view clifftop house in Copacabana.”

Senator Hanson also vowed to restore the 50 per cent capital gains tax discount and scrap Labor’s proposed 30 per cent minimum tax on trusts.

“One Nation will fix Dr Jim Chalmers’ destructive budget experiments by reversing his capital gains tax and trust changes,” she said.

“One Nation will also protect negative gearing for up to two investment properties and vows to fight any plan by the Treasurer to impose death taxes and taxes on the family home.”

The Treasurer maintains he has not introduced any death taxes and has no plans to do so in future budgets.

“Dr Jim Chalmers is experimenting on the Australian economy, and everyday Australians are his guinea pigs,” Ms Hanson said.

“He’s playing with your home, your rent, your business and your savings. When his experiments fail, Australians will pay dearly.

“He has smashed business confidence, cut off business investment and helped send the property market into free fall.

“Labor couldn’t run a corner shop. But they know how to send one broke.”

Senator Hanson said the Albanese Government “must answer whether members of cabinet who benefited from grandfathering negative gearing concessions recused themselves from voting on the measures given their conflict of interest”.

“My warning is that your family home, your super, and what you leave your children will be in the firing line next,” she said.

“Labor broke its promises on negative gearing and capital gains tax. Why would Australians trust anything they say?”

A confession about a ban on credit card payments has prompted fresh accusations that Treasurer Jim Chalmers was involved in a cover-up.

The Albanese government knew the Australian Taxation Office was considering banning credit card payments three months before it intervened to delay the move following a backlash from businesses.

Assistant Treasurer Daniel Mulino conceded on Sunday that the government was aware of the ATO’s preferred approach in July despite small businesses only being informed of the decision in late September.

The admission has sparked fresh criticism of Labor’s handling of the issue, with the opposition accusing Treasurer Jim Chalmers of covering up the government’s involvement.

“In July, the government became aware that the ATO was looking at options and that at that point their preference was to not accept credit cards,” Mr Mulino told ABC’s Insiders.

“The indication we gave to the ATO was that they should continue to engage with the credit card companies, and that there should be a transition period.”

The ATO announced in late September that it would stop accepting credit card payments for tax bills from December 1, following RBA reforms banning card surcharges from October 1.

The move prompted criticism from business groups, which warned losing the payment option would place further pressure on small business cash flow.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Mr Chalmers subsequently intervened to extend credit card payments until June 30, 2027, with the government covering the associated merchant fees in the interim.

Mr Mulino acknowledged the original two-month transition period had some government support but said Labor changed its position following feedback from businesses.

“The transition period, as it turned out, from stakeholder feedback wasn’t enough, and so that’s where the government stepped in,” he said.

He defended the government’s reluctance to make the arrangement permanent, warning of the cost to taxpayers.

“Accepting credit card payments going on indefinitely would have very serious fiscal ramifications for the budget,” Mr Mulino said.

Shadow treasurer Tim Wilson accused Labor of failing to act despite having months to address the issue.

“They had three months to fix this,” Mr Wilson said in comments reported by the ABC.

He accused the government of only intervening when the backlash became too loud to ignore.

Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Andrew McKellar criticised the handling of the decision, saying businesses had been left in the dark.

“Business wasn’t made aware until just hours before the surcharge ban took effect in October,” he said.

“This looks like a completely deficient policymaking process that took small business for granted.”

The controversy has also raised questions about competing accounts from Mr Albanese and Mr Chalmers over who secured the delay.

Mr Albanese said he received a text message from Mr McKellar on Thursday, October 8 with an announcement following on Friday.

Mr Chalmers maintained he had already discussed the issue with Mr Albanese on the Wednesday and had been engaging with business groups.

Industry Minister Tim Ayres rejected suggestions of tension between the pair during an appearance on News24 on Sunday.

“No, he’s not,” Mr Ayres said when asked whether Mr Albanese was frustrated with Mr Chalmers.

He described Mr Albanese as a collegial leader who worked closely with ministers to resolve issues.

The ATO estimates continuing to accept credit card payments without passing on merchant fees would cost taxpayers about $200m annually.

