Jennifer Feller
There's a fear that follows Sue-Yen Luiten as she cycles through the Mekong Delta with hundreds of DNA kits in tow. What if her birth parents have been looking for her and it's too late? Mon 26 May Mon 26 May Mon 26 May 2025 at 6:07am
Polarising politician Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price is rising up the political ranks after helping defeat the Voice referendum. The former singer and TV host reveals the private pain that shaped her views and why she's unapologetic. Tue 11 Feb Tue 11 Feb Tue 11 Feb 2025 at 1:23am
Controversial senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price could become the next Minister for Indigenous Australians. She says tragedy and trauma shaped her views. Sat 8 Feb Sat 8 Feb Sat 8 Feb 2025 at 11:30pm
A mysterious email. Shocking revelations. And the ultimate betrayal. How teacher Hannah Grundy was forced to become her own detective to unmask a sick cyber criminal whose identity she couldn't believe. Mon 14 Oct Mon 14 Oct Mon 14 Oct 2024 at 9:35am
Anna Coutts-Trotter was a teenager doing well at school, living at home with supportive parents Tanya Plibersek and Michael Coutts-Trotter. But she was being abused by her then-boyfriend. Sun 21 Apr Sun 21 Apr Sun 21 Apr 2024 at 7:03pm
Anjali Sharma, 19, is taking her fight for a cleaner future direct to the lawmakers in federal parliament. Mon 11 Mar Mon 11 Mar Mon 11 Mar 2024 at 9:19am
What were you doing at 19? Anjali Sharma is trying to change the law. Meet the teenager taking the fight for her generation's future from the streets to the halls of parliament. Mon 11 Mar Mon 11 Mar Mon 11 Mar 2024 at 12:25am
Libbi Gorr talks about the notorious 'Chopper' interview, the identity crisis that followed and why, at the age of 58, she's embarking on a new adventure. Mon 6 Nov Mon 6 Nov Mon 6 Nov 2023 at 9:15am
Libbi Gorr shook up Australian television in the 1990s with her comic character Elle McFeast. A controversial interview saw her TV career tumble. This is how she found her way back. Sun 5 Nov Sun 5 Nov Sun 5 Nov 2023 at 7:01pm
From fashionista to farmer ... how seaweed science drove Sam Elsom's career change. Mon 2 Oct Mon 2 Oct Mon 2 Oct 2023 at 9:05am
Seaweed, cows and cutting-edge science: This is how Sam Elsom swapped fashion for farming to spearhead a revolutionary climate change solution. But he's facing a major obstacle. Tue 3 Oct Tue 3 Oct Tue 3 Oct 2023 at 12:03am
Continuing the story of the remarkable life of Valerie Taylor, the celebrated underwater filmmaker and shark conservationist. Mon 20 Mar Mon 20 Mar Mon 20 Mar 2023 at 11:03am
Shark legend Valerie Taylor and her latest fight to save our most feared predator. Mon 13 Mar Mon 13 Mar Mon 13 Mar 2023 at 9:35am
Remembering singing legend Judith Durham and the trailblazing band who put Australian music on the map. Mon 24 Oct Mon 24 Oct Mon 24 Oct 2022 at 9:28am
Lyn Dawson was missing for 40 years but her brother and sister never gave up hope. ABC's Australian Story goes behind the scenes as her siblings prepared for the outcome of her husband Chris Dawson's murder trial and digest the guilty verdict. Mon 5 Sep Mon 5 Sep Mon 5 Sep 2022 at 10:19am
The murder verdict that gripped the nation, Australian Story goes behind the scenes with Lyn Dawson's family
Thu 29 Sep Thu 29 Sep Thu 29 Sep 2022 at 7:45am
A devoted aunt investigates the mysterious death of her niece Amy Wensley, throwing doubt on the police case and exposing devastating investigative failures. Tue 5 Jul Tue 5 Jul Tue 5 Jul 2022 at 12:15am
Concluding the story about the mysterious death of Amy Wensley. As her family fights for justice, they discover a flawed police investigation and devastating forensic oversights. Fri 22 Jul Fri 22 Jul Fri 22 Jul 2022 at 1:33am
A devoted aunt investigates the mysterious death of her niece Amy Wensley, throwing doubt on the police case and exposing devastating investigative failures. Fri 22 Jul Fri 22 Jul Fri 22 Jul 2022 at 1:32am
Bank robber Russell Manser was destined for a life in prison before he discovered a new path by confronting his hidden trauma. Now he's working to help others seek justice for crimes long buried. Sun 29 May Sun 29 May Sun 29 May 2022 at 9:18pm
