1. Couple loses custody of children because of their ‘low IQ scores’.
Amy Fabbrini and Eric Ziegler are the proud parents of two young boys – Christopher and Hunter – but they are not allowed to care for them.
The parents, from Oregon in the United States, have the boys’ rooms set up, filled with unworn clothes and unread books, but the state’s Department of Human Services (DHS) have deemed the couple too mentally limited to be good parents.
The pair – aged 31 and 38, respectively – lost custody of four-year-old Christopher shortly after he was born. When Hunter was born five months ago, he was taken from them too, The Oregonian reports.
Both boys are now in foster care. There is no evidence of abuse or neglect, but each parent has “limited cognitive abilities”, and the child welfare agency is now moving to remove the couple’s parental rights.
According to court documents, Fabbrini scored a 72 on a state-required IQ test, while her partner, Ziegler, scored a 66. The average score is between 90 and 110, while those with an IQ over 120 are thought to have superior intelligence.
Amy’s own father, 74-year-old Raymond Fabbrini, has told authorities that his daughter “doesn’t have the instincts to be a mother”.
Before Christopher was born, Amy was living with her father and her six-year-old twin boys from a previous relationship. He says he and his wife – who passed away from Alzheimer’s a week before Christopher was born – were doing most of the parenting for the boys.
The twins now live with their biological father.
Ziegler and Fabbrini said that in an effort to get their children back, they have taken classes on parenting, first aid and nutrition at the direction of child welfare workers.
“It doesn’t seem like it’s good enough for them,” Ziegler told The Oregonian.
“They’re saying, ‘Who would parent Christopher better, the foster parents or the parents?'”
Amy’s aunt, Lenora Turner, said she has “no idea” why the couple aren’t allowed to care for their own children.
“I honestly don’t understand,” she said.
“I go to the grocery store and I see other people with their children and they’re standing up in the grocery cart… and I think, how come they get to keep their children? How do they decide whose child they’re going to take and whose child can stay?”
In one report, a worker from MountainStar – an organisation offering community support and services to vulnerable families – said the couple needed to be “prompted” to tell their son to wash his hands after using the toilet.
The report also stated the parents failed to apply sunscreen to all of Christopher’s skin, applying it only to his face.
Attorney’s for the pair argue these are not sufficient reasons to keep them from their two children.
“What level of disability denies human beings the right to raise a child. There’s no smoking gun evidence of abuse,” the attorney said in a 2016 hearing.
“A cognitively impaired parent can still parent.
“Their rights cannot be terminated simply because they suffer from cognitive impairment, so long as they are able to put together a plan for how they’re going to safely care for their kids with the support of people in the community.”
Supporters have set up a GoFundMe campaign to help the couple with their ongoing legal costs.
2. 19-year-old woman crushed to death by bull on a West Australian farm remembered by family.
The devastated family of a 19-year-old West Australian woman have paid tribute to their “happy” daughter who died after being crushed by a bull at a farm.
Alexandra Henderson, from Dalyup, was found unconscious on Monday morning and rushed by ambulance to Esperance Hospital in WA’s south where she died from her injuries, AAP reports.
She was working at the farm at Dalyup herding the large bull when she was hit into a fence in a paddock.
The family said they were devastated by the sudden loss of their beautiful daughter Alexandra.
“We are consoled at this time by the fact that she was in a happy place at this time in her life,” the family said in a statement.
Alexandra was working on a property she loved, with people she cared for and respected and who felt the same about her, they said.
While Alexandra was only young she had worked with animals her whole life, including cattle and was a competent horsewoman, breaking and training horses, they added.
“She was also a compassionate person who cared deeply about her world and the living things she shared it with,” the family said.
“We are buoyed at this time by the fact that we have spent so much time with her, and that we live in a community which has supported us with an outpouring of love and support.”
The family thanked paramedics and hospital staff for trying to save Alexandra.
Worksafe are investigating and a report is being prepared for the coroner.
3. PM in a bind over-same sex marriage vote, as SA moves to legally recognise LGBT relationships.
Malcolm Turnbull is facing calls from within the Liberal Party to take a second stab at securing parliament’s approval for a plebiscite on same-sex marriage, AAP reports.
However, there is also pressure for a partyroom meeting next Tuesday to discuss a private member’s bill being proposed by a small group of Liberal backbenchers.
Mr Turnbull has reportedly called two of those MPs – Queensland’s Trevor Evans and Western Australia’s Dean Smith – urging them to support the government’s plebiscite policy.
