We’ve rounded up all the biggest headlines around this afternoon, so you can catch up on the most important news in just a few minutes.
1. Child sexual abuse royal commission: ‘national redress scheme for victims would exceed $4b’.
By ABC News
Trigger warning: This post deals with child sexual abuse and may be distressing for some readers.
The total cost of a national compensation scheme for victims of child sexual abuse would exceed $4 billion, according to a consultation paper released by the royal commission.
The commission has today released a consultation paper inviting community input on the issue of redress and civil litigation.
It said that many people would prefer a single national redress scheme to be administered by the Australian Government, with institutions contributing to the funding of the scheme based on their responsibility to individual survivors.
Based on modelling assuming that 65,000 eligible survivors would receive payments of $65,000 each, the total cost of redress would be $4.38 billion according to the report.
A version of this article originally appeared on ABC News here and has been republished with full permission
2. Woman in serious condition after falling unconscious at Sydney cosmetic surgery
A woman in her 20s has suffered a cardiac arrest whilst undergoing undergoing cosmetic surgery at The Cosmetic Institute in Parramatta, Fairfax media reports.
Paramedics were called to the clinic in Sydney’s west at about 10.15am on Friday in response to reports the woman was unconscious and not breathing.
A NSW Ambulance spokeswoman confirmed a patient was taken to Westmead Hospital in a serious condition but could not reveal any more information due to confidentiality laws.
Managing director of The Cosmetic Institute, David Segal, said the woman was believed to have had a reaction to the anaesthetic, according to Fairfax Media.
3. Australian Open: Andy Murray defends fiancee for swearing.
By ABC News
Two-time major winner Andy Murray has defended his fiancee Kim Sears after her foul-mouthed rant was caught on camera during a tense Australian Open semi-final against Tomas Berdych.
Murray advanced to the Australian Open final with a 6-7 (8-6), 6-0, 6-3, 7-5 win over the Czech in an emotional, fractious match which lasted three hours and 26 minutes on Rod Laver Arena.
There was plenty of friction between Murray and Berdych and a few glares at each other at changeovers during the opening set sparked by Berdych’s decision to hire former Murray team member Dani Vallverdu as his coach.
The tension could be seen reaching the players’ courtside boxes, where Sears was seen mouthing an expletive-laden tirade against Berdych.
Murray blamed the media for stirring up the tensions over Vallverdu, adding things get said in the heat of the moment.
A version of this article originally appeared on ABC News here and has been republished with full permission
4. Outdoor dining smoking ban for NSW
Smokers and businesses face heavy fines in face of new smoking bans in outdoor dining areas, The Daily Telegraph reports.
Tough new restrictions will see new bans on smoking in seated outdoor dining areas where food is being served from July 6.
The restrictions fall under the Smoke-free Environment Act of 2000.
NSW Health Authorised Inspectors will be able to issue on-the-spot fines for those who ignore the ban, ranging from $300 for individuals and up to $5500 for businesses.
The ban applies to all ignited smoking products, including cigarettes cigars, pipes and water pipes.
Smoking will still be allowed in designated outdoor smoking areas, but that area must be at least 4m away from the dining area.
5. Tony Abbott declares himself a ‘good captain’ of the government.
By ABC News
Tony Abbott has declared himself “a very good captain” of the Government’s team, at the end of the most punishing week of his tenure as Prime Minister.
The decision to knight Prince Philip on Australia Day set off an internal storm in the Coalition which has rocked Mr Abbott’s leadership to its foundations.
Mr Abbott is now trying to get back to his main game, focusing on jobs and families.
He was in the Victorian town of Colac today, using dairy exporters Bulla Foods as a backdrop to demonstrate how Australians would benefit from the Government’s free trade deals.
But he was dogged by leadership questions and was asked why both his Foreign Minister, Julie Bishop, and Communications Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, ranked above him in polls on preferred prime minister.
“This is a very strong team,” he said. “And one of the reasons why so many members of the team are able to perform so well is because they’ve got a very good captain.
“It takes a good captain to help all the players of a team to excel.”
A version of this article originally appeared on ABC News here and has been republished with full permission.
6. Inquest into the suicide of teenage apprentice ends.
By ABC News
Trigger warning: This post deals with suicide and may be distressing for some readers.
An inquest into the suicide of a teenage apprentice who was bullied at his workplace in regional New South Wales has ended without any findings or recommendations.
Alec Meikle ended his own life just weeks after returning to live in New Zealand in 2008.
He had just turned 17 at the time of his death on October 13 that year.
During hearings in 2012 and 2013, the Coroners Court in Sydney was told that Meikle’s death followed a series of incidents at Downer EDI in Bathurst, in central west New South Wales.
He had worked at the site as an apprentice engineer.
A version of this article originally appeared on ABC News here and has been republished with full permission.
If this news round-up brings up issues for you, you can contact the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence hotline on 1800 737 732 for 24/7 counselling. Alternatively, you can call Lifeline on 131 114.
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Top Comments
Thank God smoking outdoors will be banned. When you breath passive smoke in you don't have choice but when your child has a heart condition, even better. Hope that included balconies