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Josephine Lim

A mother and her son with a disability waited two hours for an access taxi before a Good Samaritan drove them to an Adelaide hospital. 53m ago 53 minutes ago Mon 12 May 2025 at 5:26am
Wildlife authorities say a large marine animal found dead this morning after it was hit by a vehicle on a major Adelaide road was an Australian sea lion, and have described the incident as a "freak accident" — despite a warning from a passer-by the previous day. Mon 7 Apr Mon 7 Apr Mon 7 Apr 2025 at 6:12am
The opposition leader has promised to pour more money into a freight bypass estimated to divert trucks from metropolitan Adelaide. Mon 7 Apr Mon 7 Apr Mon 7 Apr 2025 at 3:01am
The imposition of US import tariffs is the latest in a long series of challenges for SA farmers, who have battled frost and flooding in recent years, and are currently contending with drought. Thu 3 Apr Thu 3 Apr Thu 3 Apr 2025 at 7:04pm
The total reservoir levels across metropolitan Adelaide are at 38 per cent compared to 50 per cent at the same day last year, SA Water data shows. Wed 2 Apr Wed 2 Apr Wed 2 Apr 2025 at 2:24am
Adelaide United defender Josh Cavallo, Australia's first openly gay professional footballer, says he still receives daily death threats since coming out more than three years ago. Wed 19 Mar Wed 19 Mar Wed 19 Mar 2025 at 6:59am
Media personality Ali Clarke has shared how she was verbally abused and refused a ride by a taxi driver in Adelaide. Fri 7 Mar Fri 7 Mar Fri 7 Mar 2025 at 7:11am
Children are skipping school because families are running out of water to shower or wash uniforms, a South Australian mayor says amid record dry weather in the state. Thu 6 Mar Thu 6 Mar Thu 6 Mar 2025 at 5:03am
A third man has faced court in New South Wales charged over an alleged robbery in South Australia in which collectable coins worth $1 million, cash and firearms were stolen. Tue 4 Mar Tue 4 Mar Tue 4 Mar 2025 at 3:30am
Off-duty police officers have arrested a man who allegedly stabbed another man just one day after after a random, unrelated attack in Adelaide's CBD. Tue 4 Mar Tue 4 Mar Tue 4 Mar 2025 at 1:31am
While the SA Premier says a decision to put the Whyalla steelworks into administration is about Australia's steelmaking future, it's also about the many workers, contractors and businesses that rely on it for their livelihoods. Wed 19 Feb Wed 19 Feb Wed 19 Feb 2025 at 10:10pm
A gusty change on Boxing Day will keep firefighters on "high alert" in South Australia as total fire bans are declared in five regions across the state. Thu 26 Dec Thu 26 Dec Thu 26 Dec 2024 at 2:40am
Italian tourist Gabriele Cairo, who was driving a campervan in regional SA when he caused a crash that left a woman and her parents dead, is handed a suspended sentence over what the judge described as a "true tragedy for everyone involved". Fri 22 Nov Fri 22 Nov Fri 22 Nov 2024 at 2:36am
Two men have been arrested and a family of three have been taken to hospital after a fire burnt through 33 hectares of grass in Adelaide's northern suburbs. Sat 2 Nov Sat 2 Nov Sat 2 Nov 2024 at 8:06pm
A disability advocate says the death of a woman with "significant" disabilities and who was living in "squalid conditions" is a reminder that change is needed to ensure people do not "slip through the cracks". Thu 31 Oct Thu 31 Oct Thu 31 Oct 2024 at 5:16am
South Australian police are investigating whether the death of a 26-year-old woman with "significant physical and intellectual disabilities" was the result of criminal neglect. Wed 30 Oct Wed 30 Oct Wed 30 Oct 2024 at 7:13am
The tribunal overseeing energy prices in New South Wales is investigating whether power infrastructure company Transgrid failed to provide a reliable supply to residents in the far west after a second outage within a week. Wed 23 Oct Wed 23 Oct Wed 23 Oct 2024 at 9:39am
Residents in the far west of New South Wales will be without power until Tuesday afternoon as the sole generator being used since wild weather brought down transmission towers has shut down. Tue 22 Oct Tue 22 Oct Tue 22 Oct 2024 at 2:42am
Darren Brown says he has gone to "every length" to get the hotel he runs properly listed on Google, and that without the visibility the losses to the business have been "immeasurable". Tue 22 Oct Tue 22 Oct Tue 22 Oct 2024 at 2:52am
A landlord found to have broken the law by turning a one-bedroom Adelaide unit into an apartment with five bedrooms has lost a legal bid to avoid returning the flat to its original state by early next week. Mon 28 Oct Mon 28 Oct Mon 28 Oct 2024 at 11:49pm
David Speirs has announced he intends to quit parliament and pause his Liberal party membership, with police saying he has also been charged. What does this mean for his future and the electorate he represents? Sun 6 Oct Sun 6 Oct Sun 6 Oct 2024 at 9:12pm
Former SA opposition leader David Speirs has been charged with two counts of supplying a controlled substance and will face court, police have confirmed. Sat 5 Oct Sat 5 Oct Sat 5 Oct 2024 at 8:54am
A man has been left with life-threatening injuries after a car was allegedly driven "at speed" into a crowd outside a pub in South Australia at the start of the long weekend, police say. Sat 5 Oct Sat 5 Oct Sat 5 Oct 2024 at 3:15am
With three SA tomato businesses, including a major supplier, forced into quarantine because of the outbreak of a crop virus, workers like Sharon Tarisesei have lost their jobs, and are apprehensive about securing future employment. Thu 26 Sep Thu 26 Sep Thu 26 Sep 2024 at 10:39pm
As governments — and social media giants — announce measures aimed to safeguard children from social media, teenagers continue to access popular apps such as TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat and Youtube. So what can caregivers do to help children navigate social media safely?
Thu 26 Sep Thu 26 Sep Thu 26 Sep 2024 at 9:35pm
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Do dogs actually need to wear jackets in winter in Australia?
Do dogs actually need to wear jackets in winter in Australia?

