news

Tuesday afternoon's news in under 5 minutes.

We’ve rounded up all the latest stories from Australia and around the world – so you don’t have to go searching.

1. Jackie Lambie starts a new political party.

Tasmanian Senator Jacqui Lambie has applied to register a political party called the Jacqui Lambie Network with notices of her application to register the party appearing in Tasmanian newspapers this morning.

Burnie-based Senator Lambie split from the Palmer United Party last November.

Leader of the upcoming Jacqui Lambie Network. Image: Facebook.

She does not have to prove to the Australian Electoral Commission that her party has 500 members because she is already a member of Parliament.

The AEC has run ads about the party registration in Tasmanian newspapers this morning and people have until the end of next month to lodge objections.

Related content: Jacqui Lambie wants to bring back the death penalty.

Senator Lambie’s chief of staff, Rob Messenger, said she would start by focusing on recruiting candidates to run for Senate spots, but has not ruled out fielding candidates at national, state and local government elections.

He said she had already been approached by several people who were interested in running as candidates for the party in other states, and many people indicated their desire to join a political party formed by her.

Mr Messenger said the Jacquie Lambie Network’s first and key platform would be that candidates who were elected put their electorates above party loyalty when voting and making decisions.

ADVERTISEMENT

He said another key policy would be to oppose the formal or informal introduction of Sharia law in Australia and required undivided loyalty to the Australian Constitution.

The party would also call for the establishment of a national apprentice, trade and traineeship system, with the aim of increasing recruitment for the defence force.

It would also favour the introduction of a financial transactions tax.

This article originally appeared on the ABC and was republished here with full permission.

2. University launches campaign to tackle assaults against women on campus.

By ABC.

A social media campaign to combat violence against women is being launched at the University of Canberra (UC).

It comes after two separate assaults on women on two different university campuses in as many weeks.

“Don’t be a bystander, if you see something say something.”

ACT Police are continuing to investigate an indecent assault on a woman at the University of Canberra campus and a later assault at the Australian National University (ANU).

University of Canberra Students Association women’s officer Penelope Odell said the two reported attacks on campus had sent shockwaves across the community.

“Definitely fearful, we have parents calling students telling them to be safe,” she said.

“I am so disappointed I guess because students see the university as a safe place.

“We have students who live on campus of course and we have students here after-hours attending classes and things like that.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Related content: A whole country is baring their breasts to support a trolled student. 

Spurred on by a cultural tendency to blame victims and institutions, Ms Odell has launched a social media campaign to raise awareness about what assault is and what to do if you witness it.

“It should be society being able to protect you,” Ms Odell said.

As part of the Twitter campaign under the hashtag #UCact, Ms Odell has encouraged students to share experiences of harassment on social media.

“You can’t take the significance away from the perpetrator [that] it is fully the perpetrator’s fault,” she said.

“The university can’t be there 100 per cent of the time and that is why it should be societal.”

Ms Odell said it was everyone’s responsibility to prevent violence against women, rather than victims or institutions.

“Don’t be a bystander, and if you see something say something.”

This article originally appeared on the ABC and has been republished here with full permission.

3. Woman sentenced to 20 years in jail for feticide.

An American woman has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for neglect of a dependent.

Purvi Patel, 33, was arrested in 2013 after she believed she gave birth to a stillborn baby at home, and proceeded to leave the child in a dumpster.

ADVERTISEMENT

The landmark case is particularly interesting because it hinges on whether or not Ms Patel knew the child was alive — which she attests she didn’t. She also didn’t know how far along she was. (The premature birth occurred at 24 weeks.)

Marie Claire reports Ms Patel didn’t want her conservative Indian parents to find out about the pregnancy, which was the result of an affair with a married co-worker.

Despite clashing evidence regarding whether or not the baby was alive when Ms Patel gave birth, the Indiana jury found Patel guilty.

4. Group blasts Lara Logan’s 60 Minutes coverage of Africa.

A cohort of concerned Americans have written to CBS for its “whitewashed” 60 Minutes coverage of stories based in Africa.

The letter, published in Al Jazeera, lobbied the program for broader coverage of African issues, stating, “please don’t make Africans voiceless and invisible when covering Africa.”

60 Minutes reporter, Lara Logan.

The petition, signed by academics, business owners and leaders, and other concerned citizens, takes particular aim at Lara Logan‘s coverage of the Ebola epidemic in Liberia.

