The latest national news update from the National Indigenous Radio Service.
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 the 49-year-old NSW woman yesterday and she’s due to appear in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on September 19.
Jackson was charged by Taskforce Heracles, a joint Victoria and Australian Federal Police operation investigating matters arising from the Royal Commission into Trade Union Corruption and Governance.
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.
And if that’s narrowed down to Liberals only, she’s just the seventh woman.
She said female representation in federal and state parliaments was “woefully inadequate”.
Man arrested over Melbourne sex attack
A man has handed himself in over a sexual assault on a woman jogging in broad daylight on a busy Melbourne street.
The woman managed to snap a photograph of her alleged attacker, released by police yesterday. Last night a Collingwood man, 35, handed himself in to police.
The man was arrested and interviewed, but released without charge pending further investigations. Police say the woman was running on Queens Parade in North Fitzroy on August 17 when a man riding a bicycle allegedly blocked her path before chasing after her and sexually assaulting her.
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.
Vic man charged with Ralph the lamb theft
A man has been charged over the theft of a lamb from a Victorian animal park.
Ralph the lamb was stolen from the Big Goose animal park on the Mornington Peninsula on August 21.
A 21-year-old Moorooduc man has been charged with theft, handling stolen goods and animal cruelty.