ABC News

time2 hours ago

  • ABC News

Do dogs actually need to wear jackets in winter in Australia?

As large parts of the country shiver through winter, making sure our loved ones are rugged up in their warmest clothes is a top priority. And for many of us, that includes our four-legged family members. But does your dog actually need to wear a jacket? According to experts, that depends on a variety of factors, including their size, breed and how cold it gets where you live. One of the main determining factors for whether your dog needs a jacket is how small they are, according to Susan Hazel, an associate professor from the University of Adelaide who specialises in research into animal welfare, behaviour and ethics. Dr Hazel says dogs that are less than 10 kilograms "and ones that are less than 5kg, even more so" are likely to benefit from wearing a jacket when it is cold, particularly if they are venturing outdoors. "Smaller dogs, because their body surface area to body mass has a different ratio, they will get cold," Dr Hazel says. Breeds including Italian greyhounds, French bulldogs, chihuahuas, toy poodles, pugs, Maltese and Yorkshire terriers are among those that can benefit from wearing a coat in colder weather. Shaun Naylor and his husband Benny Cole live on the Gold Coast, on the traditional lands of the Yugambeh people, and have recently welcomed Louis, a four-month-old Italian greyhound, into their family. Shaun said it quickly became clear that Louis "definitely needs a jacket" when it's cold. "He gets really, really cold as soon as the temperature drops," he says. "He might be sitting with us on a couch with a blanket and you might move the blanket and there's a breeze and he just starts to shiver. "We'll get up in the morning and take him out to the garden so he can go to the toilet, and as soon as you pick him up and move him away from the heater or anything, his whole body shakes. "We have had him less than two weeks and he currently has three knitted jumpers, one hoodie, a reflective woolly coat for when he goes walking and some pyjamas." Larger dog breeds — particularly those with double coats such as golden retrievers, labradors, huskies, German shepherds, border collies and Newfoundlands — are more easily able to regulate their body heat, even if they are out walking in cold or wet weather. "They really are wearing a heavy fur coat and even when it rains, the rain doesn't tend to get through that double layer," Dr Hazel says. However, some larger breeds with single coats or shorter hair, such as greyhounds, have low body fat, which means they don't have much insulation from the cold. "If your dog gets cold, it will shiver in the same way that we do if we get really cold, so people will know if their greyhounds are a bit cold," Dr Hazel says. If your dog is sleeping inside, there's generally no need to dress them in jackets or pyjamas overnight, provided they have warm bedding. Dr Hazel says there are more important considerations than a jacket if your dog sleeps outdoors at night, including a kennel that is protected from wind and rain. She says it's important they have "somewhere they can keep warm and [have] some bedding" and "not just a bit of concrete". "The smaller the dog, the more important that would be, and the colder the area, the more important that would be." Shaun also owns a Maltese–chihuahua cross named Dylan, and says he has "lots of fur, so I guess it's a little bit more for the people than for him when you put him in clothes". "But he does like to have a jacket when it's cold … he'll come to you and let you know he wants his jacket." Dr Hazel says, "dogs are people pleasers" and "if the dog tolerates it … [and] you're not using aversive methods", there is generally no harm dressing them in clothes. "You get the full range with dogs, with some of them that love wearing a coat, some of them that are ambivalent but put up with it and some that hate it." She says she would "never, ever recommend trying to force a jacket on a dog that didn't like it" and "if you did that, every time you did it, it's going to get harder and harder". Owners should also make sure any jackets or jumpers fit their dogs properly and regularly check that there are no ill-fitting straps, Velcro or other material that is rubbing on their skin and causing pain or discomfort. Mount Gambier vet Teresa Priddle recently told the ABC that jackets should always be taken on and off every day and it was worth "checking daily that it's fitting correctly and there are no rub marks".