“In that broadcast, Africans were reduced to the role of silent victims. They constituted what might be called a scenery of misery: people whose thoughts, experiences and actions were treated as if totally without interest. Liberians were shown within easy speaking range of Logan, including some Liberians whom she spoke about, and yet not a single Liberian was quoted in any capacity,” the letter read.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Liberians not only died from Ebola; many of them contributed bravely to the fight against the disease, including doctors, nurses and other caregivers, some of whom gave their lives in this effort. Despite this, the only people heard from on the air were white foreigners who had gone to Liberia to contribute to the fight against the disease.”

Logan has previously made international news when she was brutally gang raped in Tarir Square, during the 2011 overthrow of the Mubarak government in Egypt.

5. Police are searching for missing mother and 8 children.

Police are appealing for the help of the community in locating a mother and her eight children who have been missing from the NSW central coast since last week.

Rachel Pawsey, 39, was last seen boarding train at Wyong station on Friday, 27 March, along with her eight children between the ages of two and 14.

jacqui lambie network
Rachel Pawsey. Image: NSW Police.
ADVERTISEMENT

 

Police are concerned for the welfare of the children, some of whom require medicine.

As a result of initial investigations, police believe Ms Pawsey was headed to Queensland.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000.

6. Wife charged with murdering Sydney doctor in Bahamas.

The wife of Sydney podiatrist, Philip Vasyli, has been charged with his murder.

Philip, 59, was found stabbed to death in his luxury home in the Bahamas, last week.

Donna Vasyli, 54, was remanded in custody since the stabbing. Police allege Mr Vasyli had been dead several house before authorities were called.

The trial has been adjourned until May 20.

7. White House confirms investigation into Australian G20 email leak.

The White House has confirmed it is looking into reports president Barack Obama’s passport details were leaked by an Australian official during last year’s G20 Summit, saying it will “take all appropriate steps” to prevent further breaches.

ADVERTISEMENT

Personal details of several world leaders were accidently shared by the Australian Immigration Department before the Brisbane summit.

President Obama’s details, including his passport number, were accidentally sent to a third party.

 

White House press secretary Eric Schultz said the reports were being investigated.

“I have seen those reports. I can’t confirm that at this time,” he told reporters on Air Force One.

“I can tell you that we’re looking into them and we’ll take all appropriate steps necessary to ensure the privacy and security of the president’s personal information.”

Passport numbers, dates of birth and visa details of leaders attending the Brisbane summit were mistakenly emailed by an Immigration Department official to a member of the Asian Cup Local Organising Committee.

Related content: 6 most awkward moments from the G20.

Mr Obama, Russian president Vladimir Putin and German chancellor Angela Merkel were among the world leaders at the G20 summit.

An email from the Immigration Department to the privacy commissioner, obtained under Freedom of Information by The Guardian Australia, revealed the breach was reported less than 10 minutes after the email was sent.

The department described it as an “isolated example of human error” and it considered the risks of the breach to be “very low”, given personal data such as address or other contact details were not included.

ADVERTISEMENT

The email to the privacy commissioner said then-immigration minister Scott Morrison was notified but the department did not consider it necessary to notify the leaders involved.

A department spokesman released a statement saying the “data was immediately deleted by the recipient and was not distributed further”.

The spokesman said the breach was referred to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.

“The department has reviewed and strengthened its email protocols to limit and contain future breaches,” the statement said.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton’s office has been approached for comment.

This article originally appeared in the ABC and was republished here with full permission.

8. Bali Nine lawyers appeal to Metallica.

An Indonesian lawyer associated with the case of convicted Bali Nine drug smugglers Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, has attempted to enlist the support of heavy metal band Metallica.

Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan.

 

Lawyer, Todung Mulya Lubis, tweeted at the group, asking for their support.

Daily Mail reports Indonesian President, Joko Widodo, is a fan of the band.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Hello @Metallica? You have to campaign to save life in Indonesia from Death Penalty. Come, sing and make plea to @jokowi_do2 (the president)”, Lubis tweeted.

He then followed it up with a link to a video entitled The World is Watching, via the Mothers for Mercy campaign group.

The move comes amid an ongoing appeal to secure a stay of execution for the Bali Nine duo. Chan and Sukumaran’s lawyers are alleging the Indonesian President did not properly assess the cases before he rejected an initial appeal.

What’s making news for you today?