But News Corp said the two men were sticking with their plans.
Another pro-marriage proponent, Warren Entsch, told News that he was prepared to continue even if the right continued to threaten Mr Turnbull’s leadership.
Senator Abetz, a staunch opponent of same-sex marriage, refused to commit to taking heed of a plebiscite if the overwhelming majority of Australians were in favour.
“I think it is appropriate that the minority view, whatever that may be, is still expressed within the parliament,” he told Sky News on Tuesday night.
The news comes as South Australia moves to allow gay and lesbian couples to have their relationships registered.
The register for LGBT couples will ensure their relationships are legally recognised and will help people assert their rights, including in situations of medical care, Premier Jay Weatherill announced on Tuesday.
The register will also allow gay and lesbian couples married overseas to have their relationship legally recognised in SA.
4. ‘Blame game’ between Sydney mayor and NSW Premier over homeless tent city in Martin Place.
A tent city in Sydney’s Martin Place is the direct consequence of “decades of gutless inaction” from successive state governments on homelessness, Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore says.
Dozens of tents have been erected along the Martin Place forecourt since December.
The number continues to grow despite attempts by the council and NSW government to move people on.
While Ms Moore pointed the finger at the government on Tuesday, Premier Gladys Berejiklian said it was up to the City of Sydney to find a solution.
Ms Berejiklian said government officials had been to the site dozens of times but some people in the tent city were refusing to leave or accept help, AAP reports.
Family and Community Services staff have visited the site 41 times to offer services and accommodation to those who are sleeping rough, with about 60 people relocated into permanent housing.
“It concerns me that people who are sleeping in tents in Martin Place are refusing to get help, refusing to receive help, and I frankly think it’s unacceptable,” Ms Berejiklian told parliament.
“Our staff have been down there 41 times … and I call on Clover Moore to get rid of that tent city. It should not be there.”
But Ms Moore said City of Sydney staff had no power to move homeless people on from the tent city.
“It’s not illegal for people to be homeless – for some people it’s an inevitable consequence of the housing affordability crisis in Sydney,” the mayor said in a statement.
Ms Moore demanded the state government reopen the iconic Sirius building in The Rocks which until recently has been used for public housing.
Social Housing Minister Pru Goward responded to Ms Moore with a tweet.
“Just read Clover’s statement on Martin Place. Disappointing. We are doing what we can. #whatareyouresponsibleforClover?”
5. Man rushes to save his son and dog from a burning house fire in Melbourne.
A Melbourne man has saved his son and a dog from a burning house, running into the inferno to wake them up, AAP reports.
The 60-year-old arrived at the Mill Park house on Tuesday afternoon and found it well alight, rushing in to save his son, who was asleep inside, the Metropolitan Fire Brigade says.
He managed to get his 35-year-old son, and his pet dog, out of the house and all three were treated by firefighters with oxygen until an ambulance arrived.
Crews attacked the blaze internally and it was under control in 40 minutes but caused substantial damage.
The father was taken to hospital and his son and the dog were treated by paramedics at the scene.
It’s believed a second dog may have perished in the fire and investigators will now try to determine the cause.
6. More than 10,000 people struck with the flu in QLD in the first week of the season.
Flu season is here and has already hit more than 10,000 Queenslanders, but the state’s health department is expecting many more people to be struck down.
Almost a fifth of those fell ill in the last week of July and more people have fallen sick this year than last, with flu season also starting earlier, communicable disease director Dr Sonya Bennett said.
“We can expect to see large numbers of flu notifications over the coming weeks,” she said on Tuesday.
So far, 1324 Queenslanders have been hospitalised and 126 of those needed intensive care, AAP reports.
About 78 per cent of the 10,831 cases recorded this year were for influenza A while 22 per were for influenza B, Queensland Health says.
Vaccinations are being offered for two variants of each strain and Dr Bennett is urging people to have the injection, which can take up to two weeks to work.
“It is the best way of protecting yourself against the flu and often if people are vaccinated and they do get the flu, they’ll get a less severe illness,” she said.
About 800,000 subsidised vaccines have been dispatched across Queensland for people in risk groups including pregnant woman and those older than 65.
Flu can be a severe illness, Dr Bennett warned.
“Stay home when you’re sick, cover your nose and mouth when sneezing and coughing and wash your hands regularly,” she said.
“Combined with vaccination, these simply steps can reduce the likelihood of spreading the flu and combat the rise in flu notifications.”
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