What is happening with SA's algal bloom and why should the rest of Australia care?
What is happening with SA's algal bloom and why should the rest of Australia care?

ABC News

time5 hours ago

  • ABC News

What is happening with SA's algal bloom and why should the rest of Australia care?

South Australia is dealing with an "unprecedented" environmental disaster, which has spread throughout the coastline, killing thousands of sea creatures and taking a toll on businesses, tourism and the mental health of those who live and work near the sea. Authorities and scientists say climate change has been a key driver in the algal bloom and warn the bloom is unlikely to go away anytime soon. Here's what we know so far. What causes algal blooms? UTS marine biologist Shauna Murray told the ABC earlier this year that marine phytoplankton were generally a good thing for the environment, creating up to a half of the world's oxygen. But a small percentage of the more than 100,000 different species of microalgae are harmful or toxic. What is the algal bloom in South Australia? The harmful algal bloom dominating South Australia's coastline is Karenia mikimotoi . In low numbers, the microscopic algae cannot be seen by the naked eye. Here's what it looks like under a microscope: The samples that showed karenia mikimotoi to be present in the Coorong were collected by Glen and Tracy Hill. ( Supplied: Faith Coleman ) "So, they're not visible as cells to the naked eye, but you can see the colouring, so when they're extremely abundant you can see a sort of slight … water discolouration that is reddy, brown … but not always," UTS researcher Shauna Murray told the ABC earlier this year. And from the coastline, it can wash up a brown-coloured foam, which looks like this: The algae produced large amounts of foam again at Knights Beach at Port Elliot over Easter. ( ABC South East SA: Caroline Horn ) How did the bloom begin? SA Environment Minister Susan Close said the outbreak followed three key events. In 2022/23 the state experienced flooding along the River Murray, which saw run-off enter the Southern Ocean. Here's an image of the run off from above: After that, in 2023/24 a cold upswelling brought nutrient rich water to the surface. And in September 2024, a marine heatwave began, which saw temperatures 2.5 degrees Celsius above normal levels. On March 15, surfers and beachgoers reported illnesses after visiting Waitpinga Beach on the Fleurieu Peninsula. By March 16, a brown foam and dead sea life was found on the beach, marking the beginning of a months-long crisis along SA's coastlines. Dr Close said all of those events could be attributed to climate change. What does the algal bloom do to humans? Health authorities say contact with Karenia mikimotoi can cause flu-like symptoms, including skin rashes and respiratory symptoms, but no long-term health impacts. For surfer Anthony Rowland, who first felt the impact of the bloom at Waitpinga Beach, it started as a tickle in his throat and then progressed to a cough. Anthony Rowland said he felt as though authorities did not take his initial reports seriously. ( ABC News: Che Chorley ) He reported other surfers in the area having blurred vision, wheezing and sore throats. How do you treat algal bloom sickness symptoms? SA Health's advice is to stay out of waters where the bloom appears to be present, but if you do come into contact with it to leave the area and wash yourself. "If symptoms are more severe or do not resolve, seek medical advice from a GP and call 000 if it is a medical emergency," SA Health states on its website. How does it kill fish? Professor Murray said the algae affects fish gills and skin. " Karenia mikimotoi doesn't actually produce a toxin but it does produce what's called reactive oxygen species so this can damage the gills of fish and it can affect skin cells," she said. "What this damaging the gills of the fish means is marine animals basically drown if their gills become too damaged." A globe fish on the beach at Waitpinga, south of Victor Harbor, after the initial outbreak in March. ( ABC South East SA: Caroline Horn ) Other dead sea mammals have been found dead along the coast, including dolphins and sea lions. The official advice is that Karenia mikimotoi isn't toxic to mammals. The government said it was not uncommon for marine mammal carcasses to wash ashore after winter storms. SA authorities are performing autopsies to determine the cause. Where is the algal bloom at the moment? As of July 18, authorities say the bloom is present in the Gulf Saint Vincent, which covers many of Adelaide's metropolitan