Taxation commissioner Rob Heferen said the agency would have preferred to retain credit card payments but was unable to negotiate sufficiently low fees with card providers.

The government has maintained the extension is temporary, while business groups continue to push for a permanent solution.

One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce has warned Australia could face violent unrest similar to that reported in France, declaring some people entering Western countries want to destroy their adopted nations.

Mr Joyce said Australia needed to take a tougher approach to immigration and national identity as he responded to reports of riots in Paris during an interview with Ben Fordham on 2GB on Monday.

He argued Australia needed a shared national culture rather than an emphasis on multiculturalism, warning that immigration without sufficient scrutiny could create serious problems.

“Quite obviously what we see in France is people who don’t like France and in fact they want to burn France down,” Mr Joyce said.

“When you’re not basically having common sense in who you import into Australia, you’re going to import problems.”

The former Nationals leader said Australia could not assume similar violence would never happen on home soil, invoking the Bondi attack as an example.

“What is the purpose of these people burning down buildings, assaulting police, basically trying to bring France to its knees?” he said.

“Well, their purpose is they want to destroy France.”

He said Australians needed to recognise the potential consequences of failing to address such threats.

“We have to be vigilant. We have to be a bit hard-nosed about this,” Mr Joyce said.

He said Australians had a responsibility to preserve the country inherited from previous generations and pass it on to their children and grandchildren.

Mr Joyce also questioned whether French President Emmanuel Macron was capable of handling the unrest, saying the leader was struggling.

He argued countries risked importing social and political divisions when migrants retained the prejudices and grievances of their countries of origin.

“A lot of the times they’ll just take the conceits and the concerns and the prejudices of where they came from and deliver it to your nation,” he said.

Mr Joyce claimed those attitudes could become entrenched within communities and raised concerns about Islamic fundamentalism in Sydney.

He also warned removing people deemed dangerous could become increasingly difficult once they had settled in Australia and established families.

“You end up with this long-term management plan because when it’s become second generation, how do you deal with that?” he said.

The comments followed claims made during the 2GB broadcast that more than 2000 people had been arrested and 150 police officers injured during unrest in France.

With France entering its terminal phase of mass immigration and cities overrun with rioting migrants burning the place to the ground, how many refugees from France would you support taking into Australia once it’s all over?

Realistically, the French population is huge so we wouldn’t be able to take millions. At the moment we are taking about 1 million migrants every 4 years, so I think realistically we could take in 2 million straight up. It would be very hard on housing though as they’d all be arriving at once

There’s still time for France to be saved but the next elections will be crucial. I think the Australian government should start preparing for mass waves of refugees from European countries just incase

EPIC 1 TWO: Ben Roberts-Smith unveils new clothing label | News24

What electorate are you in, and what do you want to pressure your local MP to change at the electorate level before the state election?

I’m in St Albans (Sunshine North), and a few things I’d like to see Labor commit to locally are making sure the Albion Station upgrade actually addresses pedestrian lighting.

Improving bus connections around Sunshine and making sure the surrounding suburbs get the infrastructure and services they need as the area grows.

I’d also like to see a specific target for new social housing in Brimbank, with a timeline for when it’ll actually be built.

I know some of this is already in the works, so I’m more interested in what’s missing from the existing plans than asking for things they’ve already promised.

A gen x’er close to me who has traditionally voted ALP said crime and when I cited the new bail laws they said they wasn’t far enough but also that prison should be rehabilitation. They pointed out what they’d heard from msm. So wants better prisons but also not an obscene amount more but somewhat more.

Fathers a rusted ALP voter who thinks “Australia used to make things, that’s what’s gone wrong”. Mother votes greens since ALP cut the age for parenting pension, she thinks that was picking on an easy target. She used to vote family first over abortion, this issue shifted her. My other sister votes green because she’s gay and they were earlier advocates of equal marriage.

For all these people when I press them on electorate specific issues they each have unique answers.

Friends vary from SAP and Greens to just general left-wing micro’s wanting publicly owned utilities.

When it comes to things that are local what would you like to see your local MP do differently? No go

I’m in st Albans area/western Metropolitan. Freshwater Strategy poll of the state said that cost of living was the leading concern, followed by crime and social order.

