The latest national news update from the National Indigenous Radio Service.
Probe into Sydney party death continues
Police want to speak to revellers at a Sydney house party which turned violent and left a teenager dead and six others injured.
Aidan Smith, 16, died in hospital in the early hours of Sunday morning after being stabbed when a fight broke out at a birthday celebration at a Ryde home, which was attended by about 50 people, police said.
Police were called to the home just after midnight and found six males, including Aidan, and a female with stab wounds. Another 16-year-old boy remains in a critical condition while three other boys, two aged 16 and one aged 17, and an 18-year-old female were taken to hospital with cuts.
Local police Superintendent John Duncan urged people who left the party when the fight erupted to contact Crime Stoppers.
Woman assaulted at knife point in NSW
Police are appealing for the public’s help in identifying a man who allegedly sexually assaulted a woman at knifepoint in the Lake Macquarie area.
The 25-year-old woman was grabbed from behind at Speers Point at 7.30pm on Sunday night, before being threatened with a knife and assaulted, police said.
The man is described as having a skinny build, wearing white shoes a dark blue jumper and dark pants.
VIC: Teen to face Vic court over Ratten death
A teenager who admitted his driving caused the death of Cooper Ratten, the son of Hawthorn assistant coach Brett Ratten, will face a pre-sentence hearing.
The 18-year-old, who was 17 at the time of the smash, pleaded guilty to one count of culpable driving causing death over the fatal Yarra Glen smash last year. Police have alleged he was drunk and on ecstasy while behind the wheel, and reached speeds of up to 132km/h.
Mr Ratten, 16, was flung from the car after it came off the road and rolled. He died on the way to hospital. The teen will face the Victorian County Court later today.
Jury still out for Ryther accused
A Queensland jury is set to continue deliberating its verdict for a man accused of raping and murdering a pregnant McDonald’s worker.
Andrew Michael Burke, 21, has pleaded not guilty to the rape and murder of Joan Ryther on May 21, 2013, as well as killing her unborn child.
A Brisbane Supreme Court jury retired at about 11am on Friday to consider his fate after receiving Justice Debra Mullins’ summing up.
Jurors will resume their deliberations this morning, having heard Mrs Ryther, who was eight weeks pregnant when she died, was raped with an object likely to be a screwdriver and left to die in the yard of a Logan Central property.
Diabetics should put paleo on hold: expert
People with type 2 diabetes should ditch the paleo diet until there’s substantial clinical evidence supporting its health benefits, warns the head of the Australian Diabetes Society.
In a paper for the latest issue of the Australian Medical Journal, Associate Professor Sof Andrikopoulos recommends people with type 2 diabetes seek advice from their GPs, registered dietitians and diabetes organisations.
The controversial paleo diet, followed by many high profile people including celebrity chef Pete Evans, advocates a high consumption of meat and cuts out whole grains and dairy, which is problematic because it may forgo important sources of fibre and calcium.
The Dietitians Association of Australia supports the warning, saying any credible dietary advice should be evidence based.
About 3000 new Aussies due ahead of census
About 3000 newborn Australians are expected to arrive in time to be counted in Tuesday night’s census.
Census boss Duncan Young said 24 million people will complete the national snapshot with more than two-thirds of Australians expected to fill it out online, which the government says will save $100 million.
Elderly residents last week jammed the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ phone lines over fears they would be fined $180 a day if they didn’t receive paper forms – which are still available – and return them on time.
Privacy groups have also raised concerns over the new policy of retaining private data for four years.