A notorious bank robber destined for a life in prison discovers a new path when he confronts his hidden trauma. Now he's assisting others to seek justice for crimes long buried, but it's been a rocky road to redemption. Fri 22 Jul Fri 22 Jul Fri 22 Jul 2022 at 12:15am
This is how an Australian family challenged a US policing system and its use of brutal force. But for Justine's Ruszczyk's family there is more to be done to ensure their daughter's "obscene" death was not in vain. Sun 7 Nov Sun 7 Nov Sun 7 Nov 2021 at 6:46pm
A Sydney family takes on the Minneapolis police department in a long-running court battle to hold officer Mohamed Noor accountable for the death of Justine Ruszczyk. Fri 12 Nov Fri 12 Nov Fri 12 Nov 2021 at 9:22am
When former international tennis player Louise Pleming met Brian Turton at a soup kitchen for the homeless, an extraordinary friendship developed and incredible events followed.
Mon 14 Jun Mon 14 Jun Mon 14 Jun 2021 at 2:16pm
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ABC News
25 minutes ago
- ABC News
Labor seeks to legislate to protect penalty rates for award workers
Workers employed under the award system could not have penalty or overtime rates bargained away under new government legislation to be introduced in the House of Representatives today. The bill is a response to a proposal from the retail employer lobby to allow some low-paid retail managers to opt out of those entitlements in exchange for a 35 per cent pay rise, a matter currently before the Fair Work umpire. The Albanese government took the unusual step of making a submission to Fair Work, arguing that pay loadings in awards were a safety net for low-paid workers and should be protected, and had foreshadowed legislation to override the matter. The bill would prevent Fair Work from varying any award to reduce or substitute either overtime or penalty rates, which Workplace Relations Minister Amanda Rishworth said would protect the "safety net" for Australia's 2.6 million award workers, roughly one in every five of the total number employed. "Hard-working Australians rely on penalty rates and overtime rates to keep their heads above water, which is why this bill is so critical," she said. The award system, which sets out minimum pay and conditions for all workers in certain sectors, has declined in usage over time as the alternative approach of bargaining has grown, but it remains common for staff in retail, hospitality, and the care sector. The proposal to vary the retail award applied to store managers earning between roughly $54,000 and $62,000, and was backed by Coles, Woolworths, Kmart, and Costco. The legislation is likely to draw frustration from industry groups and support from unions and the Greens, although a party spokeswoman told the ABC it had not made a decision yet. Shadow Industrial Relations Minister Tim Wilson said the Coalition had been briefed on the bill, and is not yet guaranteeing his party's support either. "When it comes down to it, we have concerns about making sure it doesn't hurt small businesses. "When the Minister was asked whether it was going to have impact on small business, she gave a very explicit firm commitment that it wouldn't. "But we are not going to know that until we have a clear consultation with small business." The issue also dovetails with ongoing discussions about how workplace contracts should accommodate working-from-home rights. Fair Work is considering that question in the context of the award for clerical and administrative workers, and business groups have argued that those given the right to work flexibly should not be entitled to overtime or weekend pay loading, since they can choose when they want to do their work. Unions have instead suggested the right to work from home should be presumed unless an employer can offer a compelling justification for refusing it. Depending on the details, a bill protecting penalty rates and overtime rates in all circumstances for award workers could prevent Fair Work from adopting the business groups' suggestions. The government has given some indication that it may consider legislating work-from-home rights, but has not suggested it favours any particular model for doing so.