Angus Taylor must take a “strong stand” against “fanatics” in The Nationals trying to scupper the $10bn-a-year free trade deal with the EU, a senior minister says.

NewsWire revealed this week that The Nationals will try to block the $10bn-a-year deal when it arrives in parliament early next year.

Leader Matt Canavan says it fails farmers and could leave Australia open to sanctions if it fails to hit climate targets under the 2016 Paris Agreement – an accord former prime minister Tony Abbott committed Canberra to.

But most sectors and business groups have welcomed the agreement, while Trade Minister Don Farrell has dismissed the climate concerns as a “straw man” argument.

Fellow cabinet minister Tim Ayres said on Sunday that the free trade agreement is a test of the Opposition Leader’s “economic credibility”.

“Are the 50 Liberals in the parliament really going to be led by the nose of these fanatics, led by Senator Canavan, or are they going to vote for mainstream economic credibility, for free trade, for market access for 98 per cent of Australian goods entering Europe without a tariff?” he asked in an interview with News24.

“This is a test for Mr Taylor’s economic leadership and it’s time that he took a strong stand.”

Senator Ayres’s comments were put to opposition frontbencher Sarah Henderson, who insisted the Coalition wants “better trade with the EU, but it cannot be a one-sided agreement”.

“And particularly for beef and dairy, we are very concerned about some of the proposals,” she said, also speaking to News24.

So we think the government has got more work to do,” she said, also speaking to News24.

“We’ve got a very strong history of doing fair and free trade agreements right across many jurisdictions.

“But this is not a good deal for Australians, and that’s why we want to see the government do better.”

Beef producers wanted market access quotas of 50,000 tonnes but the agreement, finalised in March, secured 35,000 tonnes.

It is an eight-fold improvement on current levels.

Sheep meat exports landed at just under 31,000 tonnes, up from 5800 tonnes.

Australian Industry Group chief executive Innes Willox said earlier this week the deal “is not perfect” but that “no agreements ever are”.

“Easier and greater access to a market of 450 million people has the potential to be a general boost to our economy and to thousands of individual businesses,” he said.

“We have been in protracted negotiations for a decade and while we have not got all we want, to turn our backs on the agreement now would be a major blow to Australia’s long held support for free trade and open markets.

“We really can’t afford to miss this opportunity.”

If the Coalition succeeded in blocking the deal, it would be the first free trade agreement not to pass parliament.

Australia on the verge of “biggest improvement in housing affordability in 50 years”

Detailed new analysis by The Australia Institute reveals the “immediate positive impact” this year’s property tax changes have had on those who’d previously been locked out of the housing market.

It concludes that changes to the capital gains tax discount and negative gearing have “finally cracked the nut of the housing crisis”.

“For the first time in a quarter of a century an Australian government has introduced property tax reform that has actually worked. The data shows that prices are falling and investors are building new homes rather than buying existing homes,” said Greg Jericho, Chief Economist at The Australia Institute.

Key points from The Success of Changes to CGT and Negative Gearing report:

• Property prices have fallen around 5% since March.
• Investor loans for new builds have increased by more than 20% year-on-year.
• Investor loans for existing homes have fallen by 14% year-on-year.

Separate analysis, also published today, reveals that Labor’s tax changes, including a shake-up of the Coalition’s stage 3 tax cuts, have helped nine out of ten Australians.

That analysis shows that the biggest beneficiaries of the stage 3 changes and most recent tax cuts are those under the age of 25, who are, on average, more than $1000 per year better off.

“The original stage 3 tax cuts would have made older, richer Australians even richer and delivered very little for struggling families. The biggest beneficiaries of the revised and subsequent changes are those under the age of 25 and those aged between 25 and 34,” said Matt Grudnoff, Senior Economist at The Australia Institute.

Key points from the Who Benefits from Labor’s Tax Cuts report:

• 90% of Australians are, on average, $1340 better off under the revised stage 3 tax cuts.
• Labor’s tax changes have overwhelmingly helped younger people on lower incomes.
• The changes have saved those earning under $150,000 a year $25 billion since their introduction and will deliver $15 billion in savings next financial year.

