The latest national news update from the National Indigenous Radio Service.
Media reforms back in the spotlight
The Liberal Party is once again seeking to weaken media ownership laws, with a reform package to be reintroduced into parliament today after progress stalled due to the federal election.
The package includes scrapping the two-out-of-three rule which prevents a company controlling more than two of three radio, television and newspapers in an area.
The Turnbull government also wants to scrap the rule which prohibits a proprietor from controlling a TV licence that reaches more than 75 per cent of the population.
Kathy Jackson on theft, deception charges
Former Health Services Union boss and whistleblower Kathy Jackson is facing 70 theft and deception charges over allegations she misappropriated union funds.
Police charged Jackson, aged 49, yesterday. She’s due to appear in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on September 19.
An AFP spokesman said the charges relate to matters that had been aired during civil action against Jackson over her time at the HSU. Jackson declared bankruptcy last year and owes the HSU about $2.4 million following Federal Court action.
Lib senator says party needs more women
New Liberal senator Jane Hume has used her first speech to parliament to call on her party to lift its game in addressing the gender gap.
Of the 92 Victorian senators who have preceded her, Senator Hume is only the 13th woman, she told parliament yesterday. She said female representation in federal and state parliaments was “woefully inadequate”.
Two Qld armed robberies linked
Two late night robberies in which a man threatened victims with a knife in eastern Ipswich are believed to be linked.
About 10.40pm last night a 19-year-old woman was threatened by a man with a knife at an ATM in Goodna. He demanded she withdraw cash and then fled with the money on foot, according to police.
Another robbery occurred about 40 minutes later, less than a kilometre away, when a taxi driver was threatened with a knife by his male passenger and the man again fled on foot.
Three to face court over burnt body death
Three people are expected to appear in Beenleigh Magistrates Court this morning over the death of Logan woman Sabrina Bremer, whose badly burned remains were found on the side of a dirt road in far northern NSW.
A 28-year-old Woodridge man and a 27-year-old Kingston woman are facing charges of murder and interfering with a corpse, while a 38-year-old Wynnum man has been charged with being an accessory after the fact of murder, police say.
Ms Bremer’s body was found at North Tumbulgum on August 18, two days after she was last seen alive. The 34-year-old’s white Camry sedan was found in the Logan suburb of Woodridge, south of Brisbane, five days after her body was found, following a public tip-off.
Police say the car was last seen in the Logan area on the night of August 15.
Smokers face tougher laws in Queensland
Bus stops, taxi ranks and outdoor shopping malls will now be off-limits for smokers in Queensland.
From today, Queenslanders will have to be at least five metres from public transport waiting points such as bus stops, taxi ranks and ferry terminals.
There will be no smoking in outdoor pedestrian malls and public swimming pools and the buffer zone outside non-residential building entrances will be increased from four to five metres.
On February 1, 2017, smoking will be banned within 10 metres of campsites and public picnic facilities, toilet blocks, picnic tables, barbecues, jetties and boat ramps.
Woman allegedly used mobile in fatal crash
A woman driver is expected to front Rockhampton Magistrates Court later today over a crash in which she is alleged to have been looking at her mobile phone at the time her car struck and killed a motorcyclist.
The 26-year-old is facing a charge of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing grievous bodily harm.
The fatal accident occurred in June at Kabra, near Rockhampton.
