The latest national news update from the National Indigenous Radio Service.
Census privacy top priority: ABS
The head of the census has assured Australians their personal data will be subject to the highest security, as the nation prepares to fill out the national survey this evening.
It comes amid growing concern at the decision by the Australian Bureau of Statistics to retain information that identifies individuals.
All Australian households are required to complete the five-yearly snapshot tonight, although politicians including South Australian Senator Nick Xenophon say they’ll risk a fine over privacy concerns.
Census head Duncan Young told the Nine Network’s Today Show this morning that identifying information is kept separate from the census data, and so cannot be matched online.
About 24 million Australians are expected to be counted in tonight’s survey, and around three quarters of them will fill out their forms via the web, making it the nation’s largest ever online event.
Man to face court over WA murder
A Perth man will face court charged with the murder of mother-of-three Peta Fairhead.
Ross James Boag is the third man to be charged over Ms Fairhead’s death after she was dumped outside the emergency unit of Joondalup Hospital last week.
Mr Boag, aged 19, was arrested and charged yesterday with armed robbery, kidnapping and murder following a police manhunt.
It is alleged Boag and two others stormed a home in Perth’s north armed with a baseball bat and machete, and kidnapped and murdered Ms Fairhead and stole jewellery and methamphetamine. They are accused of pushing her out of a car with significant injuries and leaving her to die outside the hospital around 3.15am.
Boag is expected to appear in the Joondalup Magistrates Court later today.
Woman, kids hurt in Brisbane crash
A woman and two children have been injured, with an alleged car thief crashing into their vehicle and causing it to flip in Brisbane.
Police say a stolen ute hit the woman’s car in Fortitude Valley overnight, pushing it onto its side and into a taxi travelling beside it.
All three were taken to hospital but their injuries are not life threatening.
Police caught the alleged offender a short time later after the ute sped off and hit a power pole. The 27-year-old driver was also taken hospital but his injuries are not critical.
Right-wing Melb terror charges Aust first
A 31-year-old Melbourne man is set to become the nation’s first right-wing alleged terrorist to ever face an Australian court, accused of attempts to help spark a terrorist act.
Phillip Michael Galea will face Melbourne Magistrate’s Court later this morning, charged with collecting or making documents likely to facilitate a terrorist act; and planning or preparing for a terrorist act.
He was arrested after the Victorian Joint Counter Terrorism Team raided four properties, including Galea’s Braybrook home, on Saturday.
During a brief appearance in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Sunday, Galea claimed the charges against him were a conspiracy. He has been linked to anti-Islam groups and on social media has posted support for Reclaim Australia.
Kirby rejects gay marriage plebiscite
Australians should reject a national vote on same-sex marriage and instead demand politicians get to work, former High Court judge Michael Kirby says.
Mr Kirby, who has lived with his partner Johan since 1969, hopes the Senate will deny support for the unnecessary and expensive plebiscite.
Justice Kirby writes in The Australian today that elected politicians should get to work on what we the people elected them to do – decide on the law.
Search for missing man to continue
The search will resume today for a missing man who has spent two nights lost in bushland northwest of Sydney.
Police dogs, a helicopter and other search units will return to bushland near Wisemans Ferry at 9am on Tuesday in an attempt to find the 24-year-old, who disappeared during a campsite party with friends on Sunday.
Search units spent yesterday scouring bushland near the Wheelbarrow Ridge Road track in Lower Portland.