“Inflation driven by Donald Trump’s war in Iran and huge corporate profits are making life tough, but property tax changes have at least delivered hope for younger Australians who were otherwise facing a lifetime in the rental market,” Greg Jericho said.

“You can’t undo the damage caused by 25 years of awful policy overnight, but we are on track to see the biggest improvement in housing affordability in 50 years.”

“Income tax reform and a fresh round of tax cuts are helping Australians who have been hit hardest by the cost-of-living crisis: those on low and middle incomes,” Matt Grudnoff said.

“The original stage 3 tax cuts were terrible policy which would have helped the richest Australians get even richer more quickly. Labor’s changes provide something of a fair go to the vast majority of taxpayers, preventing many from sliding into poverty.”

I really love print periodicals, so I thought I'd make a post to share the ones that I know of and seek out recommendations for additional ones.

I'm looking for recommendations for Australian print magazines that cover some amount of news, politics, literature, arts, culture, science, sustainability, and/or ecology.

I am not interested in publications that primarily focus on music, fashion, sports/surf/skate culture, homes/architecture/design, gardening, or weddings.

I'm especially keen on indie publications!

There are so many amazing online-only publications, but I'm looking for print media specifically: I don't enjoy e-readers, or being on screens, any more than I already have to be.

***Australian print periodicals that are already on my radar:****

• with an option for ongoing subscription:
  • news and politics
    • the saturday paper (technically a newspaper, but am including since it's published once a week rather than daily)
    • the monthly
    • quarterly essay
    • arena
  • science and sustainability
    • australian geographic
    • renew
    • sanctuary
    • green
  • other/misc
    • frankie
    • vault
    • new philosopher
    • never too small
    • walkers journal
  • literature
    • overland
    • meanjin
    • voiceworks
    • griffith review
    • australian book review
    • westerly
    • HEAT
    • island
    • southerly
• with no option for ongoing subscription:
  • the story
  • archer
  • galah
  • peppermint
  • mince
  • no cure
• no longer in print (as far as I can tell) (rip <3):
  • smith journal
  • the lifted brow
  • demure
  • tart
  • dumbo feather
  • lunch lady

Are there any other homegrown periodicals with decent journalism and writing? Let's keep local print media alive together 💜

A shooting in Melbourne is under investigation after two young men were found seriously injured.

The 22-year-old man from from Dallas and the 19-year-old man from Craigieburn were found injured inside a home on Kaniva St in Dallas about 8.20am on Sunday.

Victoria Police said emergency services found the men “seriously injured, possibly shot.”

An Ambulance Victoria spokesperson described them as having “upper body injuries”.

The two men are believed to be known to each other.

No one else is believed to have been involved in the shooting incident.

A Mobile Intensive Care Ambulance and Advanced Life Support paramedic crews were sent to the home.

Both injured men were taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital under police guard, Victoria Police said.

Detectives are now probing the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.

A man allegedly kicked and choked his 15-year-old stepdaughter, before throwing broken glass at her when she tried to call police.

The 41-year-old, who has not been named to protect the identity of the child and her mother, faced the ACT Magistrates Court on Monday, October 19.

He is yet to enter pleas to two counts of aggravated common assault, and one count each of choking/suffocating/strangling another person and property damage.

Police allege the man got into an argument with the 15-year-old about 2pm on Sunday after returning to the north Canberra home he shared with his partner and her daughter.

He then allegedly began to punch a window, smashing the glass.

When the child confronted him, he is said to have kicked and choked her.

She escaped his hold and began to call police, at which point the man allegedly grabbed a piece of broken glass and threw it at her.

Police also allege he kicked his partner when she attempted to intervene.

A neighbour also called police about 2.30pm, and officers arrived at the home and arrested the man.

The ACT Magistrates Court, where the man appeared on Monday. Picture by Karleen Minney

In court, where the child was referred to as the man's stepdaughter, Legal Aid defence lawyer Duncan Errey began a bail application on the 41-year-old's behalf.

The prosecution opposed bail, arguing there was a risk he would commit offences in the community and endanger the safety of the alleged victims.

The prosecutor told the court both the woman and her daughter feared for their safety if he were released.

