The latest national news update from the National Indigenous Radio Service.
Vic court to rule on rape sentence
The Victorian Court of Appeal will decide this morning whether to increase the sentence of a man who kept a Dutch backpacker prisoner in a Melbourne hotel room and brutalised her over a six-week period.
Alfio Anthony Granata, 47, raped and tortured his 21-year-old victim her after she agreed to join him and his girlfriend in the Preston hotel in October 2012.
After he was jailed for a maximum of 17 years last year, the director of public prosecutions launched an appeal, saying the jail term was inadequate because it did not reflect the gravity of the offending.
Throughout the period of offending he repeatedly beat, raped, stomped on his victim and told her she would die, even scratching an “X” into her forehead and telling her she was “marked for death” for betraying him.
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.
Abbott hits out at NSW Liberal lobbyists
Former prime minister Tony Abbott has taken a swipe at lobbyists he says are acting as powerbrokers within the NSW Liberal Party.
Without actually making direct allegations of corrupt behaviour, Mr Abbott has warned that the state party is now easily controlled by factional heads.
Mr Abbott says the small group of lobbyists, who don’t have formal positions within the party, act as powerbrokers and caucus regularly.
Mr Abbott foreshadowed he would be pushing for party pre-selection reform on election night. His successor Malcolm Turnbull was last year met with laughter when he told members at the NSW state council the party was not ruled by factions.
Weapons, cash found in Qld raid
Weapons, cash and drug-related chemicals have allegedly been found at a Gold Coast property.
A 38-year-old man was arrested in a raid at the Tallai premises on Sunday and will face Southport Magistrates Court later today.
He’s facing charges including unlawful possession of weapons and possessing dangerous drugs.
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.
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.