beaches, as well as areas in the Fleurieu Peninsula and the Spencer Gulf. This satellite image shows levels of chlorophyll a in red, which is an indicator of the bloom's presence: A July 16, 2025, sea surface map of chlorophyll-a levels on the South Australian coast, which can indicate algae concentrations. ( Department of Primary Industries and Regions SA ) On Wednesday, a dead sea turtle found at Glenelg was among the latest casualties. What kills an algal bloom? According to the latest science, nothing can be done to dilute or dissipate the bloom. When it first appeared, scientists predicted a cold winter front would help dissipate it. But the ongoing marine heatwave and drought conditions meant rain did not arrive until winter, and the storm fronts have done little to hamper the bloom so far. A birdseye view of the algal bloom in waters off the Fleurieu Peninsula. ( ABC News: Che Chorley ) There have been some glimmers of hope though. Estuarine ecologist Faith Coleman detected Noctiluca scintillans — the algae which causes "sea sparkle". "What they do is they go round, they eat other bacteria and algae, and in this case it looks like they're probably eating Karenia mikimotoi ," Ms Coleman said. Is it safe to eat fish? Fishing businesses and scientists have told the ABC catches are down 50 per cent in some parts of the state, but for those still fishing, business is also being impacted by the news of the bloom. SA Environment Minister Susan Close said she would be looking at further measures to remind consumers that fish for sale was still safe to eat. "SA Health advises that fish caught live are safe to eat," PIRSA's website states. "However, SA Health does not recommend people eat fish or cockles found dead because of likely spoilage and decomposition." South Australian Fisherman Co-Operative Limited manager Ian Mitchell told the ABC earlier this week he had "fishermen in tears on the phone", but the mood was better following the announcement of state and federal funding. This week, the federal government announced $14 million in funding to help South Australia deal with the algal bloom outbreak, but stopped short of declaring it a national disaster. On Tuesday, the SA government said it would match federal funding, with the resources to go to helping impacted industries, further research and monitoring and holding public community information forums. "The feeling was a lot better today than the last three months. There was a fair bit of fish considering the weather was pretty poor, and prices were up a little bit so it seems like the public is listening to, you know, it is safe to eat," Mr Mitchell said. What has the impact been and what's next? The bloom has killed thousands of sea creatures, decimated local sea habitats and has spread at an unprecedented level. It has had a huge impact on commercial fishing, tourism and other businesses who operate in or near the sea. The fish kills have been a hot topic on the island since the beginning of the algal bloom outbreak. ( ABC News: Che Chorley ) The toll on those who work in the space has also been significant. So what's next? Flinders University Associate Professor of Natural Sciences (Oceanography) Jochen Kaempf has developed a computer model to predict where the algae will spread next. While awaiting peer review, the model predicts the bloom will ease over winter, but worsen next summer. "There is nothing you can actually do to prevent it. The only thing you can do is you can hope that there is enough of the zooplankton, which are swimming, small marine plankton that actually eat, take up enough of the algae so that it can't re-evolve in the next summer when the water gets warmer again," Professor Kaempf said. "The only thing that can actually only clear it up is if it's consumed, if it's eaten by other marine organisms of the food chain."

Heaviest rain and snow in years ahead for southern Australia
Heaviest rain and snow in years ahead for southern Australia

ABC News

timea day ago

  • ABC News

Heaviest rain and snow in years ahead for southern Australia

The wait for significant drought relief is finally over. After two years of high-pressure domination, a triplet of low-pressure systems is about to deliver rain across nearly every agricultural region of Australia, and for once, the best falls will reach all the right places. Rainfall this week is likely to be the heaviest in one to two years for much of South Australia and the southern Murray Basin, while many Western Australian farmers are rejoicing through the wettest July in four years.

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