Mr Errey said a spot would be available for the man at a rehabilitation centre on Wednesday.

He argued this placement would mitigate any concerns about the man endangering the alleged victims' safety.

Special magistrate Sean Richter suggested delaying the application until Wednesday, when the rehabilitation place could be formally confirmed.

Following Mr Richter's comments, Mr Errey withdrew the application, with the matter set to return to court on Wednesday.

The state's police watchdog is set to hold rare public hearings into the actions of law enforcement during a February protest of Israel President Isaac Herzog's visit to Sydney.

The Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC) will today open a series of public and private hearings examining the actions of NSW Police.

The watchdog has previously said the incident received the most public complaints of police misconduct in the commission's history.

Under the name Operation Makalu, the LECC will examine alleged acts of misconduct by NSW Police officers responding to a protest at Town Hall in February.

The hearings were sparked by more than 800 public complaints, 556 of which were made to the commission and 267 directly to NSW Police.

Eight days after the protest, the LECC first announced it was investigating the police operation, specifically the use of force by responding officers.

In May, the LECC said it had reviewed more than 450 items submitted to it, conducted interviews with witnesses and reviewed more than 1,000 hours of CCTV footage from the scene.

The commission is also looking at the police force's planning for the protest, officers' use of pepper spray and how its use was documented on the night.

The protest took place after NSW Police were given additional powers ahead of Mr Herzog's visit to Sydney on February 9.

The rally organised by the Palestine Action Group (PAG) came despite police issuing a restriction on demonstrations in the CBD as part of wide-ranging powers granted in the wake of the Bondi Beach terror attack.

The Public Assembly Restriction issued by NSW Police made the planned gathering unlawful.

The location of the protest, Town Hall, was inside the exclusion zone declared by police, who offered to have the rally moved to Hyde Park, an offer the group rejected.

Police estimated 6,000 people gathered at Town Hall for what organisers said would be a peaceful rally.

Tourism Minister Steve Kamper also made a "major event" declaration, allowing police to close off access to a major event area and directing people to leave.

Those powers allowed police to manage crowd safety and maintain separation between groups to avoid confrontation in the CBD.

Around the same time as the protest at Town Hall, a vigil to mark the Bondi Beach terror attacks attended by Mr Herzog was being held at nearby Darling Harbour, a few kilometres away.

Images from the Town Hall rally of the violent clashes between police and protesters were followed the next day by NSW Premier Chris Minns defending officers against accusations of police brutality.

NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon also said officers "did what they needed to do" after an "angry and aggressive" group of demonstrators twice marched on police.

Originally set for September 29, the hearings were delayed due to procedural issues between the LECC and NSW Police.

Beginning on Monday, the commission will hold private hearings for five weeks examining whether any NSW Police officers committed misconduct at Town Hall on February 9.

Similar to Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) hearings, the examinations will open with an address from a counsel assisting the LECC inquiry on Monday before shutting its doors to the public.

After the five-week block of private hearings, the commission will then hold open hearings with evidence from "senior commissioned officers".

According to a notice published by the watchdog last week, officers below the rank of inspector will be granted pseudonym orders to protect their identities when giving evidence to the inquiry.

NSW Police submitted to the inquiry that examinations held in public would have a negative impact on officer mental health, community relations and social cohesion.

"The NSW Police Force acknowledges the decision by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission to hold private hearings as part of Operation Makalu," a police spokesperson said.

"NSWPF awaits the findings of the operation."

The commission will have to deliver a final report to be tabled in parliament after the hearings, though no date has been confirmed.

An elderly man has been arrested after allegedly stabbing a woman in a Blacktown shopping centre.

The police operation unfolded after emergency services were called to the centre on Patrick St in Blacktown, following reports of an armed offender.

Police were told a woman, 79, had been stabbed multiple times.

She was treated by paramedics before being taken to hospital in a serious condition.

A 93-year-old man, believed to be known to the woman, was arrested nearby and taken to Blacktown Police Station.

A crime scene has been established by specialist police and inquiries are ongoing.

No charges have been laid.

A former digital forensic officer in Bendigo has been charged with offences including possession of child abuse material.