ABC News
25 minutes ago
- ABC News
Albanese wants childcare to be his legacy but the problem is bigger than access
It was during the election campaign, at the ABC's leaders' debate, that Anthony Albanese declared the political achievement he'd most like to be remembered for: "the universal provision of affordable childcare." For parents facing the frustration of trying to find a childcare place and the money to pay for it, elevating this issue to the stuff of prime ministerial legacy-building was no doubt welcome. A sign of Labor's seriousness. Albanese described his vision for a world in which "it is as natural to have your child have access to childcare as it is to have access to a public school". But this was also a limited goal. The focus on improving access is only one part of the problem when it comes to childcare, as the government has discovered. Improving safety and quality standards has now become an even bigger immediate concern. The ABC's Adele Ferguson has been exposing systemic failures in childcare standards for months, but it was the case revealed three weeks ago involving shocking allegations of abuse by a childcare worker in Victoria that finally spurred state and federal governments into urgent action. In the first Question Time of the new parliament yesterday, there was a concerted show of bipartisanship to lift standards. One of the first bills introduced aims to strengthen powers to carry out spot checks and strip funding if centres aren't meeting minimum standards. Further steps will be taken next month when the Commonwealth, states and territories meet to discuss a national register of childcare workers, mandatory child safety training, and the roll-out of CCTV cameras. Details are still to be thrashed out, but there's now widespread acceptance the system is broken, regulation has been too loose, and a range of steps must be taken. Spot checks, funding threats, and greater transparency around the work history of staff will all help. But will it be enough to fix a sector that's evolved (or devolved) into a confusing mess of not-for-profit and stock-exchange-listed operators, regulated by different state and federal bodies, and largely funded by taxpayer-funded subsidies? "They will likely have a positive short-term impact on safety and quality, but they won't address the deeper, systemic problems that got us to this point," says Andrew Hudson, CEO of public policy think tank the Centre for Policy Development, which was chaired by Sam Mostyn until her appointment as governor-general last year. Hudson gives the government credit for its efforts to guarantee families three days of subsidised care, improve the pay of childcare workers, and provide $1 billion to expand services where they're needed. But ultimately, he says, the government must "stop treating early learning as a market — and start building it as a universal public service". That means "directly funding providers" rather than relying on subsidies to parents that "inflate costs without improving outcomes". It means "stepping in to establish public or not-for-profit options in communities where access is limited". The idea is not to completely ban on private operators. Rather, it's about the government playing a much more direct role in funding low-fee, high-quality providers. But the think tank isn't the only one identifying the profit motive as a problem in childcare. The government's own newly appointed Minister for Early Education Jess Walsh agrees, at least in part. "There are some repeat offenders who continue to put profit ahead of child safety," the minister said yesterday. Indeed, Walsh has repeatedly made this point since taking the portfolio. She is acknowledging the profit motive is, in some cases, putting child safety at risk. Education Minister Jason Clare, who's responsible for childcare at the cabinet level, says "overwhelmingly higher levels" of quality are found in the not-for-profit sector. But he's not yet flagged any move to push profit makers out of the industry. More than 90 per cent of the centres opened over the past decade are run by providers trying to make a profit, chasing taxpayer funds now worth $16 billion every year. This is what makes the childcare sector nothing like the public school system. The prime minister wants improving access to childcare to be his legacy. Andrew Hudson from the Centre for Policy Development reckons he could be far more ambitious. "This is the moment to transform early learning from a patchy, profit-driven market into a universal system — one that delivers affordable, high-quality care for every child, in every community". David Speers is national political lead and host of Insiders, which airs on ABC TV at 9am on Sunday or on iview.