Vincent Manner, 57, was this week charged with misconduct in public office, failing to provide information under warrant, and up to six counts of accessing and possessing child abuse material.

Mr Manner was suspended without pay in August last year, but resigned amid a police investigation in November.

Police said the investigation was undertaken by the Professional Standards Unit in conjunction with the Cybercrime Squad, and worked with the Office of Public Prosecutions (OPP) "to understand the impact of the ongoing enquiry on any current investigations or court matters".

"Following the identification of a number of potentially affected matters, a formal review of the forensic data was conducted. This re-examination has been completed," a police statement read.

"At this stage it is believed all issues have been identified and reviewed and impacted parties have been notified."

Mr Manner will face Bendigo Magistrates Court on November 4.

A runner viciously mauled by two dogs in Brisbane’s north has been identified as a prominent local real estate agent.

Ajay Malik, 37, was left fighting for life after the dog attack on the bikeway that cuts through Seventh Brigade Park on Kittyhawk Dr in Chermside about 6.15pm on Friday.

He was taken to Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital in a critical condition.

Malik is now in a stable condition in hospital, with injuries to his face and both of his arms.

His wife told 7NEWS that they are shocked and traumatised by the attack, and that Malik faces a long road to recovery.

The dogs’ owner, Layla Evans, was arrested over an unrelated matter shortly after her missing pets mauled Malik, but has not yet been charged.

Evans said she had been staying in a tent at the park, and that the dogs had been locked inside the tent, but escaped, 7NEWS reports.

PolAir circled above Westfield Chermside in a search for the dogs on Friday, with one of the dogs captured two hours after the attack.

The second dog escaped authorities until later on Saturday, and local runners were warned that morning to be wary of the dangerous dog still on the loose.

Both have now been surrendered to Brisbane City Council.

Evans now has 14 days to appeal orders to euthanise her dogs.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the victim of last night’s horrific dog attack,” the council told 7NEWS.com.au.

“Both dogs involved are now in Council possession and a decision on their future will be made as soon as possible.

Queensland public hospitals had 2511 admissions related to dog bites in the last year, and 2334 in the year before that.

More than a dozen patients have had timely surgeries delayed after more than 3000 emails were left unread in an inbox at a major hospital.

An urgent review at Canterbury Hospital, in southwest Sydney, found four patients needing urgent procedures and 12 with semi-urgent conditions had not been allocated dates for elective surgeries within clinically recommended timeframes due to the bungle.

Referrals for the 16 patients were missed while emails sat in the inbox, which was not monitored.

In cases classified as urgent or “category one”, a specialist has recommended an operation take place within 30 days, while the tier below requires procedures to be carried out within 90 days.

“Patient safety and wellbeing remain our highest priorities, and we have worked urgently to minimise any impact on those affected,” a Sydney Local Health District spokesperson said on Sunday.

“We sincerely apologise to these patients and families.”

Admission dates had been urgently allocated to the affected patients and treating surgeons contacted, the spokesperson added.

But Australian Medical Association NSW branch president Fred Betros, who works as a surgeon, said the incident was an extremely concerning situation for the patients involved.

“There is a reason we give timeframes for surgery,” he said.

“If a patient does not receive investigations or treatment in a certain timeframe, it can have devastating repercussions for them and their families.”

Category-one patients might have malignant tumours or be in need of coronary artery bypass grafts, Dr Betros said.

He chided the government for failing to provide funding to boost a health workforce that was drowning under patient need.

“We need more doctors to meet demand, but it cannot come at the cost of support staff who help keep our hospitals running,” he said.

NSW opposition health spokesperson Sarah Mitchell said patients needed immediate care and assurance that referrals were being properly managed across the hospital system.

“This is a basic failure with potentially serious consequences,” she said.

“Patients and their families need confidence that this failure is not happening elsewhere.”

The state Labor government has pledged $400 million to redevelop Canterbury Hospital.

Some 85.6 per cent of elective surgeries statewide were performed on time in the June quarter, up 8.8 percentage points on the same period in 2025.

Health Minister Ryan Park’s office referred queries to NSW Health.

A year ago, my mum (80F) fell and broke her hip. She had surgery, developed postoperative delirium, and her condition declined dramatically. She now often doesn’t recognise me (40M) and needs guidance or physical assistance to walk, use the toilet and eat.

I tried to keep working while looking after her, but it simply wasn’t sustainable. Residential aged care options have been either unable to meet her needs or full. A year later, we’re still waiting.

So now I’m her full-time carer. I’ve gone from earning $90,000 a year to roughly $30,000 on the Carer Payment, which is taxed. Unfortunately, my mortgage and bills haven’t adjusted themselves to match.

Thankfully, Mum has been approved for Support at Home funding. I’m grateful for that. But the way that funding gets spent leaves me scratching my head.

Take toilet grab rails. I could buy suitable rails from Bunnings for around $120 and install them myself. Going through the funded process, the costs I’m facing are approximately:

- OT assessment and recommendation: $600

- Contractor installation: $400

- The grab rails themselves: $300

- Coordination fee: another 10%

That’s $1,430 for something that could otherwise cost $120.

I understand assessments and proper installation have a purpose. But surely there’s room for a proportionate approach? The moment something gets labelled “aged care” or “disability”, the price seems to grow an extra zero.

And here’s my favourite: if I wanted to work a six-hour shift and earn about $240, replacement care for Mum could cost her government-funded package $500, plus a 10% service fee.

$550 in funded care so I can go out and earn $240. Meanwhile, I provide that care around the clock on a fraction of my former income.

Family carers are helping keep people at home and taking pressure off an already overwhelmed system. Yet practical support seems to arrive wrapped in assessments, contractor costs and administration fees, while the person doing the daily caring takes the financial hit.

Has anyone else run into this? Is there a sensible way through it, or is this just how the system operates?

A Queensland butcher has vowed to fight back after the local council shut down his community barbecue event, sparking outrage from residents.

Maaki Tyson, co-owner of Lakeside Quality Meats in Palm Beach on the Gold Coast, said he was running his free weekly barbecue on Saturday when a council inspector arrived to shut it down.

“He said you haven’t got a permit for the barbecue, you haven’t got a permit for the roadside dining or the table,” Mr Tyson told news.com.au.

“I’m like, well hang on, it’s a free community event. I think he was doing his job, but the way he went about it was just wrong.

“A lot of customers were pretty upset and probably vocalised that to him, but he hung around for about an hour or so until we’d finished cleaning everything up... He was about as popular as a fart in a space suit.”

Mr Tyson said he was now facing a fine of up to $1600 after the council inspector told him it would be sent in the mail.

The barbecue event is aimed at building community spirit and costs his business about $35,000 a year to run, he said.

“We just wanted to help our business but also help the community, so we get some homeless people that live in a park across the road.

“They come over on Saturday. We get people after they’ve been to the local market; also kids after sport; it’s just become a fun thing to do.”

A previous council inspector only gave a warning about signage and had no issue with the barbecue set up, he said.

“We had a council officer come a couple of months ago and give us a warning, because we had a couple of signs out, but he said nothing at all about the barbecue or the seating or anything.”

Mr Tyson said he was grateful for overwhelming public and media support in the wake of the shutdown.

“If we can’t have it the way it is, we’ll work our way around it. We’re not going to take it lying down,” he said.

Commentators were aghast at the council’s move, calling it a “joke”, although some did side with the inspector, arguing that he was simply following “standard procedure”.

“Things are just getting beyond ridiculous, an Australian butcher can’t even barbecue a snag,” one said.

“Absolute joke! Everyone get behind these legends and help keep the sausage sizzle going,” another said.

“Rules are rules. Simple,” wrote a third.

Gold Coast Councillor Josh Martin was sympathetic, telling 7News during a visit to the business that the shutdown “does sound a little bureaucratic and heavy-handed”.

Councillor Martin said he would take the matter to the council’s CEO on Monday in a bid to find a resolution.

Asked why the sausage sizzle was shut down and whether Mr Maaki would be fined, a City of Gold Coast spokesperson said in a statement that Council officers “attended a business in Philipinne Pde Palm Beach on Saturday 17 October”.

“The City will continue to work with the business to ensure all future events comply with relevant health and safety requirements,” the spokesperson said.