ABC News
an hour ago
- ABC News
Concerns family intervention orders 'designed for adults' are being placed on young people
Luke and Claire never expected they would be fighting to remove an intervention order placed on their own child. Their names have been changed to protect the identity of their teenager, but they wanted to share their experience in the hope it would lead to change. After a move to regional Victoria, the couple became concerned about the behaviour of their child, which eventually led to a desperate call to authorities for help. "We were in crisis, needed the police to come to help settle the crisis situation down," Luke said. "Three police officers came fairly quickly, and I think the way they managed the situation was good," he said. It was what came next that shocked the family. An interim family violence intervention order was placed on their 15-year-old child, with the father, Luke, named as the person in need of protection. "They told us pretty clearly that there was no option … we took the advice we were given, even though we made it pretty clear we didn't want [the intervention order]. The family felt like they had lost one of their avenues for much-needed crisis support. "I just asked them, how does this help?" Luke said. Across Australia, each state has different family violence and restraining order laws, which makes it difficult to get a national picture of how many young people are being placed on these intervention orders. In a number of jurisdictions, data shows domestic violence orders are increasing, but it's not always clear how many young people this involves. However, a new report from Victoria Legal Aid (VLA) found in that state since 2018, there has been a 34 per cent increase in the number of children VLA has assisted with intervention order applications made against them. The Feeling Supported, Not Stuck report, reviewed 101 closed files and found 39 per cent of families did not support the family violence intervention order made against their child. The problem is that the intervention order system is designed for adults, said VLA's associate director child protection, Elicia Savvas. "Police can choose to make an [intervention order] application to the court, and that's frequently what's happening, and then ultimately it's up to a magistrate to make a decision," she said. "That system is just not appropriate for [young people]. They can't understand the order and often it's a matter of actually needing help to deal with whatever's driving that behaviour, and the court system can't do that." Advocates have warned Victoria's extremely robust family violence law might be penalising vulnerable children who need more social support. "In 2008, Victoria forged ahead with one of the most expansive definitions of family violence in Australia, and at the time that was seen as really groundbreaking because we're recognising the diversity of experiences of victims, survivors of family," said Elena Campbell, Associate Director at RMIT's Centre for Innovative Justice. Those laws mean no consent is required for police to file family safety intervention orders, but this approach, "suitable for adults," may have inadvertently created issues for children and families, she said. The authors of VLA's report believe there are nationwide lessons from their research. "The interventional system looks different in every state around Australia, but children and young people have similar experiences, particularly of violence or trauma across Australia," Ms Savvas said. The ABC reached out to Victoria Police for comment. The overall rise in VLA's child clients responding to intervention orders was partly driven by the increase in school-based disputes leading to court action. The report examined young people's experiences of not only family safety intervention orders, but also personal safety intervention orders. Eighty-one per cent of personal safety intervention order files at VLA were related to incidents between children in school. In Victoria, parents or members of the public can apply for personal safety intervention orders to be placed on children. Serena is a proud First Nations woman who had two of her teenage children placed on intervention orders over school-based incidents. "It was really stressful, not just for my kids but me too … it affected us in every way," she said. She said her daughter was being bullied and targeted at school, which ultimately led to a fight that resulted in intervention orders being filed against both her children. Serena felt more could have been done to remedy the situation. "They should have got together with both families, spoke about it and worked with both of us, to see how we could all fix this. "My daughter had to go in separate entrance from the other [child] at the school, they put my daughter in an upper year level where she didn't understand the work at all, so then she started failing subjects." Serena and her children attended court and were able to have the orders withdrawn. The VLA report included previously unpublished Crime Statistics Agency analysis of Victoria Police data, which showed an 8 per cent increase in intervention orders against 10 to 17-year-olds since 2018. It found a more significant increase in personal safety intervention orders, which rose by 28 per cent between 2018 and 2023. "Resolving conflicts between students at school is something that we acknowledge is really hard for schools to do," Ms Savvas said. Fifty per cent of intervention order applications were withdrawn or revoked once they reached the Victorian Children's Court in 2023-2024, the report found. "The decline in final orders suggests that police are making applications that may not be necessary or Magistrates are acknowledging that a final order will not address the needs of the parties," it said. Legal and community justice experts say reforms are needed to protect vulnerable children who need social support, not legal interventions. "There's no evidence that we can see to show that children are becoming more violent," Ms Savvas said. Ms Campbell, who advised both state and federal governments on domestic and family violence, said intervention orders were a blunt instrument. "Intervention orders are a very useful device or mechanism that we have in our legal toolkit, but in terms of using them in relation to young people, they're a very, very blunt instrument," she said. She is calling for a review and reform. "There's a huge and very urgent need for reform of the Family Violence Protection Act (Vic) as a whole wholesale review, and then to look at the Personal Safety Intervention Act (Vic) as well." Luke and Claire were able to support their child in court to have the intervention order dismissed but are still looking for extra support. "I think family counselling at that point in time was what we needed. Raising teenagers today is extremely difficult." The ABC reached out to Victoria's Minister for Prevention of Family Violence Natalie Hutchins for comment.
